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Dissociation is a process that often occurs as a sequela of psychological trauma, and it is interrelated with psychological and behavioral problems. In the at-risk adolescent population, dissociation is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Having reliable measures to assess this phenomenon can help in identifying adolescents at-risk and improve treatment outcomes. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES) with a sample of 402 Portuguese adolescents recruited from three at-risk populations. Participants completed self-report measures of trauma exposure, posttraumatic symptoms, psychological and behavioral problems, and the A-DES. A subset of the sample also completed test-retest measures. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a best-fitting 3-factor model. Analyses revealed good internal consistencies and good agreement test-retest reliability for the scale overall and the factor-based sub-scales. Construct and predictive validity was supported with results showing that A-DES discriminates between youth reporting high versus low levels of cumulative trauma exposure and youth who meet or do not meet criteria for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Study findings replicate prior research supporting a 3-factor model of dissociation and the usefulness of A-DES to identify adolescents with dissociative symptoms. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Despite the growing interest from researchers’ in recent years, stalking is a phenomenon of difficult operationalization within the scientific community. Examining the phenomenon in criminal justice professionals has become relevant since the work context is considered a fertile environment for the presence of stalking, despite underreported. This study aims specifically to know the prevalence, nature, dynamics, impact, and help-seeking behaviors (and its perceived effectiveness) of stalking victimization by criminal justice professionals stalked in Portugal. We were also interested in the professionals’ perceptions of why they were stalked. The data were collected through a web-based survey, after the approval of the ethic committee. The sample was composed of 270 criminal justice professionals, mostly men (59.3%), with a mean age of 42.70 ( SD = 9.07) years. The results showed that 24.8% reported having been stalked at least once in their lifetime. Stalking prevalence was higher in women compared to men. Concerning the profession, the highest prevalence was verified in the group of professionals composed of lawyers, jurists, court officials, and auditors, followed by the group of magistrates, and finally the judges and the criminal police. More diversity of stalking behaviors experienced was associated with a higher frequency of those behaviors. Psychological health (70.7%) and lifestyle/behavioral changes (62.1%) were the most reported areas of impact. Being stalked in a private context (e.g., intimate relationships), for a longer period and feeling a higher level of fear as a result of the stalking campaign were associated with more impact. Most of the victims (74.6%) revealed having sought help to cope with the stalking experience, with women seeking more help than men (88.6% vs. 59.4%). For bringing evidence that criminal justice professionals are at risk of being stalked, these findings can contribute to the adoption of policies and strategies to prevent stalking victimization among this population.

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