Epilogue: Using the DES-II

THIS EXPLANATION IS PROVIDED so that you may become familiar with the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), version II. A series of references are listed so that you may have a resource for looking at some of the work done with the Dissociative Experiences Scale (Bernstein, 1986; Ross, 1990; Carlson, 1993a, b). Effort was made to include references readily available to most readers. The DES is a screening tool in the evaluation of persons thought to have post-traumatic or dissociative symptomatology. It is not a diagnostic tool. The DES, and a short manual on its use, is available from the Sidran Foundation at 410.825.8888 (email: sidran@access.digex.net) or on the Internet at http://www.sidran.org.

The DES can be used to screen for dissociative experience in large populations in a short period of time, or as an introduction to differential clinical formulation for the clinician who is otherwise unfamiliar with dissociative phenomena. The more experienced clinician may find it a time saver. Its most useful application may actually be in the post-test discussion of the patient's responses to different items on the scale. In my clinical practice, I find that discussion of the rationale of answers to questions on the DES quickly opens an inquiry into the private experience of the person with dissociative adaptations. In combination with questions from the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (Steinberg, 1993), the thoughtful clinician may find a comprehensive compendium of language to use in defining a mental status examination which includes posttraumatic symptoms related to dissociation.

To obtain a raw score for the DES, total the numerical sum of responses for all 28 items on the DES. In order to obtain a proper score, all 28 items must be endorsed. While some persons may have questions about the meaning of an item, you may not explain the meaning to the patient. Instruct patients to do the best job they can in understanding the item and to