Maladaptive daydreaming Measures
Important notice
* If you are a researcher or a clinician feel free to use the tools on this page free of charge. Our only expectation is that you show us similar courtesy by sharing your research report with us. Below you will find the scale in many other languages. If you wish to translate the scale into a language not represented below, please contact us for translation instructions.
* If you suspect that you might have maladaptive daydreaming please utilize the resources on this page for your personal use. We will not provide feedback on these scores and will not use them in research. The MDS-16 score provides an indication of suspected maladaptive daydreaming and should not be considered a diagnostic tool.
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The 16-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16)
This 16-item scale is the primary MD measure rated on a 10-point Likert scale. Scores may range from 0 to 100. The MDS-16 total score is the average of its items. A mean score of 40 or higher indicates suspected clinical-level MD. In 2023 APA's PsychNet added the original MDS and the MDS-16 to its database.
The Structured Clinical Interview for Maladaptive Daydreaming (SCIMD)
The SCID-MD is a structured clinical interview, performed by a qualified professional, in order to detect active symptoms and diagnose the existence of maladaptive daydreaming. It has 4 sections and 14 diagnosis questions.
Proposed diagnostic Criteria for Maladaptive Daydreaming
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This is a DSM-style format of the suggested criteria for the diagnosis of maladaptive daydreaming.
Reference
Somer, E., Soffer-Dudek, N., Ross, C. A., & Halpern, N. (2017). Maladaptive daydreaming: Proposed diagnostic criteria and their assessment with a structured clinical interview. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 4(2), 176-189. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cns0000114
The Childhood Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (C-MDS)
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The C-MDS is a 23-item questionnaire to detect active symptoms and diagnose the existence of potential maladaptive daydreaming in childhood. 21 of the questionnaire items are on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores may range from 1 to 5. Additional 2 items (#22-23) are open-question.
Daydreaming Contents and Functions Checklist (DCFC)
The DCFC is a 14-item yes/no questionnaire regarding the contents and functions of an individual's daydreaming.