Relationship between Beliefs about the Functions of Dreams and Dream Attitudes: An Exploratory Study in Saudi Arabian Cultural Milieu

Research on beliefs and attitudes towards dreams has been conducted across the world among different populations ; however, a very limited number of these researches involve Arab samples. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between the beliefs about the function of dreams and the attitudes towards dreams. The sample is comprised of 200 adult participants of both genders from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The participants were asked to respond to a survey comprising of the items of two different scales: Revised Dream Attitudes and Olsen’s list of Beliefs about the Function of Dreams, electronically via social media websites and applications. Results indicated a significant relationship between the beliefs about the function of dreams and dream attitudes. However, no significant differences were found between age, gender and beliefs about dreams. The results are discussed in the context of various dream theories and thei implications in clinical and other settings. Further investigations exploring the significance and relationship of dreams with physical and psychological health, emotional states, etc., among varied samples in the Arab cultures are recommended.