The Multidimensional Dusseldorf Dream Inventory (MDTI). A Questionnaire to Assess Dream Experience

Abstract

This contribution presents the development and test-psychological evaluation of the Multidimensional Düsseldorf Dream Inventory (MDTI), a questionnaire for recording dream experiences independent of the dream content. For this purpose, we presented a forerunner version, the Düsseldorf Dream Inventory (DTI; 51 items), to a sample of N = 715 participants who had been contacted via E-Mail distribution lists at universities, social networks, and medical and dream forums and forwarded them to a digital questionnaire form. The recruited sample consisted of n = 444 female (62 %) and n = 270 male (38 %) participants. Their age ranged from 15 to 73 years; their mean age was M = 30.03 years (SD = 10.36). We performed a principal component analysis with oblique rotation and an item reduction. The factor analysis resulted in a clear 5-factor structure of the questionnaire with excellent reliabilities of the subscales. The remaining 27 items form the five scales of the questionnaire, now called the Multidimensional Düsseldorf Dream Inventory (MDTI). These are (1) Incorporations of daily events, (2) Pleasant dream contents, (3) Dream recall, (4) Aversive dream contents, and (5) Personal significance of one's dreams. The MDTI makes it possible to record dream experiences independently of the dream content.