Containment and Overflow in the Sleeping Ego: Relationship Between Ego Functions and Nightmares
Individual Differences Research December 1, 2020 DOI: 10.65030/idr.18005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 269 |
| Population | University students |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Ego depletion Neuroticism Ego psychology Psychoanalytic theory Cognition Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology Variance accounting Personality |
| Key findings | Ego functioning accounted for additional variance in nightmare frequency beyond gender and neuroticism, with weaker ego defensive functioning and low sensory thresholds predicting more nightmares, while higher drive regulation and cognitive control of autonomous functions also increased vulnerability. |
Abstract
Nightmares may signal failures in emotional and self-regulation. Drawing on ego-psychological theory, this study tested whether specific ego functions predict nightmare frequency beyond neuroticism. University students (N = 269) completed the Nightmare Experience Scale, Ego Functions Assessment, and Mini-IPIP Neuroticism Scale. Hierarchical regression showed ego functioning accounted for additional variance in nightmare frequency beyond gender and neuroticism. Weaker ego defensive functioning and low sensory thresholds predicted more nightmares, while higher drive regulation and cognitive control of autonomous functions also increased vulnerability. Results suggest nightmares arise when the ego’s balance between affective containment and expression is disrupted, reflecting both fragility and overcontrol. The results were discussed as bridging psychoanalytic theory and contemporary research. Limitations and suggestions for future research were posited.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |