28-item self-report measure of the frequency of dissociative experiences in adults, from everyday absorption to pathological amnesia and depersonalisation.
This questionnaire asks about experiences that you may have in your daily life. It is important that your answers show how often these experiences happen to you when you are NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs. For each item, choose the percentage of the time the experience happens to you. Designed for adults (18+); adolescents should use a different version.
0% (never)0
10%10
20%20
30%30
40%40
50%50
60%60
70%70
80%80
90%90
100% (always)100
Score
01Some people have the experience of driving or riding in a car or bus or subway and suddenly realizing that they don't remember what has happened during all or part of the trip.
-
02Some people find that sometimes they are listening to someone talk and they suddenly realize that they did not hear part or all of what was said.
-
03Some people have the experience of finding themselves in a place and have no idea how they got there.
-
04Some people have the experience of finding themselves dressed in clothes that they don't remember putting on.
-
05Some people have the experience of finding new things among their belongings that they do not remember buying.
-
06Some people sometimes find that they are approached by people that they do not know, who call them by another name or insist that they have met them before.
-
07Some people sometimes have the experience of feeling as though they are standing next to themselves or watching themselves do something and they actually see themselves as if they were looking at another person.
-
08Some people are told that they sometimes do not recognize friends or family members.
-
09Some people find that they have no memory for some important events in their lives (for example, a wedding or graduation).
-
10Some people have the experience of being accused of lying when they do not think that they have lied.
-
11Some people have the experience of looking in a mirror and not recognizing themselves.
-
12Some people have the experience of feeling that other people, objects, and the world around them are not real.
-
13Some people have the experience of feeling that their body does not seem to belong to them.
-
14Some people have the experience of sometimes remembering a past event so vividly that they feel as if they were reliving that event.
-
15Some people have the experience of not being sure whether things that they remember happening really did happen or whether they just dreamed them.
-
16Some people have the experience of being in a familiar place but finding it strange and unfamiliar.
-
17Some people find that when they are watching television or a movie they become so absorbed in the story that they are unaware of other events happening around them.
-
18Some people find that they become so involved in a fantasy or daydream that it feels as though it were really happening to them.
-
19Some people find that they sometimes are able to ignore pain.
-
20Some people find that they sometimes sit staring off into space, thinking of nothing, and are not aware of the passage of time.
-
21Some people sometimes find that when they are alone they talk out loud to themselves.
-
22Some people find that in one situation they may act so differently compared with another situation that they feel almost as if they were two different people.
-
23Some people sometimes find that in certain situations they are able to do things with amazing ease and spontaneity that would usually be difficult for them (for example, sports, work, social situations, etc.).
-
24Some people sometimes find that they cannot remember whether they have done something or have just thought about doing that thing (for example, not knowing whether they have just mailed a letter or have just thought about mailing it).
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25Some people find evidence that they have done things that they do not remember doing.
-
26Some people sometimes find writings, drawings, or notes among their belongings that they must have done but cannot remember doing.
-
27Some people sometimes find that they hear voices inside their head that tell them to do things or comment on things that they are doing.
-
28Some people sometimes feel as if they are looking at the world through a fog, so that people and objects appear far away or unclear.
-
0-3score item↑↓moveScored locally - nothing leaves this page
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0.0 / 100.0
DES-II0 / 28
This questionnaire asks about experiences that you may have in your daily life. It is important that your answers show how often these experiences happen to you when you are NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs. For each item, choose the percentage of the time the experience happens to you. Designed for adults (18+); adolescents should use a different version.
Scored locally - nothing leaves this page
01Some people have the experience of driving or riding in a car or bus or subway and suddenly realizing that they don't remember what has happened during all or part of the trip.
02Some people find that sometimes they are listening to someone talk and they suddenly realize that they did not hear part or all of what was said.
03Some people have the experience of finding themselves in a place and have no idea how they got there.
04Some people have the experience of finding themselves dressed in clothes that they don't remember putting on.
05Some people have the experience of finding new things among their belongings that they do not remember buying.
06Some people sometimes find that they are approached by people that they do not know, who call them by another name or insist that they have met them before.
07Some people sometimes have the experience of feeling as though they are standing next to themselves or watching themselves do something and they actually see themselves as if they were looking at another person.
08Some people are told that they sometimes do not recognize friends or family members.
09Some people find that they have no memory for some important events in their lives (for example, a wedding or graduation).
10Some people have the experience of being accused of lying when they do not think that they have lied.
11Some people have the experience of looking in a mirror and not recognizing themselves.
12Some people have the experience of feeling that other people, objects, and the world around them are not real.
13Some people have the experience of feeling that their body does not seem to belong to them.
14Some people have the experience of sometimes remembering a past event so vividly that they feel as if they were reliving that event.
15Some people have the experience of not being sure whether things that they remember happening really did happen or whether they just dreamed them.
16Some people have the experience of being in a familiar place but finding it strange and unfamiliar.
17Some people find that when they are watching television or a movie they become so absorbed in the story that they are unaware of other events happening around them.
18Some people find that they become so involved in a fantasy or daydream that it feels as though it were really happening to them.
19Some people find that they sometimes are able to ignore pain.
20Some people find that they sometimes sit staring off into space, thinking of nothing, and are not aware of the passage of time.
21Some people sometimes find that when they are alone they talk out loud to themselves.
22Some people find that in one situation they may act so differently compared with another situation that they feel almost as if they were two different people.
23Some people sometimes find that in certain situations they are able to do things with amazing ease and spontaneity that would usually be difficult for them (for example, sports, work, social situations, etc.).
24Some people sometimes find that they cannot remember whether they have done something or have just thought about doing that thing (for example, not knowing whether they have just mailed a letter or have just thought about mailing it).
25Some people find evidence that they have done things that they do not remember doing.
26Some people sometimes find writings, drawings, or notes among their belongings that they must have done but cannot remember doing.
27Some people sometimes find that they hear voices inside their head that tell them to do things or comment on things that they are doing.
28Some people sometimes feel as if they are looking at the world through a fog, so that people and objects appear far away or unclear.
Consistent with levels of dissociation seen in general-population samples (general adult mean ≈ 5.4; Carlson & Putnam 1993).
20.0–30.0
Above general-population levels
Higher than typical non-clinical scores but below the screening threshold; interpret in clinical context.
30.0–100.0
High dissociation - further evaluation indicated
At a cutoff of 30, multicentre research found sensitivity 76% and specificity 76-85% for dissociative disorders (Carlson et al. 1993, Am J Psychiatry 150:1030-1036). A high score is not a diagnosis; structured clinical assessment is required. Around 1% of people with dissociative identity disorder score below 30.
The DES-II measures both everyday and pathological dissociation; a very high score does not by itself indicate a more severe disorder. Successful treatment of a dissociative disorder is expected to reduce the score over time. This tool is not a substitute for clinical diagnosis.
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