Factors of Home Dream Recall and Nightmare Frequency in a Non-Student Sample
Michael Schredl, Daniel Erlacher, Miriam Reiner, Alexander Woll
Imagination, Cognition and Personality March 1, 2014 DOI: 10.2190/ic.33.3.d (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational survey (community-based cross-sectional study) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 455 |
| Population | Community-based sample of adults with a mean age of about 55 years |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Frequency of nocturnal awakenings, current stress, and daytime tiredness were associated with both dream recall and nightmare frequency in this older community sample. The authors could not replicate an effect of sex-role orientation, suggesting age may mediate the influence of daytime variables on dreaming. Nightmare frequency was related to sleep quality, stress, health problems, and daytime tiredness. |
Abstract
Home dream recall frequencies and nightmare frequencies show great inter-individual differences. Most of the studies trying to explain these differences, however, studied young participants, so these findings might not be true for persons older than 25 years. The present study investigated the relationship between dream recall, nightmare frequency, age, gender, sleep parameters, stress, and subjective health in a community-based sample ( N = 455) with a mean age of about 55 years. Some of the factors that have been shown to be associated with dream recall and nightmare frequency were also associated with these variables in non-student sample like frequency of nocturnal awakenings, current stress, and tiredness during the day. We were not able to replicate the effect of sex-role orientation on dream recall and nightmare frequency, supporting the idea that age might mediate the effect of daytime variables on dream recall and nightmare frequency. As nightmare frequency was related to sleep quality, stress, health problems, and tiredness during the day, it would be desirable that clinicians include a question about nightmares in their anamneses.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insomnia Symptoms, Nightmares, and Suicidal Ideation in a College Student Sample Undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional survey | n = 583 |
| Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study Middle-aged Hong Kong Chinese adults from the community, mean age 40.9 years (SD 5.5,... | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey with subsequent clinical evaluation (two-phase design) | n = 8,558 |
| Factors of home dream recall: a structural equation model Adults (general population sample) | 2003 | Cross-sectional survey with structural equation modeling | n = 444 |
| The Phenomenology of Lucid Dreaming: An Online Survey Respondents to an online survey about lucid dreams | 2014 | Online survey | n = 684 |
| Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample Representative sample of German adults | 2011 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 919 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 16
- The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Journal of Sleep Research May 26, 2004
- Factors of home dream recall: a structural equation model Journal of Sleep Research May 12, 2003
- Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample Perceptual and Motor Skills February 1, 2011
- Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors Imagination, Cognition and Personality October 1, 1996
- Age changes in dream recall in adulthood. Dreaming March 1, 1996
and 11 more in the library