Dissociative Experiences Scale - Taxon (DES-T): Evidence of Validity and Clinical Use in Puerto Rico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37226/rcp.v7i1.7245Keywords:
assessment, dissociation, Dissociative Experiences Scale, psychometric propertiesAbstract
The DES-T is a modified version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale composed of eight items that precisely measure pathological dissociation: derealization, depersonalization, and identity disturbance. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the DES-T and to examine whether belonging to the dissociative taxon indicates pathological dissociation, that is, whether being in the taxon is synonymous with having a dissociative disorder. The study sample was 341 participants. The results reflected that the DES-T has an acceptable internal consistency (α = .87; w = .88) and a unidimensional structure with a good fit. All eight items of the scale met the discrimination criteria. Persons with dissociative disorders scored significantly higher on the DES-T than persons with other mental health disorders. These preliminary results suggest that the DES-T is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the frequency of pathological dissociation. However, it is concluded that being in the dissociative taxon indicates a higher frequency of dissociative experiences but does not necessarily or categorically indicate the presence of a dissociative disorder.
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