A Dream Recal Self-Assessment Questionnaire

The ten factors in the questionnaire below may be among the most
significant for you. This questionnaire gives you a chance to measure some of the variables that contribute to whether or not you remember your dreams. You must decide for yourself how influential each factor is in your own recall habits. Then enter a rating, from 0 to 4, with higher numbers meaning greater influence.

For example, Item 1 is, "Waking up at the right moment." Does the timing of your awakening make much of a difference in whether or not you remember a dream? If it makes little or no difference at all to you, score that item either a 0 or 1. If it is a very important factor, score it either a 3 or 4.

Now evaluate each of the ten questions in terms of your own recall patterns. For each, enter a rating, from 0 to 4.

No influence....                A score of 0

• 1. Waking up at the right moment. ______

• 2. How much I sincerely expect to remember my dreams. ______

• 3. How emotional my dream is ______

• 4. Giving myself a bedtime suggestion to remember a dream. ______

• 5. Something the next day reminding me of a dream ______

• 6. Placing my dream diary by my bed at night ______

• 7. Being awakened by an alarm clock ______

• 8. How much morning time I spend trying to remember my dreams ______

• 9. How colorful, extraordinary, vivid, or bizarre my dream is ______

• 10. How much time I have devoted recently to dream study ______

Total up your scores separately for the even and for the odd numbered questions.

Your score for the odd numbered questions reflects how much importance you place on factors outside your control. Your score for the even numbered questions reflects how much importance you place on factors within your control. We'll call your total score on the odd numbered questions your external score, as those factors are external to you, or outside your control. We'll call your total score on the even numbered questions your internal score, as those factors are internal to you, or within your control.

If you don't recall dreams very often, perhaps the results of this little test can give you some clue for what you might change. If your external score is higher than your internal score, then you are too passive with regard to dream recall. You believe more in fate than in your own efforts. You need to take a more active role in remembering dreams.

Rather than allowing external factors to play such a large role in whether or not you remember dreams, try to work on the internal factors.

Can you work to improve, for example, how much of an effect item #2 has on your dream recall? Reading about dreams and making a date with someone to discuss dreams the next day are two ways you might work on "expectancy."