"It was nice to wake up from that one" : an exploratory qualitative content analysis of vivid dreams and nightmares reported by people living with HIV/AIDS as side effects of Efavirenz

Author

Joel C. Coburn, Smith College

Publication Date

2014

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

HIV-positive persons-Psychology, AIDS disease-Patients-Psychology, Nightmares-Psychological aspects, Dreams-Psychological aspects, Antiretroviral agents-Side effects, Subjectivity, AIDS disease-Electronic discussion groups, HIV infections-Electronic discussion groups, HIV, AIDS, Dreams, Nightmares, Qualitative, Content analysis, Medication side effects, Efavirenz, ARVs, Chronic illness, Internet forums, HAART

Abstract

This is an exploratory, qualitative content analysis of 50 vivid dream and nightmare narratives posted to an online forum by people living with HIV/AIDS and taking the anti-HIV drug Efavirenz. It examines thematic connections among the dreams with consideration of how these themes might be linked to and reflective of complex subjective experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. This thesis demonstrates that the phenomenon of vivid dreams and nightmares as purported side effects of Efavirenz is of substantial interest to people living with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, it argues that vivid dreams and nightmares experienced by people living with HIV/AIDS and taking Efavirenz are not simply medication side effects, but are meaningful experiences that are potentially useful in clinical social work with this population.

Language

English

Comments

iii, 64 pages. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, 2014. Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-55)

Recommended Citation

Coburn, Joel C., ""It was nice to wake up from that one" : an exploratory qualitative content analysis of vivid dreams and nightmares reported by people living with HIV/AIDS as side effects of Efavirenz" (2014). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/763