A Cultural Comparison of Dream Content, Mood and Waking Day Anxiety between Italians and Canadians

  • Teresa L DeCicco (Author)
    Trent University
    Dr. DeCicco, PhD., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Trent University, Canada.  Her area of research includes health, illness, relationships and dreams.  She also has a clinical practice which includes dream interpretation for cancer patients, pain patients, depression and anxiety.  She is the author of The Giant Compass: Navigating The Life of Your Dreams in both English and Italian.  She is now working on her next dream book.
  • Marco Zanasi (Author)
    University of Rome (Tor Vergata)
    Dr. Zanasi is a Psychatrist and Professor in the Dept of Psychiatry at The University of Rome (Tor Vergata). He has publlished several books and over 100 scientific papers in the area of analysis and dreams.
  • Allyson Dale (Author)
    University of Ottawa
    Allyson Dale is currently a PhD candidate at The University of Ottawa where she conducts research on Dreams. Her main area of research has been the investigation of dreams with Canadian Soldiers returning from military tour.
  • Anthony Murkar (Author)
    Trent Univesity
    Anthony Murkar is a Masters Student who is examining a new model of dreams and sleep.  His current reserach entails the testing of a model which combines sleep mentation and memory consolidation.
  • Giuliana Longo (Author)
    University of Rome (Tor Vergata)
    Dr. Longo, MD is a physician and researcher in the department of psychiatry at the University of Rome (Italy).
  • Federica Testoni (Author)
    University of Rome (Tor Vergata)
    Dr. Testoni, MD is a physician and researcher in the department of psychiatry at the University of Rome (Italy).

Identifiers (Article)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2013.1.9330

Identifiers (Files)

URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-ijodr-93302 (PDF)

Abstract

This study extends previous research on the relationship among dream content, waking day mood and waking day anxiety while examining these variables between Italian and Canadian participants.  One-hundred Canadian females from Trent University, Canada (M = 23.4, SD = 1.8) and 100 Italian females from Tor Vergata University, Rome (M = 25.6, SD = 1.9) volunteered one dream report and completed measures of waking day anxiety (BAI) and mood disturbance (POMS-SF).  Dream imagery was categorized with Hall and Van de Castle’s method of Content Analysis and conducted via computer textual analyses.  Significant differences between Italian and Canadian females were found for dream content as well as waking day measures while the predictive value of dreams was demonstrated.  The findings have clinical implications for Canadians and Italians as well as other cultures. Limitations of the study and future research directions are discussed in terms of waking day mood and dreams.

 

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Published
2013-04-25
Issue
Vol 6, No 1 (April 2013)
Section
Articles
Language
en
Keywords
Anxiety, Dreams, Mood, Italians, Canadians
How to Cite
DeCicco, T. L., Zanasi, M., Dale, A., Murkar, A., Longo, G., & Testoni, F. (2013). A Cultural Comparison of Dream Content, Mood and Waking Day Anxiety between Italians and Canadians. International Journal of Dream Research, 6(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2013.1.9330