EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MALADAPTIVE DAYDREAMING FREQUENCY AND DEPRESSION: MEDIATION BY ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES IN EMERGING ADULTS

Abstract

This study explored the interplay among maladaptive daydreaming (MD), adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and depressive symptom severity in Indian emerging adults. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed with 150 participants (aged 18-30 years) recruited via purposive convenience sampling through an online Google Forms survey. Three validated self-report measures were administered: the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale-16 (MDS-16), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q). Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and bootstrapped mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 4; Hayes, 2022) were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics. Significant positive associations were found among all three constructs. The combined regression model explained 62.7% of variance in depressive symptom scores. ACEs emerged as the strongest predictor of depression and significantly partially mediated the MD-depression pathway (Indirect Effect = .067, 95% Boot CI [.045, .094]). These findings underscore the centrality of developmental history in understanding compulsive fantasy engagement and its emotional sequelae, and point toward trauma-informed clinical approaches for individuals presenting with both MD and depressive symptoms.