Brief Description
The Dissociative Experiences Scale - Adolescent (A-DES-II) is a measure of dissociation in adolescents that can be used to screen for dissociation and throughout treatment to monitor symptoms. The A-DES-II has been adapted from the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II for adults.The A-DES inquires about four domains reflecting basic aspects of dissociation: experiences of dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/derealization, absorption/imaginative involvement and passive influence. The measure consists of a single score that corresponds to the severity of dissociation based on the percentage of time that a client experiences dissociative experiences. Respondents rate how much of the time they experience the dissociation symptoms listed (e.g., “I have strong feelings that don't seem like they are mine”) on a scale from “0/Never” to “10/Always".
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
30
Age Range for Administration
11-18
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No standardized frequency; recommend administering every other week or as clinically indicated.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The A-DES-II contains 30 questions scored on a 10-point scale with values from 0 (“Never”) to 10 (“Always”). A total score is calculated by taking the average of all the questions, ranging from 0 to 10 (i.e., sum all of the item scores and divide by 30 to determine the total A-DES-II score); scores of 4 and above indicate clinically significant levels of dissociation.
Blueprint Adjustments
The total score shown in Blueprint’s platform is the average total score as described above (i.e., ranges from 0-10, with scores of 4 or more being clinically significant).
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 7-9 minutes
The A-DES-II is not intended to diagnose. It is a screener and progress monitor. If a client scores highly for symptoms of dissociation, it does not necessarily mean that they have a dissociation disorder. It only means that further assessment is recommended.
Two factors have been associated with dissociation in adolescents: histories of abuse and changes in behavior or behavioral difficulties.
Citation
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