Dreaming through wartime: Self-compassion and the echoes of trauma.
Hilit Erel-Brodsky, Orit Taubman-Ben-Ari
Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy October 8, 2026 DOI: 10.1037/tra0002280 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 203 |
| Population | Israeli adults (79% women; ages 21-79, mean 38.7) recruited via social media approximately three months after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks |
| Measures | Mannheim Dream Questionnaire, validated self-report measures of PTSS and self-compassion (specific instruments not named) |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Greater trauma exposure, stronger perceived emotional influence of dreams on waking mood, higher nightmare frequency, and lower self-compassion were each significantly associated with higher PTSS, and dream-related variables contributed uniquely beyond demographic factors. Women reported significantly higher PTSS than men. The authors argue that dreams act as markers of distress and as symbolic sites for processing traumatic material, and propose that dream content may serve as an early indicator of PTSS and that compassion-based interventions may support trauma adaptation. |
Abstract
This study examines dreaming in the context of prolonged collective trauma. Specifically, it investigates whether exposure to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel, characteristics of dream life, and levels of self-compassion are associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Participants were 203 Israeli adults (79% women; age range = 21-79 years, M = 38.7), recruited via social media approximately 3 months after the attacks. Dream characteristics were assessed using the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire, which measures both normative dream patterns and nightmare activity. PTSS and self-compassion were assessed using validated self-report measures. Exposure to trauma related to the October 7 events was also evaluated. Data were analyzed using correlational and regression-based approaches. Women reported significantly higher PTSS than men. Greater exposure to trauma, stronger perceived emotional influence of dreams on waking mood, higher nightmare frequency, and lower levels of self-compassion were each significantly associated with higher PTSS. Dream-related variables contributed uniquely to the explanation of PTSS beyond demographic factors. Findings highlight the central role of dream life and self-compassion in psychological responses to ongoing traumatic reality. Dreams appear not only as markers of distress but also as symbolic sites for processing traumatic mental material. These results underscore the clinical relevance of attending to dream material as an early indicator of PTSS and suggest that compassion-based interventions may support trauma adaptation in contexts of prolonged collective threat. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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 |