Dreams of female university students: Content analysis and the relationship to discovery via the Ullman method.

Abstract

This study extended the research on the dreams of students by examining the actual content of female students' dreams and to what extent the content related to discovery via the Ullman method. Further analyses were conducted to examine what content categories significantly predicted discovery. Participants were 56 female undergraduate students who provided a dream and participated in the Ullman method of group interpretation. Dream content was analyzed via the Hall and Van de Castle method of content analysis. Many significant correlations were observed among dream content categories, discovery categories, and dream content and discovery categories together. Findings were representative of the sample being examined and provided evidence of the continuity hypothesis. Results both support and extend previous research on the dreams of students. Furthermore, specific categories of dream content were found to significantly predict discovery categories. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Dream Recall and Its Relationship to Sleep, Perceived Stress, and Creativity Among Adolescents

“…Seventh, the present study was primarily quantitative; dream contents were not assessed. However, the present approach has some merit in counterbalancing previous studies focusing predominantly on qualitative aspects of adolescents' dreams [17][18][19][20]. Finally, expert ratings, which might have counterbalanced possible self-rating biases, were not obtained, which further limits the validity of the present pattern of results.…”

“…For example, Nielsen et al [19] investigated dream contents in a sample of 1,348 Canadian students and found that, independent of adolescents' gender, dreams contained the following five prevalent themes: being chased; sexual experiences; falling; school, teachers, and studying; and arriving late. Importantly, these results were replicated by the study performed by King and DeCicco [20], which lends support to the continuity hypothesis (cf. [3]) in that the prevalent themes seemed to reflect everyday concerns related to school and psychosexual development.…”

Responding to Self-Consciousness: An Examination of Everyday and Dream Episodes

“…Within the field of dream research, there appears to be a growing consensus among researchers that lived experiences such as playing sports (Erlacher & Schredl, 2004;Meyers, Cooke, Cullen & Liles, 1979), being single or partnered (Schredl, 2001), divorced (Cartwright, Lloyd, Knight, & Trenholme, 1984), male or female (Schredl & Piel, 2005;Schredl, Sahin, & Schafer, 1998), a college student (DeCicco, 2007;Domhoff, Meyer-Gomes, & Schredl, 2005-2006Nielsen, Zadra, Simard, Saucier, Stenstrom, Smith et al, 2003), or preparing for an examination (Schredl, Pallmer, & Montasser, 1996) influence an individual's dream content. These studies provide support for the "continuity hypothesis" (for an overview see Domhoff, 1996;Strauch & Meier, 1996) that an individual's dreams are a reflection of their waking life concerns, interests, behavior, and emotional preoccupations.…”

A cognitive model explaining the psychophysiological system responsible for the effectiveness of The Storytelling Method of Dream Interpretation

“…More contemporary work has produced a very wide range of books and writings on dream interpretation techniques (For examples see: Barcaro, 2010;DeCicco, 2009;Delaney, 1993). Recent studies have shown that dream interpretation connects dream imagery to the dreamer's life in relevant and meaningful ways (DeCicco, Lyons, Panier & Wright, 2010;DeCicco, 2009;2007a;2007b;DeCicco & Higgins, 2009;Goelitz, 2001;Wadensten, 2009). For example, it has been found that recovering alcoholics find meaning in their dream imagery related to their addiction, to their recovery, and to past events directly relating to their addiction (DeCicco & Higgins, 2009).…”

“…For example, it has been found that recovering alcoholics find meaning in their dream imagery related to their addiction, to their recovery, and to past events directly relating to their addiction (DeCicco & Higgins, 2009). University students report dream meaning to be related to school, romantic relationships, and to their emotions in relation to these two factors (DeCicco, 2007a;2007b;Clarke, DeCicco, & Navara, 2010). Similarly, cancer patients find meaning in their illness and in waking day concerns via dream interpretation (DeCicco, Lyons, Pannier & Wright, 2010;Cannici, Malcolm & Peek, 1983;Davidson, Feldman-Stewart, Brennenstuhl & Ram, 2007;Davidson, MacLean, Brundage & Schulze, 2002;Horton, 1998;Ward, Beck, Roscoe, 1961).…”