Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is receiving increasing attention. This study aimed to identify the latent classification of MD among young adults in China. A total of 10,498 college students in Guangdong Province were recruited using a cluster sampling method. The assessment measures included the five-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale Short Form (MDS-SF5), the Daydreaming Frequency Scale (DDFS), and the Qualities of Daydreaming Scale (QuOD). After screening, 6,586 immersive daydreamers were included in latent profile analysis (LPA) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine the optimal cut-off point. Based on the LPA results, the immersive daydreamers were categorized into three groups, namely, those at low-risk (47.9%), moderate risk (31.1%), and high-risk (21.0%) of MD. The high-risk group was considered to represent MD, while the remaining groups were classified as non-MD. The ROC analysis identified the optimal cut-off point as 20 (Youden index = 96.7%, sensitivity = 99.0%, specificity = 97.7%). This cut-off point was used to divide the immersive daydreamers into a positive group (probable cases: n = 1447, 22.0%) and a negative group. Considering the whole sample, the overall positive rate further decreased to 13.7%. The positive group reported significantly higher daydream quality and frequency, with daydreaming occupying more waking and free time compared to the negative group. The findings confirmed the effectiveness of MDS-SF5 in identifying MD, offering empirical support for early screening and intervention among young Chinese adults. This study also lends credibility to the hypothesis that MD may be a multidimensional construct, potentially warranting new nosological classifications.

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