Dissociative Experiences Scale Scores Explained
High and Low DES Scores
High levels of dissociation are indicated by scores of 30 or more, scores under 30 indicate low levels. [1]:22 Successful treatment of a dissociative disorder should reduce the DES score when compared to the result before treatment began. [1]:23 Very high scores do not necessarily mean a more severe dissociative disorder is present, this is because the scale measures both normal and pathological dissociation.[1]:18
Dissociative Identity Disorder and the DES
Only 1% of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder have been found to have a DES score below 30. A very high number of people who score above 30 have been shown to have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or a dissociative disorder other than Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Clinical Uses of the Dissociative Experiences Scale
If a person scores in the high range (above 30) then the DES questions can be used as the basis for a clinical interview, with the clinician asking the client to describe examples of the experiences they have had for any questions about experiences which occur 20% of the time or more. Alternatively, the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS) or Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D) can be used to reach a diagnosis.
Average DES Scores in research [1]
| General Adult Population |
5.4 |
| Anxiety Disorders |
7.0 |
| Affective Disorders |
9.35 |
| Eating Disorders |
15.8 |
| Late Adolescence |
16.6 |
| Schizophrenia |
15.4 |
| Borderline Personality Disorder |
19.2 |
| Posttraumatic Stress Disorder |
31 |
| Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (OSDD & Partial DID) |
36 |
| Dissociative Identity Disorder (MPD) |
48 |