Nightmares And “Nonpathological” Fantasy Proneness and Absorption
Author(s): William E. Kelly
Abstract: Previous research links nightmares with immersive cognitive styles, but many studies relied on measures saturated with neuroticism. This study examined whether nonpathological fantasy proneness and absorption relate to nightmare distress and frequency independent of neuroticism. Undergraduate students (N = 136) completed measures of nightmare distress and frequency, fantasy proneness, two absorption measures (curiosity-based and task-focused), and neuroticism. Bivariate correlations showed that fantasy proneness and curiosity-based absorption were associated with more frequent and distressing nightmares. However, in ordinal regression models controlling for age, gender, and neuroticism, only curiosity-based absorption uniquely predicted nightmare distress and frequency. Fantasy proneness and flow-based absorption were not significant predictors. Findings suggest that nightmares in young adults may be linked to normative experiential immersion and heightened internal engagement outside of negative affectivity, highlighting the importance of distinguishing adaptive imaginative traits from maladaptive fantasy or dissociative tendencies in nightmare research.
Keywords: Nightmares; Absorption; Fantasy proneness; Neuroticism; Imagination; Dreaming
Article: e21004
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