title: Use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders for systematic assessment of dissociative symptoms in posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared dissociative symptom areas in Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in Vietnam combat veterans without PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D) was used to compare dissociative symptoms in 40 Vietnam combat veterans with PTSD and 15 Vietnam combat veterans without PTSD. The SCID-D yields a total score and scores in five symptom areas: amnesia, depersonalization, derealization, identity confusion, and identity alteration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PTSD patients had more severe dissociative symptoms in each of the five symptom areas of the SCID-D and higher total symptom scores. Amnesia was the symptom area with the greatest difference in scores between the PTSD patients (mean = 3.68, SD = 0.73) and the non-PTSD veterans (mean = 1.06, SD = 0.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of higher levels of dissociative symptoms in Vietnam combat veterans with PTSD than in Vietnam veterans without PTSD is consistent with a level of dissociative symptoms in PTSD similar to that in dissociative disorders.
authors.affiliation: National Center for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, West Haven VA Medical Center, CT 06516.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Southwick
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Charney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology; D014744:Vietnam