Dissociative experiences in a college age population: A factor analytic study of two dissociation scales

Abstract

Although the concept of dissociation is again finding a place in the scientific literature, there exist relatively few studies examining the process in a normal population. In order to gain initial information and to clarify the components of the dissociative process, 264 young adults completed computer scored versions of the Dissociation Experiences Scales (RDES) [Bernstein & Putnam (1986), The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol. 174, pp. 727–735 and the Questionnaire of Experiences of Dissociation (RQED) [Riley (1988), The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol. 176, pp.449–450]. This study reports the first description of initial information concerning descriptive statistics and the factor analytic structure of the RDES and RQED within a normal population. College age individuals report a variety of dissociative processes as measured by these instruments. Although the two instruments used were somewhat different in original conceptualization, both the RDES and RQED were significantly correlated ( r=0.82, P<0.001) and produced similar factor structures, especially in terms of the first three factors. Overall, the RDES produced seven factors which in order of variance are: (1) Fantasy/Absorption; (2) Segment Amnesia; (3) Depersonalization; (4) In Situ Amnesia; (5) Different Selves; (6) Denial and (7) Critical Events. The RQED suggested six factors which were (1) Depersonalization; (2) Process Amnesia; (3) Fantasy/Daydream; (4) Dissociated Body Behaviors; (5) Trance and (6) Imaginary Companions. These data are discussed in terms of types of dissociative processes, their implications for normal populations and suggestions for future research.