The effects of suppressing intrusive thoughts on dream content, dream distress and psychological parameters
Tana Kröner-Borowik, Stefanie Gosch, Kathrin Hansen, Benjamin Borowik, Michael Schredl, Regina Steil
Journal of Sleep Research May 16, 2013 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.12058 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Healthy good sleepers |
| Intervention | Thought suppression |
| Duration | 1 week |
| Measures | Dream diary |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Thought suppression Content measure theory Distressing Sleep quality Depression economics Clinical psychology Psychotherapist Psychoanalysis Cognition |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key findings | Thought suppression before sleep increased dreams related to the suppressed thought and showed a tendency toward more distressing dreams, with a significant increase in general psychiatric symptomatology. No significant effects were found for depression, sleep quality, or perceived stress. |
Abstract
Suppressing unwanted thoughts can lead to an increased occurrence of the suppressed thought in dreams. This is explainable by the ironic control theory, which theorizes why the suppression of thoughts might make them more persistent. The present study examined the influence of thought suppression on dream rebound, dream distress, general psychiatric symptomatology, depression, sleep quality and perceived stress. Thirty healthy participants (good sleepers) were investigated over a period of 1 week. Half were instructed to suppress an unwanted thought 5 min prior to sleep, whereas the other half were allowed to think of anything at all. Dream content was assessed through a dream diary. Independent raters assessed whether or not the dreams were related to the suppressed target thought. The results demonstrated increased target-related dreams and a tendency to have more distressing dreams in the suppression condition. Moreover, the data imply that thought suppression may lead to significantly increased general psychiatric symptomatology. No significant effects were found for the other secondary outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficacy of a Cognitive‐Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia and Nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans With PTSD Combat veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (mean age... | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Chronic nightmare sufferers | 2006 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 23 |
| Testing the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in lucid dreaming: A tDCS study Participants spending three consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 19 |
| Pre-sleep treatment with galantamine stimulates lucid dreaming: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study Adults with high dream recall and an interest in lucid dreaming | 2018 | Randomized crossover trial | n = 121 |
| Studies with lucid dreaming as add-on therapy to Gestalt therapy Adults with nightmares (ICD-10: F51.5) at least twice a week | 2015 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 32 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Imagetic and affective measures of memory reverberation diverge at sleep onset in association with theta rhythm Neuroimage October 17, 2022
- Sleep, Nightmares and Schizophrenia Journal of Sleep Disorders and Management November 3, 2017
- Quantitative-Qualitative Assessment of Dream Reports in Schizophrenia and Their Correlations with Illness Severity. Brain Sciences June 3, 2024
- "It Started After Trauma": The Effects of Traumatic Grief on Sleep Paralysis. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying September 1, 2024
and 6 more in the library