Maladaptive daydreaming, emotional dysregulation, affect and internalized stigma in persons with borderline...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) involves excessive daydreaming causing distress and is linked to emotional dysregulation and escapism.
• MD can maintain negative symptoms in various disorders, including internalized stigma and social withdrawal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of MD in individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and depression.
• To compare the dynamics of MD-related factors between BPD and depression groups using network analysis.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 188 individuals, including 102 with BPD, completed assessments for MD, emotional dysregulation, internalized stigma, affect, anhedonia, and escapism.
• Network analysis was employed to examine the interrelationships between these variables in both groups.

Main Results:

• The BPD group exhibited higher emotional dysregulation, internalized stigma, and escapism compared to the depression group, with no significant differences in MD rates.
• Network analysis revealed distinct patterns: MD linked with self-suppression escapism and negative affect in BPD, and with self-suppression escapism and social withdrawal in depression.
• Emotional dysregulation and internalized stigma emerged as the most influential factors in both groups' networks.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive and affective factors, particularly emotional dysregulation and internalized stigma, are pivotal in maladaptive daydreaming and regulation strategies for individuals with BPD and depression.
• Findings suggest targeted interventions for MD and emotional dysregulation should address these core cognitive and affective components, especially in BPD and depression.