Maladaptive Daydreaming, Dissociation, and the Dissociative Disorders

Abstract

Objective

Studies on maladaptive daydreaming have shown that it has a number of comorbidities including dissociative disorders, yet no studies have examined the reciprocal relationship. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of maladaptive daydreaming in a sample of psychiatric inpatients with high levels of dissociation.

Methods

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Self‐Report Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale‐16 (MDS‐16), Structured Clinical Interview for Maladaptive Daydreaming, and the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory were administered to a sample of 100 inpatients in a psychiatric hospital program specializing in dissociative disorders.

Results

Of the 100 participants, 93 reported childhood physical and/or sexual abuse, 33 met criteria for dissociative identity disorder; 56 met criteria for other specified dissociative disorder, 49 met criteria for maladaptive daydreaming disorder, and 23 met criteria for unspecified maladaptive daydreaming. The average score on the DES was 39.1 and the average score on the MDS‐16 was 33.9. Individuals with maladaptive daydreaming disorder scored significantly higher than those without on many different symptom clusters.

Conclusions

This sample of 100 highly traumatized and dissociative inpatients reported high levels of maladaptive daydreaming along with many other forms of comorbidity. Maladaptive daydreaming is a previously under‐recognized aspect of complex dissociative disorders and requires further attention in both research and clinical practice.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Individuals with maladaptive daydreaming have high levels of dissociation.

• Inversely, individuals with dissociative disorders have high levels of maladaptive daydreaming.

• Maladaptive daydreaming may help us understand cases of dissociative identity disorder with large numbers of ‘personalities’.