Deenz Depersonalization-Derealization Scale (DDDS)

The Deenz Depersonalization-Derealization Scale (DDDS) is a multidimensional self-assessment designed to measure tendencies toward depersonalization and derealization experiences, including emotional detachment, altered self-perception, perceptual changes, spatial distortions, and functional impairment.

The best and valid method for making a proper diagnosis is the clinical interview with the mental health professional who asks patients about the history of symptoms and questions related to life experiences and behavior.

The assessment consists of 20 statements and typically requires 3–4 minutes to complete. Participants respond to statements describing experiences of detachment from oneself, altered perceptions of reality, and the impact of these experiences on daily life.

The DDDS-20 consists of 20 items measuring five dimensions:


Depersonalization-Derealization Facets:

Emotional Detachment (Depersonalization): Sometimes when bad things happen we feel a bit down and sad but in rare cases, we do not feel the sadness or normal emotional responses. This makes it difficult for us to express and respond to others emotionally. Imagine, something good happened or you heard good news about something that made you feel joyful. In depersonalization-derealization, instead of feeling the joy personally, you will feel like watching it happen to someone else.

Altered Self-Perception (Depersonalization):
Altered self-perception means when you feel strange about yourself or your body. Individuals with altered self-perception often feel a mismatch in their physical appearance and the way they perceive themselves. They also feel like they are not fully connected to their body. This leads them to a distorted self-image and a sense of disorientation.

Perceptual Changes (Derealization):
People with depersonalization-derealization face difficulty perceiving and experiencing the external world in a normal way. They feel the surroundings in a way that feels unreal, distorted, and unfamiliar. For them, colors may feel vivid and objects may seem unusually shaped.

Spatial Distortions (Derealization):
Spatial distortions refer to perceptual changes related to how a person experiences and interprets spatial relationships in their environment. It involves a sense that the physical space around them is distorted or not as it should be.

Higher scores indicate greater tendencies toward depersonalization-derealization experiences and related impairment.

I feel like I'm watching myself from a distance.

I feel emotionally numb or disconnected from my feelings.

I feel detached from my thoughts or emotions.

I feel as though I am observing my life rather than living it.

I sometimes feel like my body does not belong to me.

I feel disconnected from my physical self.

I feel strange or unfamiliar when I look at myself.

I feel as though I am not fully present inside my body.

The world around me sometimes feels unreal or dreamlike.

My surroundings sometimes appear strange or unfamiliar.

Objects around me sometimes seem distorted or unusual.

I sometimes question whether what I am experiencing is real.

Distances between objects sometimes appear different than they really are.

Places sometimes feel larger or smaller than they should.

I sometimes feel disoriented in familiar environments.

My perception of space occasionally feels distorted.

These experiences interfere with my daily activities.

These experiences affect my relationships with others.

These experiences cause me significant distress.

These experiences reduce my overall quality of life.