Attitude Towards Dreams: Associated Factors

Abstract

Representative surveys indicated that the attitude towards dreams varies greatly: some participants agreed to statements like “Dreams are random nonsense” but others expressed more positive attitudes that dreams might be beneficial. The present online study (N = 1,507 participants) elicited attitude towards dreams, personality (Big Five factors), current psychopathology, and COVID19-related worries. As expected, the present study showed that openness to experiences, but also current psychopathology and worries were associated with more positive attitudes towards dreams. This might indicate that persons with problems might turn to dreams, as they might be beneficial with coping those problems. Longitudinal studies might validate the idea that experiencing beneficial effects of dreams, for example, within a therapeutic setting, might affect the attitude towards dreams in a positive way. And, if persons with problems turn to dreams, it would be very helpful to include the tool of working with dreams in current psychotherapy practice.