Ecological association between chronic hepatitis C virus infection and psychosis: A study in Colombia, 2009–2016

Abstract

This study tests psychometric properties of the Polish Dissociative Experiences Scale (DESR-PL) with a revised scoring system and its capacity, alongside its short form (DESR-T), to screen for dissociative disorders. Both pen-and-paper (p&p) and online forms were tested.Validity and reliability were examined in a sample of 540 participants in non-clinical (n = 289) and clinical (n = 251) groups, who completed the tests p&p (n = 60) or online (n = 480). The clinical group included 21 patients with dissociative (conversion) disorders, and people with other disorders. The Exploratory Factor Analysis with Principal Component Analysis method of parameter estimation without rotation confirmed unidimensionality of p&p and online versions of DESR-PL and DESR-T.Reliability of both versions was corroborated by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient (DESR-PL: online > .931 p&p > .937; DESR-T: online > .783 p&p > .797). The cutoff score maximising sensitivity and specificity for dissociative (conversion) disorders was 71.5 in DESR-PL (sensitivity of 71.43% and specificity of 91.82%) and 16.5 in DESR-T (sensitivity of 76.19% and specificity of 92.73%). People with dissociative disorders had significantly (p < .001) higher scores in DESR-PL and DESR-T than patients with other disorders and non-clinical participants (criterion validity). Both DESR-PL and DESR-T strongly correlated with SDQ-20 and PSDQ-5.DESR-PL administrated p&p or online proved to be reliable tools for measuring the levels of dissociation as a continuum between normal experiences and pathological symptoms. DESR-T has similar psychometric properties and can be used effectively for the screening of dissociative disorders.