Dissociation : Vol. 9, No. 2 (June 1996)

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Dissociation : Vol. 9, No. 2, p. 098-103 : Results of the dissociative experiences scale in a jail population
(Ridgeview Institute and the International Society for the Study of Dissociation, 1996-06) Snow, Marilyn S.; Beckman, Darlene; Brack, Gregory
The Dissociative Experiences Scale II (DES II) was administered to 305 inmates in a detention center (DC) in a suburban area of greater metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. There were 229 male inmates and 69 female inmates who completed the study. Results show that 25 % of the jail population scored 30 or higher on the DES II (24.4 % of males, 27.5 % of females). The mean score on the DESII for the entire population was 21.7 with 40% of the population scoring above 20. Findings suggest that dissociative disorders in a jail population may be prevalent. Further studies using the DES II are needed to determine the factors influencing dissociative states in a criminal population. Also, studies should be conducted to determine the extent to which dissociative states of inmates represent pathology as opposed to environmentally-induced defense mechanisms.