title: Comorbidity of dissociative disorders among patients with substance use disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study replicated methods used in an earlier study to determine the prevalence of dissociative disorders among patients with substance use disorders and to examine demographic characteristics and history of childhood abuse among patients with and without dissociative comorbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 100 inpatients who were completing a substance abuse treatment program at a VA medical center were interviewed using the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, which diagnoses dissociative disorders. Two additional screening measures of dissociative symptoms were used, as well as an instrument to measure IQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen percent of the sample were diagnosed as having a dissociative disorder. Compared with patients without a dissociative disorder, the patients with a dissociative disorder had significantly higher median scores on the two screening measures, indicating more dissociative experiences and the presence of five distinct symptom clusters. The two groups did not differ in history of childhood abuse or IQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support earlier findings suggesting that patients with substance abuse disorder should be routinely screened for dissociative symptoms and disorders.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Service, Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center, Leavenworth, Kansas, USA.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paolo
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Van Fleet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs