Validation of the extended version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) in patients diagnosed with substance use disorders

ABSTRACT

Background

The most extensively used instrument to measure dissociation is the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Recently, an extended version of this instrument was provided, which also measures somatoform symptoms of dissociation. The aim of this study was to examine the component structure and internal consistency of the extended version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale (FDS) in patients diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUD).

Methods

Principal component analyses (PCAs) were conducted in a large clinical sample of patients diagnosed with SUD (n = 459) for the 44 FDS items, the 28 original DES items, the 23 items of the original DES subscales that compose FDS subscales of amnesia, absorption, and depersonalization/derealization, and the 9 conversion subscale items.

Results

PCA of all 44 FDS items yielded a 9-factor solution where the first factor explained 32% variance. A 6-, 4-, and 2-factor solution, respectively, was found for 28 DES original items, 23 items of original DES subscales that compose FDS subscales of amnesia, absorption, and depersonalization/derealization, and 9 items of the conversion subscale of the FDS.

Conclusion

FDS proves to be a reliable tool that can be used to screen patients with SUD for dissociative psychopathology within the ICD and DSM-5 framework.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance use
• dissociative disorders
• validity
• somatoform dissociation
• posttraumatic stress disorder

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all members of the Northern German Council on Addiction Research, the staff of all study centres, TRAUMAAB-Study Group and the participants of the trial for their contributions. The members of the TRAUMAAB-Study Group at the current study stage were: Thomas Broese, Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany; Claudia Chodzinski, Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, presently Frauennotruf Hannover e.V., Hannover, Germany; Christian Dette, Clinic of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany; Martin Hoppe, Clinic Freiherr von Lepel, Freistatt, Germany; Christina Pletke, Lower Saxonian Psychiatric Hospital, Goettingen, Germany; Gertrud Koesters, Drug Counselling Center, Hannover, Germany; Markus Stuppe, Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwerin, Germany, Elisabeth H. Sylvester, Clinic Nettetal, Wallenhorst, Germany; Sibylle Teunißen, Private Practice, Wuppertal, Germany.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.