Construction, reliability and validity of feelings of unreality inventory

The present research assumed that a feeling of unreality is the defining characteristic of depersonalization phenomena. In Survey 1, two scales were constructed: the State Feelings of Unreality Scale for measuring a feeling of unreality as a transitory state and the Trait Feelings of Unreality Scale for assessing individual differences in disposition to experience that state. Both scales had high internal consistency. The Trait Feelings of Unreality Scale had sufficient test-retest reliability. In Survey 2, the Trait Feelings of Unreality Scale was found to be moderately correlated to level of maladjustment. Survey 3 showed that those higher in State Feelings of Unreality experienced greater negative affect. The results of Surveys 2 and 3 supported the construct validity of the Trait Feelings of Unreality Scale and the Stare Feelings of Unreality Scale, respectively.