Childhood Emotional Neglect, Loneliness and Maladaptive Daydreaming in University

Abstract

Maladaptive daydreaming is characterized by immersive, excessive daydreaming that often serves as a means of fulfilling unmet emotional needs. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of childhood emotional neglect and loneliness on maladaptive daydreaming among university students. Emotional neglect during childhood has been associated with various psychological difficulties in adulthood, including heightened vulnerability to maladaptive coping mechanisms such as excessive daydreaming. Similarly, loneliness has been identified as a significant factor contributing to the development of such behaviors. A sample of 300 undergraduate and graduate university students, aged 18 to 36 years, were recruited using a convenient sampling method. Data collection involved the use of three standardized measures: the Emotional Neglect subscale of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (Wongpakaran et al., 2020), and the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (Somer et al., 2016c). Correlational analysis revealed significant positive relationships between childhood emotional neglect, loneliness, and maladaptive daydreaming. Regression analysis indicated that both childhood emotional neglect and loneliness were significant positive predictors of maladaptive daydreaming. These findings underscore the importance of addressing unresolved emotional needs and loneliness in interventions aimed at reducing maladaptive daydreaming. For future research, it is recommended that researchers evaluate the impact of maladaptive daydreaming on academic achievement to better understand maladaptive daydreaming in a university setting.