The Memory Experiences and Dreams Questionnaire (MED-Q): A Validated Measure of Dream Remembering
Caroline L. Horton, Martin Conway
Imagination Cognition and Personality September 1, 2009 DOI: 10.2190/ic.29.1.b (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Validation study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Memory Experiences and Dreaming Questionnaire (MED-Q) |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key points | The MED-Q is a valid 30-item measure of dream memory engagement, with six factors, and its scores correlate with dream report indices of dream detail, supporting its use in assessing autobiographical memory for dreaming. |
Abstract
Dream recall has been investigated via various means, often relying upon self-report judgments. Such methods, as well as individual differences and cognitive correlates of dream recall, rarely acknowledge models, theory, or empirical work concerning waking memory. Study 1 presents the development and psychometric validation of the Memory Experiences and Dreaming Questionnaire (MED-Q)—a 30-item measure of autobiographical and dream memory sensations incorporating items on dreaming, sensory experiences, and autobiographical remembering behaviors. It produces a single score and can be broken down into its constituent factors: “awareness of dreaming,” “daydreaming,” “dream sensations upon waking,” “déjà-states,” “comprehensibility of dream content,” and “senses.” Study 2 demonstrates the validity of the MED-Q as compared with dream report indices of dream detail. The MED-Q measures the extent to which a person engages with their dream memories through both frequency and subjective characteristic ratings. It is therefore novel in emphasizing the context of autobiographical memory for dreaming.