Nightmares as a coping mechanism for stress.

Abstract

The cause of nightmares remains unclear. However, previous research suggests that stress may playa key role and that nightmares may actually serve a beneficial function. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the overall relationship between these two variables and assess the hypothesis that nightmares serve as a coping mechanismfor stress. To accomplish these goals, a group of 412 psychology students were separated into low, medium, and high nightmare frequency groups as well as low, medium, and high nightmare intensity groups. Comparisons were then conducted for daily stressors, life stressors, social support, and coping. Most notably, this study demonstrated a positive association between nightmares and coping with stress. The overall pattern seen in the analyses reflect the significant relationship between nightmares and stress, while the finding that nightmares were positively associated with coping bolsters the supposition that nightmares may help to alleviate stress.

Objective and Subjective Components of the First-Night Effect in Young Nightmare Sufferers and Healthy Participants

“…In line with an earlier study on NM participants (Nielsen et al, 2010), our NM group was characterized by an enhanced first-night effect. Levin and Nielsen's (2007) neurocognitive model explained this phenomenon by claiming that the discomfort and inconvenience of the sleep laboratory setting affect the NM group more due to their higher stress reactivity (Cernovsky, 1984;Coalson, 1995;Cook, Caplan, & Wolowitz, 1990;Hartmann, 1984;Picchioni et al, 2002). Our results are controversial in supporting this claim.…”

Dream Recall Frequency and Unusual Dream Experiences in Early Adolescence: Longitudinal Links to Behavior Problems

“…Picchioni et al. () found that nightmares were related not only to stress, but also to elevated attempts at coping with stressful events (during the day). Thus, the authors concluded that nightmares might represent night‐time attempts at coping and might in fact help alleviate stress.…”

“…On the other hand, some studies found that psychological distress predicted an increase in unique dreaming patterns, but not vice versa (e.g., Soffer‐Dudek & Shahar, ), suggesting that dreaming might be a consequence of emotional changes. In addition, some forms of dreaming, such as nightmares, might be related to attempts at coping with emotional distress (e.g., Hartmann, ; Picchioni et al., ). If this is true, we would expect early dreaming patterns to predict a decrease in psychopathology.…”

Correlates and Treatments of Nightmares in Adults

“…In contrast, it has also been suggested that nightmares themselves might be the adaptive process. For example, Picchioni and colleagues46 reported that nightmares are positively associated with waking attempts to cope with stress, suggesting that nightmares may serve a beneficial function. However, the absence of a direct assessment of successful outcome of coping in this study makes it difficult, at best, to relate nightmares to functional outcomes.…”