Dissociative Experiences Scale

I found this really hard to answer, but then someone inside popped out and wanted to answer - so I let her. She seemed to have no problem with the test.

Dissociative Experiences Scale Test Answers
Total score of: 68

DID wrote:I found this really hard to answer, but then someone inside popped out and wanted to answer - so I let her.

Ha ha. Welcome, DID. Great screen name you have there, by the way.

I think the DES needs a final question: "While completing this DES, did you feel somehow divided about how to respond?"

I did yes and that would be a great question to add - both joking as you are, and also feeling it is a very appropriate question for the test. My answers appear to depend on what part of me was typically out when such things are noticed, along with what stage I am at in my recovery and recognition of the systems, which of course includes how much I am ignoring either on purpose or without conscious acknowledgment. I can see the test of interest in seeing where you have changes in your perception of symptoms overtime.

This little part that took the test could feel my dilemma and answered the questions as to how she feels them.

Also of interest is my son. He is in 5th grade and has been showing signs of delusions and persecutory behavior. After I took the above test, he took the one for schizophrenia and scored a 40 - saying he exhibits the signs of others with schizophrenia. Then I looked at the developmental conditions for someone of his age, I noted that he does not appear to have any of these - such as lack of motor skills when growing up.

I can only conclude that the tests are a good place to look if you wonder, but they tell you little in reality except that you need to look farther for the real deal.

My user name - I threw that up there, thinking of course that it would be taken, and not wanting to think in depth on a name to use. Then I forgot it was there. To my surprise I am now known as DID.

DID wrote:I did yes and that would be a great question to add - both joking as you are, and also feeling it is a very appropriate question for the test.

I was not joking.

DID wrote:My answers appear to depend on what part of me was typically out when such things are noticed

Exactly. To some of the questions I have a split response, often both "never" and "all the time". But of course this is impossible, right? No. For someone who experiences identity alteration it is not only possible but to be expected.

DID wrote:Also of interest is my son. He is in 5th grade and has been showing signs of delusions and persecutory behavior. After I took the above test, he took the one for schizophrenia and scored a 40 - saying he exhibits the signs of others with schizophrenia.

Are you referring to the test for schizophrenia on the same website as the one for DES? Most of us would score high on that test too; it does not distinguish between schizophrenia and dissociative disorders. The DES on the other hand has been shown in a clinical study to do a fairly good job of separating these two populations of clients. If you score high on both tests you are more likely to have a dissociative disorder than schizophrenia.

Do you know about the Child Dissociative Checklist by Dr. Frank Putnam et al. (1990)? I give a link to it below. A clinical screening instrument, the CDC is used to assess dissociation in a child aged 5-12 on the basis of ratings given by caregivers or adults in close contact with the child. It is a 20-item observer-report checklist with a 3-point scale (0=not true, 1=sometimes true, 2=frequently true). The final score is the sum of all of the item scores and can range from 0 to 40; a score of 12 or higher is evidence of pathological dissociation and warrants further evaluation.

The CDC assesses dissociation in a child, as perceived by others. For an assessment of dissociation as experienced by the child, suitable for older children, there is the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale.

PDF: Child Dissociative Checklist, Version 3

I scored 81.

Hey, it used to be allot worse. It used to be an even 100% -150%, so Im doing better. Life does get better when you get a hobby... Smile.... I don't know how to bring those dumb smily things on the right into the writing area, because of this I feel embarrassed. I loath myself because of those dam smily things. Please help me God.

I got a 73. It depends on the day, really. A few weeks ago, I would've scored lower.

I scored a 71. Still not sure.

Today I scored 14, based on symptoms in the last few months alone. I have discovered evidence of several episodes of amnesia, and some other weirdness, but the depersonalization and derealization symptoms are much reduced. That represents a huge improvement, especially considering recent events that have been stressful for me.

If I think about in general, over at least since diagnosis or lifetime, I am still getting 47. If I think about the last month, 33. I guess that's an improvement, but still more regular dissociation than I'd like to be having. I think a lot of that has to do with contact with my family.

38 today answered by Natsumi, Mika and Suzumi