Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a widely used, clinician-administered assessment tool designed to measure the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The scale was developed by Wayne K. Goodman and his colleagues at Yale University.

Structure and Scoring

The Y-BOCS consists of three main components:

• Severity Scale: This is the primary component, which assesses the severity of OCD symptoms over the past week. It includes 10 items that evaluate the severity of obsessions and compulsions.
• Symptom Checklist: This section helps identify the specific types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms an individual experiences. It covers a range of common OCD symptoms, such as contamination fears, symmetry obsessions, and cleaning compulsions.
• Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale: Although not always considered part of the Y-BOCS proper, it is sometimes used in conjunction to provide an overall clinician-rated assessment of the severity of OCD symptoms and improvement over time.

Administration and Interpretation

The Y-BOCS is administered by a trained clinician through a semi-structured interview. The Severity Scale items are rated on a 0 to 4 scale, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity. The total score ranges from 0 to 40, with the following interpretation:

• Subclinical: 0-7
• Mild: 8-15
• Moderate: 16-23
• Severe: 24-31
• Extreme: 32-40

Uses and Limitations

The Y-BOCS is primarily used in clinical and research settings to assess the severity of OCD symptoms, monitor treatment response, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. While it is a valuable tool for assessing OCD symptom severity, its limitations include reliance on patient self-reporting and the potential for variability in clinician administration and interpretation.

Conclusion

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a standardized, widely accepted measure of OCD symptom severity. Its use facilitates consistent assessment and monitoring of OCD symptoms across different clinical and research contexts, contributing to more effective diagnosis and treatment planning.