FREQUENCY OF DISSOCIATIVE-DISORDERS AMONG PSYCHIATRIC-INPATIENTS IN ATURKISH UNIVERSITY CLINIC

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the rate of dissocia tive disorders among psychiatric inpatients in a university clinic in Turkey. Method: The Dissociative Experiences Scale was used to screen 166 consecutive inpatients admitted to the psychiatry clinic of a univ ersity hospital. The patients who had scores higher than 30 were match ed for age and gender with 19 of the patients who scored below 10 on t he scale. The patients in both groups were then interviewed with the D issociative Disorders Interview Schedule by interviewers who were blin d to their diagnoses and scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Patients who were diagnosed as having a dissociative disorder accordi ng to the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule were then Intervie wed by a clinician. Results: Twenty-four (14.5%) of the 166 patients h ad a score higher than 30 on the Dissociative Experiences Scale; 17 pa tients (10.2%) were diagnosed as having a dissociative disorder accord ing to the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule. Nine patients (5 .4%) had clinically confirmed dissociative identity disorder. Conclusi ons: A considerable proportion of the psychiatric inpatients in a Turk ish university psychiatry clinic had dissociative disorder. Clinicians who work in general psychiatric inpatient units should be alert for c hronic complex dissociative disorders.