The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Dissociation Scale (DIS-Q) are self-report scales that have been successfully used to screen and rate psychoform dissociative symptoms. The Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ) is a "conversion" scale and can identify patients with dissociative disorders. The Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS) and the Structured Clinical Interview Schedule for Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D) are used as diagnostic tools.
The DDIS is a fully structured and easy-to-use instrument. The SCID-D is semi-structured and requires more experience. All these scales and schedules have been adapted into Turkish by the Istanbul Medical Faculty Group and their validity and reliability have been demonstrated in separate studies conducted since 1993.
DES Sub-Factors
AMNESIA FACTOR This factor measures memory loss. This means not knowing how you got somewhere, wearing clothes you don't remember, finding new things among your belongings that you don't remember, not recognizing friends or family members, finding evidence of doing things you don't remember doing, finding writings, drawings or notes you don't remember doing.
DEPERSONALIZATION, DEREALIZATION FACTOR: Depersonalization is characterized by feeling disconnected from one's own self and mental processes, or experiencing a sense of unreality about the self in a repetitive way. Items related to this factor include feeling like you are standing next to yourself or feeling like you are doing something and seeing yourself as if you are looking at another person, feeling that your body does not belong to you, and looking in a mirror and not recognizing yourself. Derealization is a sense of loss of the reality of the present environment. These items include the feeling that other people, objects and the world around them are not real, hearing voices in your head telling you to do things or commenting on what you are doing, and the feeling of looking at the world through a fog, with people and objects far away or unclear.
ABSORPTION FACTOR: This factor involves being so busy or immersed in something that you become detached from what is going on around you. Absorption is mainly related to one's traumatic experiences. Items of this factor include realizing that you did not hear part or all of what someone else said, remembering a past event so vividly that you feel as if you are reliving it, not being sure if what you remember really happened or if you are just imagining it, watching TV. watching TV or a movie and becoming so immersed in the story that you are not aware of other events happening in the environment, or being caught up in a fantasy or daydream.being interested in the arrow and feeling as if they were really happening, and sometimes sitting, staring into space, not thinking about anything and not being aware of the passage of time.