Dissociative symptoms and aggression in a state mental hospital

The Dissociative Experience Scale (DES) was administered to 70 patients in a state mental hospital in the rural northeastern United States. Staff rated-respondents ' behavior on a scale composed of the Modified Overt Aggression Seale (A10AS), an additional question about sexual agg ression, and a series of questions about other trou-blesome behaviors. Thirty pereenl of respondents scored 30 or above on the DES,. 14.3 % scored over 45. The DES correlated significantly with the full behavior 'rating scale (r-.27) , the M0,4 S (r =.23) and the M0AS plus sexual aggres-sion question (EMOAS) (r =.23). The relationship between the DES and behavior ratings varied widely between wards. Item analysis found the DES scores correlated with physical aggression (r =.23) and aggression against self (r =.26). Among the 27 sample females, the DES correlated significantly with. theEMO4S (r=.38), full patien