# Depersonalization Severity Scale



## Vargas (Apr 26, 2006)

Does anyone know of any official, standardized scale or measurement that can be used to determine the severity of DP and DR? I know it sounds cold and mechanical, but it would be interesting if we could put a numerical value on DP symptoms.

I recently read an older report on the development of a DP severity scale, does anyone know if it exists and where I can find it? Thanks.


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## Prometheus_00 (Mar 4, 2006)

there are several:

there's an older scale called the Dissociative Experiences Scale which, as far as I know, measures dissociative experiences primarily in non-pathological states.

I think what you are referring to is the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale. If you google it I'm sure you will find the questions and instructions on how to evaluate.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

I guess the only way to do that would be to scale how badly it affects a person's life, but then again some one could have it really bad but (As daft as it sounds) really enjoy it...


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## Prometheus_00 (Mar 4, 2006)

AFAIK the Cambridge scale doesn't measure how it affects your life (which would also be interesting I guess) but rather how strong the symptoms are (although there are overlapping areas, e.g. one question deals with whether you can still enjoy activities as much as before)


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

*Hey Prometheus_00*, what is this Cambridge scale, do therapists use it? Or is there a type of online questionnaire you can use?

Cheers.


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## Prometheus_00 (Mar 4, 2006)

Here's a recent version of it:

http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/iopweb/blob/do ... Scale3.pdf

The scale is used in different varations for a variety of purposes.

Most importantly, empirical science relies heavily on statistical and probability functions to attempt to understand anything. This holds true in neurology and psychiatry as well, but creates the problem of * quantifying* subjective feelings such as anxiety or depersonalization. In order to approximate severity of symptoms (this is important to see correlation to pathogenic factors, treatment possibilities etc) numerical scales were created (for example the Hamilton Scale for anxiety and the Cambridge Scale for DP).

How well a certain type of treatment works is then measured across a statisically relevant number of people. If the probability of helping at least some is greater than it not working it is usually deemed effective.

It may seem strange to the layman, but this is also how medication is tested (double blind placebo tests). What this type of test determines is whether the medication is more effective (or has less side effects) than a sugar pill. These tests also show that people taking the placebo have side effects normally associated with the real thing. This strange result can only be put into perspective within the realm of statistics and probability. If the placebo is as effective or even more effective than the medication that it is deemed to be ineffective. It gets even stranger: Repeat the entire test with other subjects and you often get a different result. So there is, in effect, never a proof in the strict sense that for example Fluoxetine helps depression. Rather it is simply more likely to help than not.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

I came across that while doing a search with Google =)


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## Prometheus_00 (Mar 4, 2006)

Didn't want to insult your intelligence...

And I'm not aware of an interactive online version nor would I really see the benefit in having a therapist use it.

* Damn, we're off to a bad start, aren't we?


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## Vargas (Apr 26, 2006)

Well I took the test on the PDF file you sent me, and I marked down my answers, but it fails to say what the results mean! Where can I find out what my total score determines?

I got a lot of 1's and 0's...that's certainly re-assuring.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

Prometheus_00 said:


> Didn't want to insult your intelligence...
> 
> And I'm not aware of an interactive online version nor would I really see the benefit in having a therapist use it.
> 
> * Damn, we're off to a bad start, aren't we?


Yesh, seem we are... *Gives you a tissue* )Hugs(


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