Brief Description
The Dissociative Symptoms Scale (DSS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess dissociative symptoms, including depersonalization (feeling detached from oneself), derealization (perceiving the external environment as unreal or distorted), gaps in awareness or memory, and dissociative re-experiencing. It is commonly used in clinical and research settings to evaluate dissociation in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-Report
Number of questions
20
Age Range for Administration
16+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
The DSS can be administered at intake to assess baseline dissociative symptoms and periodically throughout treatment (e.g., monthly or at key treatment milestones) to monitor changes over time.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = “Not at all”, 1 = “Once or twice,” 2 = “Almost every day,” 3 = “About once a day,” 4 = “More than once a day”). The measure includes 4 subscales:
Subscale | Items |
Depersonalization / Derealization | 1, 2, 5, 8, 13, 16 |
Gaps in Awareness and Memory | 11, 12, 15, 18, 19 |
Sensory Misperceptions | 6, 7, 9, 14, 20 |
Cognitive-Behavioral Reexperiencing | 3, 4, 10, 17 |
Subscale scores are the mean of the subscale items. The total score for the DSS is the sum of the 20 item scores. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of dissociative symptoms. There are no established clinical cut-off scores; interpretation is based on comparisons with normative and clinical sample data.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 5-10 minutes
The DSS is best used alongside a comprehensive clinical assessment, not as a standalone diagnostic tool.
Results should be interpreted with caution in individuals with severe trauma histories, as dissociation may fluctuate.
Consider repeated administration to track symptom trends over time, particularly in trauma-focused therapy.
The measure is relatively brief and easy to administer, making it suitable for both clinical and research applications.
Blueprint’s library also includes the Dissociative Experiences Scale II (DES-II) and Dissociative Experiences Scale - Adolescent (A-DES-II).
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
We're here for you!
Do you have follow-up questions? We're here and happy to help!
Send us an email at help@blueprint-health.com or use the help messenger in the lower right corner to speak with our Support team. 💪🏼