Dissociation : Vol. 9, No. 2, p. 118-124 : Dimensionality of dissociation in subjects with PTSD

Abstract

Dissociative symptoms are common in patients with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is a self-report measure that is often used to assess these symptoms quantitatively. The present study examined the factor structure of the DES in a sample of 129 male combat veterans with PTSD. Quantitative and conceptual criteria were used to select a four-factor solution. One of the subscales (labeled Depersonalization/Derealization) was consistent with a scale found in an earlier factor analysis using a nonclinical subject sample. Three other factors included Memory Disturbance, Absorption, and Distractibility. While these scales are intercorrelated, they may measure conceptually distinct types of dissociative symptoms.