Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Date of Submission

2025-07-29

Advisor

Amna Tufail

Committee

Habiba Zaheer

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Maladaptive daydreaming, depression, gender differences, undergraduate students, grade point average.

Abstract

Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) is a relatively newly identified phenomenon, defined by Dr. Eli Somer (2002) as an extensive, immersive fantasy activity that disrupts academic, vocational, and interpersonal functioning by replacing real-life interactions with elaborate internal narratives. Unlike normative daydreaming, MD is characterized by its compulsive nature and the significant impairment it causes. Depression, including both Major Depressive Disorder and dysthymia, involves persistent low mood and loss of interest in activities, often measured using instruments like the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). This study aimed to explore the relationship between maladaptive daydreaming and depressive symptoms amongst undergraduate students in Pakistan to assess whether these constructs correlate with academic performance (CGPA) and vary by gender. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative data was collected from 186 students aged 18–25 using the MDS-16 and BDI-II, while qualitative data was obtained through open-ended questions about the content of participants' daydreams. Statistical analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation between MD and depressive symptoms (r = 0.35), but no significant relationship between these variables and CGPA or gender. Thematic analysis of daydream content revealed recurrent patterns of idealized selves and romantic fantasies etc. Importantly, the study situates these findings within a collectivist cultural context, highlighting how themes of emotional suppression, social pressure, and familial expectations may uniquely shape MD experiences in Pakistan. It lays the foundation for future studies to further investigate MD’s prevalence, psychological underpinnings, and treatment pathways across diverse sociocultural settings.

Pages

95

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