Contextualized emotional images in children's dreams: Psychological adjustment in conditions of military trauma

Abstract

This study examines the impact of military trauma on contextualized emotional images in children's dreams, and the function of the intensity and valence of the emotional images in protecting mental health from negative trauma impact. Participants were 345 Palestinian children and adolescents (aged 5—16 years) belonging to high trauma (Gaza) and non-trauma (Galilee) groups. They reported nocturnal dreams using a seven-night dream diary. The results show, as hypothesized, that the dreams of children exposed to severe military trauma incorporated more intense and more negative emotional images. High intensity and low negative, and high positive emotional images in dreams may protect children's mental health. Children in the trauma group showed relatively fewer post-traumatic symptoms if their dreams incorporated intensive and positive emotional images. Similarly, personal exposure to military trauma was not associated with anxiety and aggressiveness among children whose dreams had low negative valence, or with lower anxiety when dreams had intensive emotional images. The emotional qualities of dreams are discussed as possible indicators of children processing their traumatic experiences.

Spotlight on dream recall: the ages of dreams

“…Dream recall rates in traumatized children have been also investigated. 80 – 84 Studies in children living in conditions of war and military violence are in line with previous findings. Specifically, an association between stressful events and higher dream recall rate has been found in a group of Palestinian children aged 6–16 years who lived in a traumatized environment, compared to nontraumatized children.…”

“…Specifically, an association between stressful events and higher dream recall rate has been found in a group of Palestinian children aged 6–16 years who lived in a traumatized environment, compared to nontraumatized children. 84 The authors found enhanced dream recall and more contextual coherent images in dream content. 84 In addition, in children who suffered of PTSD because of a kidnap, the more the children had ability to verbalize their feelings, the more they dreamed about the trauma.…”

“… 84 The authors found enhanced dream recall and more contextual coherent images in dream content. 84 In addition, in children who suffered of PTSD because of a kidnap, the more the children had ability to verbalize their feelings, the more they dreamed about the trauma. 83 This is consistent with studies on verbal ability and dream recall frequency.…”

Annual Research Review: Resilience and mental health in children and adolescents living in areas of armed conflict – a systematic review of findings in low‐ and middle‐income countries

“…Sixth, Punamäki and colleagues have studied dreaming as a cognitive‐emotional processing mechanism that may be associated with better outcomes in two cross‐sectional studies. Different systematic coding of dream diaries collected with 6–16 year olds ( n = 345) in an active conflict situation in oPt, show protective effects of dreaming on both general psychological symptoms (Punamäki, ), as well as four out of five specific symptom groups (PTSD, anxiety, aggression, depressive symptoms) (Helminen & Punamäki, ). Similarly, a study with Kurdish 9–17 year olds ( n = 122) found that pleasant dreams with complete narratives and happy endings moderated the relationship between exposure to traumatic events and overall psychological symptoms (Punamäki, Ali, Ismahil & Nuutinen, ).…”

Applying the ADAPT Psychosocial Model to War-Affected Children and Adolescents

“…These findings led Punamäki (1998) to conclude that "the protective role of dreaming means that traumatic events are not associated with mental health symptoms if children's dreams incorporate beneficial and/or lack dysfunctional characteristics" (p. 580). Results from a study by Helminen and Punamäki (2008) also demonstrate how "high intensity and low negative, and high positive" images in dreams may protect the mental health of children exposed to trauma. Children who had been exposed to trauma had less post-traumatic symptoms when their dreams included images that were intensive and positive.…”