Coping with Stress: The Feasibility of an Integrative Dream Review Paradigm to Promote Psychological Adjustment
Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
People coping with stressful life events often report difficulty sleeping and that elements of the stressful events are present in their dreams. Although dream interpretation has long been used as a therapeutic tool in psychoanalysis, the process has not been subject to rigorous experimental study. Accordingly, little is known about how the analysis of dreams (after a stressful life event) may aid in the recovery from this experience. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether a standardized dream interpretation paradigm could promote improved psychological adjustment following a stressful life event. To investigate this possibility, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Although the small sample size did not allow for adequate randomization or reliable quantitative data, qualitative analysis of stream-of-consciousness (SOC) recordings revealed results consistent with the study's hypotheses. The results are discussed in terms of understanding how dream interpretation may aid in recovery from stressful events.Type
textElectronic Thesis
Degree Name
B.A.Degree Level
bachelorsDegree Program
Honors CollegePsychology