The yale-brown obsessive-compulsive scale: factor structure of a large sample.
Gideon E Anholt1, Patricia van Oppen, Danielle C Cath
1Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute, VU University Medical Center, Academic Outpatient Clinic for Anxiety Disorders, GGZ inGeest Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|March 23, 2011
Summary
The Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive scale (Y-BOCS) shows a three-factor structure, but the original two-factor model for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) severity measurement is still recommended due to its widespread use.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychometrics
- Mental Health Assessment
Background:
- The Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive scale (Y-BOCS) is the gold standard for measuring obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) severity.
- Conflicting findings exist regarding the factorial structure of the Y-BOCS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare different factorial models of the Y-BOCS.
- To determine if the factorial structure varies across patient subgroups.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed.
- Data were collected from a large group of 544 OCD patients.
Main Results:
- A three-factor structure (obsessions, compulsions, resistance) showed the best fit across analyses.
- The fit difference between the two-factor (obsessions, compulsions) and three-factor models was minimal.
Conclusions:
- While a three-factor model fits well, the original two-factor structure of the Y-BOCS is recommended for measuring OCD severity.
- The two-factor model is theory-driven and widely utilized in clinical practice.
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