Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Indonesian Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale-16 (MDS-16-Ina)

Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) is characterized by excessive immersion in internal fantasies, resulting in significant distress and clinical impairment. Despite indications of high MD prevalence in Indonesia, the condition has not been deeply examined, and existing publications rely on unstandardized measurements. This study focuses on adapting the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale-16 (MDS-16) for use in the Indonesian population. The adaptation followed the International Test Commission (ITC) guidelines. The translation process involved 5 forward translators, 1 reconciler, and 1 back-translator with the final version reviewed by three experts. Two rounds of cognitive interviews were conducted with 15 participants each to assess item clarity. Psychometric properties—including internal structure, reliability, convergent validity, and cut-off score—were evaluated in a sample of 253 Indonesian students in Jatinangor (M age = 19.30, SD age = 1.02). Participants completed several instruments, and a subset of 28 participants retook some of these instruments after 2–3 weeks to assess test–retest reliability. The Indonesian version of the MDS-16 demonstrated good internal consistency and ambiguous test–retest reliability. Experts' judgment and cognitive interview suggested the clarity and comprehensiveness of the measurement. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a 4-factor structure with a correlated error. Maladaptive daydreaming is moderately correlated with anxiety and depression, providing evidence of its convergent validity. Its relationship with CEQ is explored. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis found a preliminary cut-off score of 49 %. Overall, MDS-16-Ina has sound psychometric properties and is suitable for research purposes in the Indonesian population. Future research with larger and more diverse participants is needed. • Item 2 was shortened due to its complex wording. • Items 8 and 11 have overlapping contexts, so their errors were correlated. • A preliminary cut-off score of 49 % was found, small MD sample warrants caution. • Histogram of cut-off distribution showed bimodality. • Wide variability based on Bland-Altman plots, recommended to use for research only.