Dream recall frequency: Stability and changes assessed in a longitudinal design
Michael Schredl, Maria Gilles, Isabell Wolf, Verena Peus, Barbara Scharnholz, Marc Sütterlin, Svenja Bardtke, Tabea Send, Michael Deuschle
University Library Heidelberg May 30, 2020 DOI: 10.11588/ijodr.2020.2.73198 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 279 |
| Population | Women followed from late pregnancy to 4 years postpartum |
| Duration | 4 years (from last trimester of pregnancy to 4 years postpartum) |
| Measures | dream recall frequency scale |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Recall Trait Morning Developmental psychology Sleep system call Cognitive psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Dream recall frequency was quite stable over four years, but correlations were smaller than in previous studies, possibly reflecting major life transitions. The lowest recall at 6 months postpartum was not explained by sleep variables, favoring the hypothesis that low interest in dreams while caring for small children may explain long-term changes. |
Abstract
Dream recall frequencies exhibit large inter-individual differences, ranging from recalling a dream almost every morning to recalling a dream almost never. Although dream recall has been conceptualized as a stable trait, longitudinal studies in this area are scarce. Within the framework of a complex study, 279 women (mean age: 31.76 ± 4.73 yrs.) completed a brief sleep questionnaire three times (last trimester of their pregnancy, 6 month postpartum, and 4 years postpartum) that included a dream recall frequency scale. The findings indicate that dream recall frequency is quite stable over the four-year period, although the correlation coefficients were somewhat smaller compared to previous studies – probably reflecting the effect of major life transitions (pregnancy, giving birth, caring for small children). The lowest dream recall at 6 month postpartum was not explained by sleep variables (sleep duration, nocturnal awakenings) and favors the hypothesis that interest in dream that might have been low while caring for very small children and this might explain long-term changes in dream recall.