Dream research in schizophrenia: methodological issues and a dimensional approach
Abstract
Dreaming in patients with schizophrenia was and is of particular interest to researchers and clinicians due to the phenomenological similarities between the dreaming state and schizophrenic daytime symptomatology such as bizarre thoughts or hallucinations. Extensive literature reviews have shown that dream studies in the field of psychopathology often do not fulfill common scientific criteria. The present paper focuses on the methodological issues like sampling methods, the dream collection method, and dream content analysis that are crucial with regard to the validity of the findings. It is also suggested that the so-called dimensional approach (linking severity of daytime symptoms directly to specific dream characteristics) will be very helpful for identifying which psychopathological symptoms of schizophrenia are most closely linked to dream content.
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Clinical studies have provided evidence on the potential interaction among dream experience, sleep alterations and affective disorders.
“clinical studies have also provided evidence on the potential interaction among DE, sleep alterations and affective disorders”
From The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes (2019) · cites this paper as Schredl, 2011
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“content of patients with schizophrenia versus those without mental illness (4-7).”
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- Authors
- Schredl, M.
- Affiliations
- Central Institute of Mental Health (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Schredl, Michael
- ORCID
- Schredl, Michael
- Venue
- Consciousness and Cognition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-12
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1036-1041
- ISSN
- 1053-8100 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2032004631
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Consciousness and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- schizophrenia, dreams, dream content analysis, sampling methods, dimensional approach, hallucinations, daytime symptoms
- MeSH terms
- Data Interpretation, Statistical, Dreams, Humans, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Antipsychotic Agents, Case-Control Studies, Biomedical Research
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