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Alexithymia and impoverished dream content: evidence from rapid eye movement sleep awakenings.

Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1097/00006842-200007000-00006 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 16
Population Nonclinical adults scoring in the alexithymia range and nonalexithymia range on a measure of alexithymia
Topics Dreaming
Key findings Alexithymic and nonalexithymic groups did not differ in number of dreams reported, word count of dream descriptions, or self-reported emotional valence of dreams. Dream reports of the alexithymic group were rated as less fantastic than those of the nonalexithymic group, which the authors say provides additional evidence that alexithymia involves restricted imaginative processes.

Abstract

Objective: Despite the repeated suggestion in the literature of an association between impoverished dream processes and alexithymia, little systematic research has been conducted.

Methods: Eight nonclinical adults scoring in the alexithymia range and eight nonclinical adults scoring in the nonalexithymia range on a measure of alexithymia were awakened for dream reports during their second, third, and fourth rapid eye movement periods on the second of two consecutive polygraphically monitored nights in a sleep laboratory.

Results: The alexithymic and nonalexithymic groups did not differ in the number of dreams reported or the number of words used in the description of their dreams. The two groups also did not differ in their self-reports of the emotional valence associated with their dream experiences. In contrast, the dream reports of the alexithymic group were rated as less fantastic than the dream reports of the nonalexithymic group.

Conclusions: These findings provide additional evidence that alexithymia involves restricted imaginative processes.

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
The prevalence of nightmares and their independence from anxiety. Undergraduates 1990 Observational study using daily dream logs n = 220

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