Dreams, problem-solving, and resilience in Chinese young adults
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People with vivid dreams are about 1.58 times more likely to report strong problem-solving skills
This study explores how dream vividness, frequency, and attitudes toward dreams relate to problem-solving skills and resilience in young adults.
What did they do?
Researchers surveyed 233 young adults (ages 16-38) in Hong Kong, measuring their dream intensity, problem-solving ability, and resilience. Participants answered questions about:
How often they dream and how vivid their dreams are.
Whether they engage in lucid dreaming (awareness and control in dreams).
Their confidence in problem-solving in real life.
Their resilience, or ability to bounce back from challenges.
What did they find?
People with more vivid dreams (e.g. more sensory and emotional experiences in dreams) were better problem solvers (r = .21, p < .05). They reported more confidence in tackling real-world issues. Lucid dreams were also linked to being a better problem solver.
Frequent or intense dreaming was linked to lower resilience (r = -.18, p < .01). Those who dreamed a lot were less likely to see themselves as adaptable in tough situations.
Ng, K. H., Davey, G., & Yu, C. K.-C. (2024). Dreams, problem-solving, and resilience in Chinese young adults. International Journal of Dream Research, 17(1), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2024.1.96740