Dreaming of the deceased after miscarriage: A pilot study.

Abstract

Dreaming of the deceased is a common experience for the bereaved, yet little is known about these experiences following a miscarriage. This study explores dreaming of the deceased after a miscarriage, in both birth mothers and partners. Participants were 214 U.S. residents (133 birth mothers) who had experienced a miscarriage within the prior year. All questionnaires and dream reports were completed online. Many participants (57.0%) reported dreaming of the deceased unborn child at least once. Grief intensity scores ranged from very low to very high but did not relate to dream themes of the deceased from a checklist nor dream categories from a content analysis of participants' most memorable dreams. This study provides preliminary exploration into the functions of dreams of the deceased following a miscarriage.