A dimensional analysis of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychometrics
• Factor Analysis

Background:

• The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a widely used instrument for assessing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom severity.
• The scale is designed with distinct subscales for obsessions and compulsions, suggesting a potential two-factor structure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the underlying factor structure of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale.
• To examine the psychometric properties of the Y-BOCS using principal axis factor analysis.

Main Methods:

• Principal axis factor analysis was employed.
• A Promax rotation was applied to the factor solution.

Main Results:

• A single factor was extracted from the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale data.
• This single factor accounted for the majority of the variance in the scale's items, irrespective of the obsession and compulsion indices.

Conclusions:

• The factor analysis suggests that the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale may not possess a distinct two-factor structure for obsessions and compulsions.
• The findings necessitate a discussion of the psychometric implications for the interpretation and application of the Y-BOCS.
• Further research may be needed to validate the unidimensional nature of the scale or explore alternative structural models.