Maladaptive Daydreaming Among the Indian Youth: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

Today’s youth is one of the most depressed, anxious and lonely generations to exist within this social reality. The present study aims to understand the prevalence and effects of Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) among the Indian youth in relation to their perceived stress and satisfaction with life. For this purpose, a quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted on the young adults in the age bracket of 18-25 years. The Sample size collected for the study was 250 participants (145 Females & 105 Males). Further 10 participants were interviewed for qualitative analysis based on their scores falling within the bracket of high maladaptive daydreaming. Three scales used in the study were namely: Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (Somer et al, 2016), Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, S. 1983) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. 1985). A semi-structured interview schedule was designed to conduct a one-on-one interview which was further interpreted through Braun and Clark’s (2006, 2013) thematic analysis technique. The findings showcased a statistically significant positive correlation of MD with perceived stress along with a negative significant correlation with life satisfaction. Additionally, the qualitative data explored various subjective interpretations and experiences of daydreaming by the participants.