Dream Use and Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study

The way individuals make use of their dreams in their daily lives is unknown in dream literature. Although research has investigated dreams quantitatively, the literature has not connected dreams to the waking life of the dreamer in more detail. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used to gain insight into how individuals use their dreams and how they determine that this dream use is effective. Thirteen participants who use their dreams in their lives were selected using a purposeful sampling strategy. In-depth interviews were conducted and transcribed for each participant. The researcher was one of the participants, and completed a written version of the interview. These themes were distilled using emergent codes after these data were horizontalized and clustered into common categories. Predominant themes that emerged from the data included the subconscious, coming to a realization, taking action, repetitive dreams, and the positive effect of using dreams. Emergent themes that helped participants determine the effectiveness of using their dreams in their lives included the positive effect of using dreams, dreams helping in the decision-making process, and using repetitive dreams. Individuals established effective dream use by evaluating the positive effect of dreams in their decision-making processes as well as using their experience of repetitive themes to help guide the way in which they use their dreams. The findings of this research facilitate positive social change for those individuals who currently make use of, or would like to make use of, their dreams. These data can be used to help develop a guide for individuals to identify and categorize common themes to more effectively use dreams in a systematic approach toward enhancing their quality of life.