Symptoms and Scales
Feeling Unreal June 22, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197622445.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Dissociative Experiences Scale, Cambridge Depersonalization Scale |
| Key points | Argues that dpdr experiences have nuanced phenomenology and provides two self-report questionnaires for measurement: the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale, the latter covering five domains of dpdr. |
Abstract
Abstract The chapter focuses on the many nuances of depersonalization/derealization (dpdr) experiences, and on how to measure dpdr symptoms. The meanings of the word “unreal,” as well as shifts in the phenomenology of the disorder over the past century are discussed. Two self-report questionnaires are provided and explicated. The Dissociative Experiences Scale is a 28-item questionnaire that measures not only dpdr, but also other dissociative symptoms such as absorption, amnesia, and identity alteration. The Cambridge Depersonalization Scale is a 29-item measure of dpdr specifically. The five dpdr domains of the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (unreality of self, unreality of surroundings, numbing, perceptual alterations, time distortions) are presented and illustrated by personal vignettes.