Dissociative Experiences Scale

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is a psychological self-assessment questionnaire that measures dissociative symptoms. It contains twenty-eight questions and returns an overall score as well as four sub-scale results.^[1] DES is intended to be a screening test, since only 17% of patients with scores over 30 will be diagnosed with having Dissociative Identity Disorder.^[2] Patients with lower scores above normal may have other post-traumatic conditions.

The DES-II contains the same questions but with a different response scale.^[3]

References

1. Bernstein EM, Putnam FW (1986). "Development, reliability, and validity of a dissociation scale". J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 174 (12): 727–35. doi:10.1097/00005053-198612000-00004. PMID 3783140.
2. "Dissociative Experiences Scale". Retrieved 2009-03-26.
3. "The University of Adelaide Library – Psychiatric Rating Scales and Diagnostic Aids". Retrieved 2009-03-26.

External links

• A sample adolescent DES test from Southeast Institute, Chapel Hill, NC
• International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation