The Prevalence and Academic Impact of Suspected Maladaptive and Immersive Daydreaming in UK University Students.

This study of 435 UK University students aimed to measure instances of suspected Maladaptive Daydreaming and non-problematic Immersive Daydreaming (ID) in a UK population for the first time, using a nuanced interpretation of the 16-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Screen. Variance in academic performance between daydreaming types was also explored controlling for academic motivation and sociodemographic factors. The suspected prevalence of MD was 11.3%, and ID was 10.3%. Increasing severity of MD symptoms predicted lower academic achievement, whilst ID predicted higher achievement than non-immersive daydreamers.