A recent study published in Consciousness and Cognition explores the intriguing connection between dream experiences and dissociative symptoms, shedding light on how disrupted sleep patterns and dream coherence may influence an individual’s sense of self. The researchers found that the content and structure of dreams, particularly the stability of a first-person perspective and narrative coherence, can predict dissociative tendencies. These findings suggest that disturbances in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may contribute to dissociative experiences, with potential implications for understanding and treating related symptoms.
Dissociation, often described as a detachment from reality or one’s sense of self, is a complex phenomenon that can manifest as depersonalization, memory lapses, or a fragmented sense of identity. It is commonly associated with trauma but remains poorly understood in terms of its underlying mechanisms.
Previous research has suggested that dissociation might be linked to disruptions in REM sleep—the stage of sleep associated with vivid dreaming. REM disturbances, such as nightmares, sleep paralysis, or dream enactment, are often reported by individuals with high levels of dissociation.
However, the specific role of dream characteristics in predicting dissociative traits had not been thoroughly examined. Lead author John Balch and his colleagues aimed to investigate whether the coherence of dream content and other phenomenological aspects of dreaming could offer insights into dissociative symptoms.
The study recruited 219 adult participants through online platforms, ensuring a diverse sample in terms of age, gender, and socioeconomic background. To assess dissociative symptoms, participants completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), a widely used measure of dissociation. Based on their scores, participants were divided into high- and low-dissociation groups. The high-dissociation group scored above 30 on the DES, a threshold often associated with clinically significant dissociative symptoms.
In addition to completing surveys on sleep quality, nightmare distress, and paranormal beliefs, a subset of participants participated in a two-week home study. This involved wearing a headband equipped with EEG sensors to record REM sleep patterns and keeping a dream diary. Participants were asked to describe their dreams in detail each morning, and the content was analyzed for coherence, narrative structure, and the use of first-person perspective.
Balch and his colleagues employed computational linguistic tools to assess dream reports, focusing on coherence within individual dreams and across consecutive nights. Measures included the use of first-person pronouns, the logical flow of narratives, and semantic consistency. By examining these factors, the researchers sought to identify patterns that might distinguish individuals with high dissociation from those with lower levels of dissociation.
The results showed several key differences between the high- and low-dissociation groups in terms of sleep patterns and dream experiences. Participants in the high-dissociation group reported greater distress from nightmares and exhibited higher levels of REM-related disturbances, such as dream enactment behaviors and lucid dreaming. Notably, their dreams were characterized by reduced first-person agency, fragmented narratives, and lower coherence across consecutive dream reports.
One of the most significant findings was that dream coherence—both within a single dream and across multiple nights—predicted dissociative tendencies. Participants whose dreams displayed a fragmented or chaotic structure were more likely to report dissociative symptoms. For example, a lack of continuity in dream topics and an inconsistent use of first-person perspective were strongly associated with higher DES scores. These patterns suggest that dissociation may involve a disruption in the brain’s ability to maintain a stable sense of self, both during sleep and wakefulness.
The study also identified prolonged sleep onset times in the high-dissociation group, which the researchers attributed to sleep-avoidant behaviors driven by fear of distressing dreams. Interestingly, while high-dissociation participants showed slightly higher percentages of REM sleep, the difference was not statistically significant. This finding challenges assumptions about REM duration and highlights the need to focus on the quality and phenomenology of REM experiences rather than quantity alone.
Future research could expand on these findings by incorporating larger and more diverse samples, as well as longitudinal designs to track changes in dissociation and dream characteristics over time. The researchers also suggested exploring interventions that target dream coherence, such as lucid dreaming training or cognitive behavioral therapies, as potential treatments for dissociative symptoms.
The study, “Sleep and dream disturbances associated with dissociative experiences,” was authored by John Balch, Rachel Raider, Joni Keith, Chanel Reed, Jordan Grafman, and Patrick McNamara.
