Adolescents’ dreams under COVID-19 isolation

Abstract

Based on the continuity hypothesis of dreaming, we have studied the effects of quarantine/isolation on the dreams of Italian adolescents during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 235 subjects (73.2% girls;ages 12–18 years, M = 16.08, SD = 1.7) was involved. Participants were asked to complete part of the MADRE Questionnaire, as well as to report their Most Recent Dream by responding to specific questions related to this dream content (e.g., positive vs. negative emotions, realism/bizarreness, and presence of sensory impressions). Results indicated that participants most strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic reported the strongest effects on their dreams, as well as longest dreams. Results also indicated that girls recall dreams more often than boys, in addition to reporting higher emotional intensity, predominantly negative emotions, and more nightmares, including recurrent ones. Finally, the most recent dreams were set in both indoor and outdoor settings, with many family members and friends present. They were marked by strong negative emotions, especially related to dangerous, violent, and frustrating situations. In sum, the findings of this study indicate that the method of quali-quantitative dream content analysis is a very informative approach for studying the effects of significant contextual and catastrophic events on people’s inner lives. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.