What is the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)?

The Y-BOCS is a 10-item clinician-administered and self-report scale designed to rate the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. It is considered the gold standard for OCD assessment.

Who developed the Y-BOCS and when?

Developed by Wayne Goodman, Lawrence Price, Steven Rasmussen, and colleagues at Yale University in 1989.

What type of assessment is the Y-BOCS?

It is a clinician-administered scale that can also be completed as a self-report measure.

What does the Y-BOCS assess?

• Obsessions: Time spent, interference, distress, resistance, control
• Compulsions: Time spent, interference, distress, resistance, control
• Severity dimensions: Not the content but the severity of symptoms

How many items and what format?

10 items (5 for obsessions, 5 for compulsions), each rated on a 5-point scale (0-4).

How is the Y-BOCS scored?

Total score ranges from 0-40. Subscale scores: Obsessions (0-20), Compulsions (0-20).

Who can use the Y-BOCS?

Adults and adolescents with suspected or diagnosed OCD.

What are the strengths of the Y-BOCS?

Excellent reliability and validity, sensitive to treatment changes, focuses on severity rather than content, widely used in research and clinical practice.

What are the limitations of the Y-BOCS?

Requires some training to administer properly, may not capture all aspects of OCD, can be challenging for patients with poor insight.