[The measurement of the depersonalisation-derealisation-syndrome with the German version of the Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (CDS)].

Self-rating scales have proved to be essential in the study of depersonalisation, which regrettably, is still seldom recognised in clinical practice. In recent studies the Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (CDS) has emerged as an useful instrument for the study of depersonalisation. Here we report a validation study of the authorised German version of the CDS in a sample of 91 inpatients, 43 of whom had pathological depersonalisation and 48 without pathological depersonalisation. The SCID-D Interview for depersonalisation and derealisation was used as the gold standard and the German version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale was used to test the external validity of the scale. The German version of the CDS was found to have high internal consistency and reliability (alpha = 0,95 and Guttman Split-half = 0,95) and could differentiate patients with pathological depersonalisation from the control group. We therefore conclude that the German version of the CDS can be considered as reliable and valid.