Factor Structure of Korean Dissociative Experiences Scale (KDES-II) among Psychiatric Patients / 신경정신의학

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is the most widely used and studied instrument for measuring dissociative symptoms with its favorable psychometric properties well described in the literature. However, recent debate on factor structure and multidimensionality has brought attention to factorial validity of the scale. This study tested the factor structure of a Korean translation of the scale (KDES-II) with confirmatory factor analysis in a clinical population. METHODS: Exploratory principal component analysis were conducted with data from 340 psychiatric patients and confirmatory factor analysis (maximum likelihood estimation) with 262 psychiatric outpatients. RESULTS: Exploratory analysis revealed four factor structure of the scale with total variance of 55.9% Depersonalization/derealization (Factor 1), Amnestic dissociation (Factor 2), Absorption (Factor 3), and Pseudopsychotic symptoms (Factor 4). However, original three- and one- factor model were also acceptable considering the goodness-of-fit indices. CONCLUSION: Despite heterogeneity of the sample, KDES-II showed factorial validity and supported a cross cultural stability of DES. We suggest use of original three factor solution for Korean clinical population.