Werner Karle

Toward a new theory of dreaming

A new Process Scoring System for dreams was developed and applied in an intensive single-S case study that spanned 5 1/2 years and 754 dreams. In it two hypotheses derived from a new transformative theory of dreams were tested. Both the transformation hypothesis, which holds that it is possible to shift from a symbolic to a directly expressive mode of dreaming, as well as the parallelism hypothesis, which holds that the expression of affect in dreams parallels the expression of affect in waking, were supported by the results. In contrast to Freuds analytic theory, which deals with content and interprets dreams as coded symbolic messages, our transformative theory focuses on dynamic dream processes and views dreams as pictures of feelings.

A reapplication of the process scoring system for dreams

The first application of the new Process Scoring System for dreams was made in an intensive longitudinal case study of 1 S over a 5 1/2 year period. In this second application, the dreams of a sample of 5 experienced Feeling Therapy patients were compared to those of 5 control Ss. As in the first study, considerable support was found for both the transformation hypothesis, which holds that it is possible to shift from a symbolic mode of dream behavior to a directly expressive one, and the parallelism hypothesis, which holds that the expression of affect in dreams parallels the expression of affect in waking and vice versa.

Maintenance of Psychophysiological Changes in Feeling Therapy

This was the third in a series of studies on the psychophysiological effects of psychotherapy. Two earlier studies have suggested a more relaxed physiological state as measured by body temperature, pulse, and blood pressure taken immediately following therapy sessions. This study investigated the maintenance of these changes over a 10-day period among a group of 5 experienced and 5 inexperienced patients in Feeling Therapy. While neither group was able to sustain the large drops in physiological parameters which followed therapeutic sessions, the experienced patients evidenced a considerably lower level on every parameter throughout the study, suggesting possible long-term effects of this type of therapy.

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN FEELING THERAPY

In an attempt to identify the physiological effects of an intense psychotherapy, for 19 new patients entering Feeling Therapy pulse, rectal temperature, and blood pressure were recorded immediately before and after 13 individual therapy sessions. 18 college students acted as controls and were similarly measured before and after 13 mock therapy sessions in which therapeutic activities were simulated. The therapy group showed significant reductions in all parameters following sessions. No significant physiological change was found in the control groups measures. The results indicate that the therapeutic process of Feeling Therapy, matched expression of feeling, may effect at least a temporary reduction in physiological tension. Previously, abreactive releases have been shown to have a similar effect.

Application of the process scoring system ot waking, dream and therapy reports

Extended the Process Scoring System, originally developed for measuring dream dynamics and content, to waking and therapy experiences and applied it in a study of 5 new and 5 experienced Ss in an intensive outpatient psychotherapy. Two areas were examined: First, differences on process and content variables related to length of time in therapy and, second, the parallel relationship in these variables between waking, dream, and therapy experiences. The Process Scoring System proved useful in measuring these variables in all three types of experiences. The results indicated significant differences between the new and experienced patients and measurable interaction between the waking, dream, and therapy areas.

Psychophysiological correlates of the spontaneous K-complex.

A pilot study covering three nights and two studies were carried out to investigate the psychophysiological correlates of the spontaneous K-complex in relation to intense psychotherapy. The pilot study produced evidence that the K-complex was not consistent and stable within or across nights and that its variability might be sensitive to psycho-emotional influences. In the first major study 2 subjects were recorded non-consecutively over a 3-wk. period during experience of intensive therapy while in the second 6 subjects were studied before and after two therapeutic sessions. Results indicated that nights after therapy differed significantly from baseline nights and a significant interaction took place between subjects and therapy on one or more variables of the K-complex and several eye movement indices. Some relationship to length of time in therapy was also noted. These findings were interpreted to indicate a possible relationship between complete expression of feeling and the occurrence of phasic events in the sleeping EEG.

Preliminary Study of Psychological Changes in Feeling Therapy

10 early, 10 middle, and 10 late participants in an intense, community-oriented psychotherapy (feeling therapy) were measured for differences on two standardized psychological tests (Personal Orientation Inventory and Eysenck Personality Inventory) and on responses to individual and group post-session report questionnaires. Two earlier studies had found measurable physiological changes associated with this form of therapeutic intervention and it was hypothesized that associated psychological changes might be observed. Results partially bore out this prediction; the three groups evidenced some significant differences on the Personal Orientation Inventory and Post-session Report Forms. Eysenck Personality Inventory data did not distinguish between the groups.

EFFECTS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY ON REM LATENCY AND REM TIME

This study investigated the effect of a functional psychotherapy on the sleep EEG patterns of 6 patients. Contrary to original expectations no significant group differences in REM time and REM latency were found between two nights following therapy sessions and two normal nights. However, across the 4 nights the patients exhibited an average REM latency of 71 min. which was significantly shorter than that recorded in an independent study with the same design and a similar subject population. Clausen, Sersen, and Lidsky (1974) reported an average REM latency of 107.3 min. for 10 normal subjects also recorded across four nights. This result is compared with those in several other studies and discussed in relation to possible changes in dream patterns.