Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II)

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) is a comprehensive self-report measure designed to evaluate the frequency and severity of dissociative symptoms…

Questions: 28
Duration: 10 min
Original title: DES-II — Dissociative Experiences Scale
Adaptation: Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II)
Authors: Carlson, E.B. & Putnam, F.W.
Created: 1993

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) is a comprehensive self-report measure designed to evaluate the frequency and severity of dissociative symptoms in adults. Initially developed by Carlson and Putnam, this instrument spans a wide continuum of experiences, capturing both normative alterations in awareness and pathological disruptions in identity or memory. Because dissociation often complicates trauma presentations, assessing its baseline severity is essential for accurate clinical formulation, particularly when evaluating individuals with suspected Complex PTSD or severe trauma histories.

Clinicians rely on the DES-II to map out complex clinical pictures that might otherwise remain opaque, such as profound depersonalization and derealization. As a repeatable psychometric tool, it enables practitioners to systematically track changes in dissociative coping over the course of therapy. By providing a structured, quantifiable overview of a patient's dissociative profile, this scale greatly enriches the diagnostic dialogue and helps tailor stabilization strategies effectively.

Example result

Fictitious result, computed from a sample set of answers.

Overall score

44.643/ 100

A 28-item self-report questionnaire assessing the frequency of dissociative experiences in daily life in adults (≥ 18 years). Screening instrument for dissociative disorders (dissociative identity disorder, dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/derealization disorder) and dissociative symptoms frequently associated with PTSD, borderline personality disorder, and eating disorders. Three dimensions are classically described: dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/derealization, absorption/imaginative involvement.

0–11

Low

12–19

Mild

20–29

Moderate

30–44

High

45–100

Very High

44.643

Extreme dissociative experiences, most commonly observed in dissociative identity disorders. Categories adjusted by the source platform based on Leeds et al. (2022) and Schimmenti et al. (2016) — they are not published by either article.

Scoring

Mean of the 28 items (total score); subscale means, total score from 0 to 100, each item is scored on an 11-point scale (from 0 to 100).

Dissociative amnesia

35/ 100

Assesses gaps in memory and awareness, with examples including not knowing how you got somewhere, being dressed in clothes you don’t remember putting on, finding new things among belongings you don’t remember buying, not recognising friends or family members, finding evidence of having done things you don’t remember doing.

items 3, 4, 5, 8, 25, 26

0100

Absorption / Imaginative involvement

41.667/ 100

Measures high engagement in an activity with reduced awareness of surroundings, related primarily to one’s traumatic experiences.

items 2, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20

41.667

0100

Depersonalization / Derealization

43.333/ 100

Measures feelings of unreality or detachment regarding oneself or the environment.

items 7, 11, 12, 13, 27, 28

43.333

0100

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What the test measures

The DES-II captures a broad spectrum of dissociative phenomena, differentiating between common cognitive lapses and severe disruptions in consciousness. By quantifying these experiences, it clarifies the patient's internal reality and helps map their PTSD symptom picture more accurately.

Amnesia: Evaluates significant memory gaps, such as finding oneself in a location without knowing how one arrived or discovering unexplained possessions.
Depersonalization and derealization: Assesses feelings of detachment from one's own body, profound unreality regarding the external world, and observing oneself from the outside.
Absorption: Measures the extent to which an individual becomes so immersed in internal fantasies or external stimuli that they lose awareness of their immediate surroundings.
Identity alteration: Probes for the presence of distinct behavioral shifts, unrecognized actions, or internal voices dictating behavior.

This instrument is designed for adult populations in clinical or research settings, particularly those with a history of trauma or suspected dissociative disorders.

When and why to use it

Applying the DES-II provides structure to the assessment of trauma responses, especially when patients struggle to articulate their shifting states of consciousness. It is a critical asset when establishing a safe window of tolerance for therapeutic processing.

Intake baseline: Establishes the initial severity of dissociative symptoms to inform stabilization needs before engaging in deeper trauma work like imagery rescripting.
Screening and cut-off: Identifies individuals at high risk for dissociative disorders, indicating the need for specialized diagnostic interviews.
Monitoring change: Tracks the frequency of dissociative episodes over the course of treatment, highlighting whether emotional regulation skills are taking effect.
Differential support: Helps untangle severe dissociation from psychotic symptoms or attentional deficits by isolating specific trauma-related cognitive disruptions.

A validated score brings an objective dimension to clinical impression, ensuring that silent or hidden dissociative processes are not overlooked during routine evaluation.

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The questions

This questionnaire consists of 28 questions about experiences that you may have in your daily life. We are interested in how often you have these experiences. It is important, however, that your answers show how often these experiences happen to you when you are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. To answer the questions, please determine to what degree the experience described in the question applies to you, and select the number to show what percentage of the time you have the experience.
1. Some people have the experience of driving or riding in a car (or on a subway or bus) and suddenly realizing that they don’t remember all or part of the trip. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes the occurrence of dissociative amnesia during routine travel or transit.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
2. Some people are listening to someone talk and suddenly realize that they did not hear part or all of what was just said. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses momentary attentional lapses or absorption during interpersonal conversations.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
3. Some people have the experience of finding themselves in a place and having no idea how they got there. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates profound spatial amnesia where the individual cannot recall their journey to a specific location.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
4. Some people have the experience of finding themselves dressed in clothes they don't remember putting on. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Explores memory gaps specifically related to dressing or changing clothes.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
5. Some people have the experience of finding new things among their belongings that they do not remember buying. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Investigates behavioral amnesia evidenced by discovering newly acquired, unremembered possessions.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
6. Some people are approached by people they don't recognize who call them by another name or insist they have met them before. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes for signs of identity confusion or amnesia observed by unrecognized strangers.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
7. Some people sometimes have the feeling of being next to themselves or watching themselves do something, and they actually see themselves as if they were watching another person. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses classic depersonalization characterized by an out-of-body or third-person observational experience.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
8. Some people are told that they sometimes don't recognize their friends or family members. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates relational amnesia where the individual fails to recognize familiar people.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
9. Some people find that they have no memory of some important events in their life (for example, a wedding or graduation). Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Investigates the loss of autobiographical memory regarding highly significant life events.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
10. Some people have the experience of being accused of lying when they don't think they have lied. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes interpersonal conflicts arising from the individual's lack of memory for their own statements or actions.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
11. Some people have the experience of looking in a mirror and not recognizing themselves. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses severe depersonalization manifesting as a failure to recognize one's own reflection.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
12. Some people sometimes have the impression that other people, objects, and the world around them are not real. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates derealization by questioning the perceived reality of the external environment and other people.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
13. Some people sometimes have the impression that their body does not belong to them. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes somatic depersonalization where the individual feels disconnected from their own physical body.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
14. Some people remember a past event so vividly that they feel as if they are reliving it. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses the intensity of intrusive memories or flashbacks that mimic real-time experience.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
15. Some people are not sure whether events they remember really happened or whether they only dreamed them. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates reality-testing difficulties regarding the distinction between actual memories and dreams.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
16. Some people have the experience of being in a familiar place but finding it strange and unfamiliar. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes derealization characterized by a sense of strangeness or unfamiliarity in well-known environments.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
17. Some people find that when they watch television or a movie, they become so absorbed in the story that they are unaware of what is happening around them. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses normative but deep absorption in media to the point of losing environmental awareness.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
18. Some people have the experience of becoming so involved in a daydream or fantasy that it feels like it is really happening. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates the degree of immersive imaginative involvement in internal fantasies or daydreams.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
19. Some people find that they are sometimes able to ignore pain. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Investigates somatic dissociation resulting in a notable spontaneous analgesia or pain tolerance.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
20. Some people find that they sometimes sit staring into space, thinking of nothing, and are not aware of time passing. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses trance-like states of absorption and the associated loss of time perception.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
21. Some people find themselves talking out loud to themselves when they are alone. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes behavioral manifestations of internal dialogue or fragmented identity states when alone.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
22. Some people find that they behave so differently in one situation compared to another that they feel as if they are two different people. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates subjective experiences of identity alteration and profound behavioral inconsistency across situations.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
23. Some people find that in certain situations they are able to do things with amazing ease and spontaneity that would usually be difficult for them (e.g., in sports, work, social situations, etc.). Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Investigates instances of sudden, uncharacteristic spontaneous skills or abilities that suggest compartmentalized functioning.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
24. Some people can't remember if they have done something or have only thought about doing it (for example, not knowing if they just mailed a letter or only thought about mailing it). Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses cognitive confusion regarding the execution of intended actions versus merely thinking about them.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
25. Some people find proof that they have done things they don't remember doing. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Probes for concrete, objective evidence of past actions affected by dense amnesia.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
26. Some people find writings, drawings, or notes among their belongings that they must have made but do not remember making. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Evaluates amnesia specifically tied to creative or written outputs left among personal belongings.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
27. Some people hear voices inside their head that tell them to do things or comment on what they are doing. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Investigates the presence of auditory hallucinations or distinct internal parts commenting on behavior.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)
28. Some people sometimes feel like they are looking at the world through a fog, so that people and objects appear distant or blurry. Please indicate how often this happens to you.
Assesses perceptual derealization where the world appears visually distorted, distant, or foggy.
- 0% (never)
- 10%
- 20%
- 30%
- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100% (always)