Immersive Daydreaming, Creativity, and the Autism Spectrum
In 2020, Melina West and Eli Somer published a study looking at creativity in immersive and maladaptive daydreamers.
Although they suspected that daydreamers might be more creative than average, their results didn’t support this. In fact, they found that maladaptive daydreamers scored lower than average on a standard measure of creativity.
In the ISMD’s forthcoming webinar, you have an opportunity to hear directly from Melina about the science behind daydreaming and creativity and what this means for people living with immersive or maladaptive daydreaming. ISMD members can join the webinar on 23/24 August. For more details, go to https://maladaptivedaydreamingsociety.com/webinars/
Bio – Dr. Melina West Rogers is a practicing psychologist in Australia. She has a PhD in autism and emotion processing and has published several studies exploring immersive and maladaptive daydreaming in relation to emotions, empathy, creativity, sleep, and, in particular, how this phenomenon shows up in those on the autism spectrum.
Webinar / 3 / Immersive Daydreaming, Creativity, and the Autism Spectrum
Description – This webinar explores the connections between immersive and maladaptive daydreaming, creativity, and the autism spectrum. Learn about the latest research on how these phenomena intersect and impact emotional experiences, and discover new perspectives on creativity within neurodivergence.
Speaker – Melina West Rogers
When – 23th August, 12 A.M GMT +1 (Midnight) / 24th August 2024, 9 AM GMT+10 PLEASE NOTE: based on your time zone, the meeting could take place on the 23rd or 24th of August.
Did you miss the last webinar?
Don’t worry! If you missed our previous members’ webinars, you can access the video recordings at the link below.
In the same link, you can subscribe to the upcoming webinar and get the Video Call link.
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Why we are talking about this?
More than 40% of people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder are thought to experience immersive daydreaming.
In the ISMD’s next webinar, Melina West Rogers will be talking about her research into the links between immersive daydreaming and autism. Dr West Rogers has dived deep into the daydreaming experiences of those on the autism spectrum.
She has discovered that while some people with autism find it difficult to daydream at all, many have rich imaginary experiences that may have a range of functions.
aSomer, E., Soffer-Dudek, N., Ross, C. A. (2017). “The comorbidity of daydreaming disorder (maladaptive daydreaming)”. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 205(7), 525-530. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000685.
bSoffer-Dudek, N. & Somer, E. (2022). Maladaptive daydreaming is a dissociative disorder: Supporting evidence and theory. In J.M. Dorahy (ed.) Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders: Past, present, future (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis, pp 547-559.