1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The first objective of the present study was to document the targets of erotic dreams (i.e., romantic partners, ex-partners, acquaintances, public figures, imaginary individuals, and strangers) in a large sample of men and women currently in a romantic relationship. […] The second objective was to examine the associations between the various targets found in erotic dreams of individuals currently in a romantic relationship and a range of indicators of couple and sexual life.» (p. 45-46)

Questions/Hypothèses :
Authors «predicted that a majority of erotic dreams would feature targets other than the dreamer’s current romantic partner and that the proportion of erotic dreams involving the current partner would be lower in men than in women. [They also expected] that scores on measures of sexual and couple life would be associated with related content in erotic dreams.» (p. 46)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«A community-based convenience sample was recruited via online advertisements on social media, e-mail lists, and posters or flyers in high schools, colleges, and universities in and around a medium-sized city in Canada. […] To be eligible for the current study, interested participants had to be aged 16 years or older and currently involved in a romantic relationship. […] The study was approved by the [Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières’] Institutional Review Board. Of the 1,087 volunteers who gave their consent and met the inclusion criteria, 1,045 (96.1%) completed the required [survey] and were thus included in the study. Among these, 45% (n = 470) were men and 55% (n = 575) were women.» (p. 46)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«[F]indings showed that targets of erotic dreams of partnered individuals were varied and not limited to one’s current partner, suggesting that erotic dreams are a common outlet for or reflection of partnered individuals’ sexual thoughts and fantasies. Despite this variety in targets, 58% of women and 45% of men reported that their erotic dreams usually include their current partner, with current partner being women’s most commonly reported target. […] Not only partnered individuals have erotic dreams about someone other than their current partner, [the] results indicate that who people dream about in their sexual dreams reflects their couple and sexual life. Specifically, individuals in relationships of longer duration, with higher relationship satisfaction, greater sexual desire, higher frequency of sexual intercourse with their partner, and those who did not report extradyadic sexual behaviors were more likely to report that their erotic dreams included their partner, whereas those in relationships of shorter duration, with lower relationship satisfaction, and who reported extradyadic sexual behaviors were more likely to have erotic dreams involving an ex-partner. Thus, erotic dreams that include the current partner are more strongly associated with satisfying romantic relationships, including more frequent and exclusive sexuality.» (p. 52-53)