The impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related distress and social isolation on dreams.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread psychological and social impacts globally. This study investigated the effect of pandemic-related distress and social isolation on the dream experiences of individuals in Hong Kong. A sample of 213 participants completed measures assessing COVID-19 psychological distress, objective and perceived social isolation, dream intensity, and dream motifs. The results showed that higher COVID-19 psychological distress was associated with greater objective and perceived social isolation. Importantly, prior COVID-19 infection status was found to moderate the relationships among distress, social isolation, and specific aspects of dream experiences. For those with a prior COVID-19 infection, psychological distress predicted more intense dream experiences and more grandiose dream themes. These findings suggest that the multifaceted psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly influenced individuals’ dream lives, with prior infection status playing an important moderating role. The results provide insights into the complex interplay among the pandemic’s effects, social isolation, and the subjective dream world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)