Wish I could see you without closing my eyes: Thematic Analysis of dream content of grieved parents with the perspective of religious, cultural and psychological dimension

Abstract

Most bereaved individuals encounter vivid and profoundly meaningful dreams highlighting the presence of the deceased who can embody and influence the grieving process. In eastern society especially in Pakistan, psychological literature on dreams during grief has been generally ignored. The current study aimed to investigate the presence of recurring themes in the dreams that embodied the deceased child as a character. Semi-structured interviews were held with 4 bereaved couples in Pakistan. Their age ranges from 24 to 48 years. Causes of death include accident, homicide, illness, and suicide. Each of the respondents stated their dreams that occurred following the death of their loved one and volunteered to share it with the researcher. Thematic Analysis (TA) was used to identify and describe meaningful patterns from the interview transcripts. Considering the lack of research into this topic, the aim was to look for pragmatic perceptions.

Keywords: dreams, grieved parents, deceased child, dream analysis, thematic analysis