Initial validation of a transdiagnostic compulsivity questionnaire: the Cambridge-Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Compulsivity is a core symptom in various disorders, including substance use disorders, gambling disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Objective, transdiagnostic measurement of compulsivity is needed for clinical and research applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Cambridge-Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale (CHI-T) for objective, transdiagnostic measurement of compulsivity.
• To assess the psychometric properties and validity of the 15-item CHI-T scale.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 112 adults aged 18-29 years via media advertisements.
• Administered the CHI-T scale alongside demographic, clinical, and cognitive assessments.
• Quantified the validity and psychometric properties of the CHI-T scale.

Main Results:

• The CHI-T scale demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, including high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.8).
• Convergent validity was excellent against gold-standard assessments for gambling disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorder symptoms (p<0.001).
• Factor analysis revealed two latent factors: reward-seeking/perfectionism and anxiolytic/soothing features of compulsivity.

Conclusions:

• The CHI-T scale is a valid and reliable measure for transdiagnostic compulsivity.
• The scale shows excellent psychometric properties in a normative population.
• Further investigation in clinical populations and treatment trials is warranted.