Although we have a lot of exciting MD news to report, we decided to send out first a special issue that contains a call for research participants, as well as some exciting developments in MD research.
But first: Calling all daydreamers!
The Consciousness and Psychopathology Lab invites you to participate in a new study we are conducting. The study, conducted by graduate student Ori Meidan, under the supervision of Dr. Nirit Soffer-Dudek, from Ben-Gurion University, explores the dynamics and reciprocal relations between self-concept, memories, and daydreaming. We are looking for English-speaking adults who consider themselves as having maladaptive daydreaming. If you consider yourself a maladaptive daydreamer, we seek your consent to include you as a participant in our study, provided that you are legally an adult (at least 18 years old) and proficient in English. Any identifying information collected will remain confidential and revealed only within the research team in Dr. Soffer-Dudek’s lab.
The study comprises two phases. Phase 1 includes the completion of a few short self-report questionnaires administered online. It is possible to stop questionnaire completion mid-way and continue later. As part of phase 2, three months later, you'll be asked to complete the same self-report questionnaires and an online task. Each step takes approximately 25 minutes to finish.
Be advised that you must write down your full name and personal E-mail address as part of the study. However, the sole purpose of writing down your name is to connect between phase 1 and phase 2 questionnaires. Name and E-mail will not be used in any data analysis or appear in any data sheets or other study material. As mentioned above, they are for technical purposes only to match your phase 1 and 2 comments.
In the link provided below, you will find a complete description of the study, informed consent, and contact information in case yo want to ask any questions regarding the survey. The research has the approval of the Ben Gurion University ethics committee.
Thank you!
The Consciousness and Psychopathology Lab at Ben Gurion University
New Research Exploring Maladaptive Daydreaming in Autism Spectrum Disorders
New research led by Dr. Melina West and co-authored by Professor Eli Somer (maladaptive daydreaming expert) and Professor Inge-Marie Eigsti (autism expert) has explored the occurrence of maladaptive daydreaming in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Until now, very little has been known about daydreaming experiences in autism, and many assumed that autistic individuals had limited imagination. However, the two studies recently published by West and her colleagues show that immersive daydreaming experiences were reported by close to half (42%) of a sample of autistic adults.
One of the papers describes the diversity of daydreaming experiences reported by autistic adults—ranging from very little daydreaming to excessive amounts. The study found that immersive daydreaming was not related to divergent thinking (a type of creative thinking). However, the authors speculate that immersive daydreaming could be a more structured form of creative expression and exploration of identity for autistic individuals.
The other paper describes the finding that, while loneliness and difficulties with emotion regulation are common concerns among autistic individuals and maladaptive daydreamers, those who experienced both conditions reported an even higher degree of loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties. It is possible that maladaptive daydreaming is a way to escape real-life challenges and retreat into a more ideal and controllable reality.
This research opens new avenues for exploring and understanding daydreaming experiences in autism, as well as providing new insights into the condition of maladaptive daydreaming.