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Individual differences in adult attachment are systematically related to dream narratives.

Mario Mikulincer, Phillip R Shaver, Neta Avihou-Kanza

Attachment & human development March 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2011.553918 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 68
Population Young adults who kept dream diaries for one month
Duration One month of dream diary keeping
Measures Experiences in Close Relationships measure, Core Conflictual Relationships Theme method
Topics Anxiety
Keywords Humans Narration Affect Motivation Consciousness Dreams Object attachment Psychometrics Age factors Models, psychological Female Statistics as topic Young adult Self report Conflict, psychological Unconscious, psychology
Key findings Attachment-related avoidance predicted avoidant wishes and negative representations of others in dreams, while attachment anxiety predicted wishes for interpersonal closeness, especially after stressful days, and negative representations of self and both positive and negative representations of others. The authors interpret these patterns as consistent with attachment theory and prior research linking self-reported attachment to unconscious mental processes.

Abstract

Self-reported individual differences in attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance) are sometimes assumed to tap only conscious mental processes, although many studies have found correlations between such measures and responses to the Thematic Apperception Test, the Rorschach Inkblot Test, and diverse laboratory measures of unconscious mental processes. Dreams offer another route into the unconscious, as Freud famously claimed: a route found useful in psychotherapy. In this study, approximately 1000 dreams reported by 68 young adults who kept dream diaries for a month were analyzed using the Core Conflictual Relationships Theme method, and the themes were examined in relation to (a) scores on the Experiences in Close Relationships measure of attachment anxiety and avoidance and (b) stress experienced the day before each dream. In line with attachment theory and previous research, attachment-related avoidance predicted avoidant wishes and negative representations of other people in dreams. Attachment anxiety predicted wishes for interpersonal closeness, especially in dreams following stressful days, and negative representations of self and both positive and negative representations of others, with negative representations being more common in dreams following stressful days.

Comparable studies

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Study Year Design Participants
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder 2015 Observational study
Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Regular practitioners of physical exercise or meditation 1978 Retrospective study n = 77
Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems Healthy humans 2020 Observational study
Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults 2015 Observational cohort n = 135,095

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