Dissociative disorders: 7 questionnaires and rating scales

The SCID-D is a semi-structured clinical interview for assessing the presence and severity of dissociative disorders according to DSM criteria. It is used to identify different aspects of dissociation, including amnesia, depersonalization, derealization, confusion and dissociative identity, which facilitates differential diagnosis with other psychological disorders.

The CDC is a screening tool completed by adult informants (parents, teachers, clinicians) to assess dissociative symptoms in children aged 5 to 12. It is frequently used in clinical settings to identify children with dissociative difficulties, which may be related to traumatic experiences.

The Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the frequency and duration of depersonalization and derealization experiences over the past six months. This tool is particularly useful for clinical screening, for assessing the severity of dissociative symptoms and for monitoring their course over time. It explores phenomena such as a sense of strangeness toward oneself, the feeling of being detached from one's body, the impression that one's surroundings are unreal, and emotional numbing.

The CADSS is a clinical assessment tool for measuring the intensity of dissociative symptoms, such as depersonalization, derealization, and amnesia, specifically within a semi-structured interview. It is commonly administered by the clinician in experimental or clinical situations, particularly with patients suffering from trauma- and stressor-related disorders.

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is a self-report tool used to identify symptoms of dissociation. It is often used in clinical settings to screen for dissociative disorders such as dissociative identity disorder. The test covers various aspects of dissociation, including derealization, dissociative amnesia and depersonalization experiences.

The Dissociation Questionnaire (DIS-Q) is a self-report instrument for assessing the frequency and severity of dissociative experiences in individuals. It is particularly relevant for screening for dissociative disorders, especially in clinical settings with people who have experienced psychological trauma or have conditions associated with dissociative symptoms.

The A-DES is a self-report tool designed to detect and quantify dissociative experiences in adolescents. It identifies both the frequency and the nature of dissociative symptoms, which can be useful for initial screening during a psychological assessment or for clinical follow-up. Its version adapted for adolescents takes into account the developmental characteristics of this population.