Shared Challenges and Cooccurrence of Maladaptive Daydreaming and Autism Spectrum Disorder

IF 1.3 Q3 EDUCATION, SPECIAL

Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Pub Date : 2022-10-10 DOI:10.1007/s41252-022-00279-1

Melina J. West, Eli Somer, Inge-Marie Eigsti

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引用次数: 2

Abstract

Objectives

Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is a condition involving excessive, highly immersive daydreaming. We conducted a cross-sectional investigation of the occurrence of MD in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the overlapping characteristics between the conditions.

Methods

We surveyed broad ASD traits, MD symptoms, sense of presence in daydreaming, loneliness, emotion regulation difficulties, and restricted and repetitive behaviors in a sample of 609 adults without a diagnosis of ASD and a sample of 235 adults with a diagnosis of ASD. We also examined the occurrence of MD in the ASD sample using a structured interview.

Results

A path analysis revealed that broad ASD traits were associated with MD symptoms via the mediating effects of loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties. Moreover, 43% of adults with ASD reported experiences of MD, and hierarchical regression analysis revealed that these symptoms were associated with loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties. A multivariate analysis of covariance to compare groups showed that individuals with co-occurring ASD and MD scored highest on measures of loneliness, emotion regulation difficulties, restricted and repetitive behaviors, and sense of presence in daydreaming, compared to individuals with either ASD or MD alone or those with neither condition.

Conclusions

This research indicates that experiences of MD are common among adults with ASD and are associated with high degrees of loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties. Future research should further explore the unique presentation of MD in ASD and the associated challenges.

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适应不良的白日梦和自闭症谱系障碍的共同挑战和共存

适应性白日梦（MD）是一种过度的、高度沉浸式的白日梦。我们对患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的成年人MD的发生情况以及两种情况之间的重叠特征进行了横断面调查。方法我们调查了609名未被诊断为ASD的成年人和235名被诊断为自闭症谱系障碍的成年人的广泛ASD特征、MD症状、白日梦中的存在感、孤独感、情绪调节困难以及限制性和重复性行为。我们还通过结构化访谈调查了ASD样本中MD的发生情况。结果通径分析显示，广泛的ASD特征通过孤独和情绪调节困难的中介作用与MD症状相关。此外，43%的ASD成年人报告了MD的经历，分层回归分析显示，这些症状与孤独和情绪调节困难有关。比较组的协方差多变量分析显示，与单独患有ASD或MD的个体或两者都没有的个体相比，同时患有ASD和MD的个体在孤独感、情绪调节困难、受限和重复行为以及白日梦中的存在感方面得分最高。结论本研究表明，MD的经历在患有ASD的成年人中很常见，并与高度的孤独感和情绪调节困难有关。未来的研究应进一步探索MD在ASD中的独特表现及其相关挑战。

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来源期刊

Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Social Sciences-Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

CiteScore

2.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders publishes high-quality research in the broad area of neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan. Study participants may include individuals with:Intellectual and developmental disabilitiesGlobal developmental delayCommunication disordersLanguage disordersSpeech sound disordersChildhood-onset fluency disorders (e.g., stuttering)Social (e.g., pragmatic) communication disordersUnspecified communication disordersAutism spectrum disorder (ASD)Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specified and unspecifiedSpecific learning disordersMotor disordersDevelopmental coordination disordersStereotypic movement disorderTic disorders, specified and unspecifiedOther neurodevelopmental disorders, specified and unspecifiedPapers may also include studies of participants with neurodegenerative disorders that lead to a decline in intellectual functioning, including Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, Huntington’s disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy. The journal includes empirical, theoretical and review papers on a large variety of issues, populations, and domains, including but not limited to: diagnosis; incidence and prevalence; and educational, pharmacological, behavioral and cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, and psychosocial interventions across the life span. Animal models of basic research that inform the understanding and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders are also welcomed. The journal is multidisciplinary and multi-theoretical, and encourages research from multiple specialties in the social sciences using quantitative and mixed-method research methodologies.