OCI-R: Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised
The OCI-R (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised) is an 18-item self-report questionnaire that measures distress from obsessive-compulsive symptoms over the past month across six subscales: washing, obsessing, hoarding, ordering, checking and neutralizing. A total of 21 or above is the clinical cutoff (Foa et al., 2002).
OCI-R Score Calculator
Enter each of the 18 items (0–4) to total them and see the band. Items are numbered, not reproduced — enter them from the form in front of you. Scoring aid only; it does not diagnose.
Score falls below the validated clinical threshold. Subclinical scores do not exclude OCD; clinical judgment and context always apply.
0 of 18 items entered — 18 still blank. The total can only rise, so treat the band above as provisional.
- 0
- Not at all
- 1
- A little
- 2
- Moderately
- 3
- Quite a bit
- 4
- Extremely
Each item scores 0–4. Items are numbered, not reproduced — enter them from the form in front of you.
For reference only — not an assessment, diagnosis, or medical advice. This page provides scoring reference material; interpretation and clinical decisions rest with a qualified clinician.
OCI-R Score Interpreter
Score meets the validated threshold associated with clinically significant OCD symptom distress. Clinical evaluation is recommended.
18 items, each rated 0–4; total range 0–72. Higher scores indicate greater OCD symptom distress. The ≥21 cutoff was validated against a clinical OCD diagnosis.
| Total score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 21+ | At or above clinical cutoffScore meets the validated threshold associated with clinically significant OCD symptom distress. Clinical evaluation is recommended. |
| 0–20 | Below clinical cutoffScore falls below the validated clinical threshold. Subclinical scores do not exclude OCD; clinical judgment and context always apply. |
Foa et al. (2002). Clinical cutoff ≥21 per original validation study. Educational reference only — not a diagnostic tool.
For reference only — not an assessment, diagnosis, or medical advice. This page provides scoring reference material; interpretation and clinical decisions rest with a qualified clinician.
With HiBoop, the OCI-R is delivered, scored, and tracked over time. Monitor OCD severity alongside depression and anxiety in a single session.
What the OCI-R measures
The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) is the most widely used brief self-report measure for OCD symptom severity. It assesses the degree of distress caused by 18 obsessive and compulsive symptoms across six subscales of three items each. Developed by Foa et al. (2002) as a shorter version of the original 42-item OCI, it is the standard outcome measure in OCD clinical trials and evidence-based practice.
OCI-R six subscales
- Washing: distress about contamination and excessive washing/cleaning compulsions
- Obsessing: distress from intrusive, unwanted thoughts (taboo, aggressive, or harm-related)
- Hoarding: difficulty discarding possessions; distress about throwing things away
- Ordering: need for symmetry, order, or exactness; distress when things are out of place
- Checking: repeated checking of appliances, doors, or feared having done something wrong
- Neutralizing: mental acts to neutralize or "undo" intrusive thoughts; counting or praying rituals
How to administer the OCI-R
The OCI-R is a self-report questionnaire completed by the patient.
Instructions: Rate how much the following experiences have distressed or bothered you during the past month.
Use the scale: 0 = Not at all, 1 = A little, 2 = Moderately, 3 = Quite a bit, 4 = Extremely
OCI-R scoring and interpretation
The 18 item ratings sum to a total score from 0 to 72; each subscale sums its three items. This interactive OCI-R online test calculates your total score and subscale profiles. A total score of 21 or above indicates clinically significant OCD symptom severity (sensitivity 85%, specificity 90%; Foa et al., 2002). Elevated subscale scores help identify the predominant OCD symptom dimension. A high OCI-R score warrants clinical evaluation, it does not constitute a diagnosis.
OCI-R vs Y-BOCS: self-report vs clinician-rated
The OCI-R is a self-report screening and outcome measure, efficient for routine monitoring and initial screening. The Y-BOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) is a structured clinician-administered interview that remains the criterion standard for OCD severity assessment and treatment planning.
Best practice: screen with OCI-R, then administer Y-BOCS for patients scoring ≥21 to obtain a detailed symptom checklist and severity rating before initiating ERP treatment.
Psychometric properties
Foa et al. (2002) examined the OCI-R in 215 patients with OCD, 243 patients with other anxiety disorders, and 677 nonanxious individuals. The OCI-R and its subscales differentiated well between individuals with and without OCD, and ROC analyses supported empirically derived cutscores for screening.
- Reliability: good to excellent across clinical and community samples (Foa et al., 2002)
- Sensitivity 85%, specificity 90% for distinguishing OCD from anxiety disorders in the original validation (Foa et al., 2002)
- Good stability over 2-week intervals in OCD outpatient samples
- Widely used as a primary outcome measure in ERP and CBT randomized controlled trials for OCD
In a DSM-5-era sample of 474 adults with OCD, hoarding disorder, or no disorder, Wootton et al. (2015) found the OCD dimensions and the hoarding subscale to be reliable and valid and to differentiate between DSM-5 diagnostic groups.
Limitations
- Screening, not diagnosis. A score at or above 21 calls for a comprehensive clinical evaluation.
- Hoarding is now a separate diagnosis. DSM-5 reclassified hoarding disorder as a separate diagnosis; Wootton et al. (2015) scored the hoarding subscale separately from the five OCD dimensions.
- Self-report. Scores reflect distress the respondent reports; the clinician-rated Y-BOCS is used for detailed severity assessment.
Documenting OCI-R results
OCI-R total score, severity band, and dominant subscale(s) belong in the Objective section of your clinical note. See our SOAP notes guide for templates and documentation examples.
Copyright: The OCI-R is copyrighted by its developers (Foa et al., 2002). Check the copyright holder's terms before clinical or commercial use, and cite Foa et al. (2002) in research publications.
This library is an academic and clinical reference. A scale described here is not necessarily offered in HiBoop; each page says whether it is.
Bill this assessment
In the US, the OCI-R: Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised is usually billed under these CPT codes. Payer rules vary.
Using this assessment in practice
For clinicians
Send it as a gentle check-in before the session. The score is waiting when you open the chart, and the trend builds itself.
For individuals
This page is a clinical reference, not a diagnostic tool. If you have concerns about your own symptoms, bring this information to a qualified mental health professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a high OCI-R score?
A total OCI-R score of 21 or above is the validated clinical cutoff for clinically significant OCD symptom severity, derived from receiver operating characteristic analyses in the original validation study (Foa et al., 2002). Scores below 21 are considered subclinical, though elevated subscale scores may still warrant clinical attention even when the total falls below this threshold.
Is the OCI-R self-report or clinician-administered?
The OCI-R is a self-report questionnaire completed by the patient. It is not clinician-administered. For detailed OCD severity assessment and treatment planning, clinicians typically follow up with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), which is a structured clinician-administered interview.
References
- 1.Foa EB, Huppert JD, Leiberg S, Langner R, Kichic R, Hajcak G, Salkovskis PM. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: development and validation of a short version. Psychol Assess. 2002;14(4):485-496.View source
- 2.Wootton BM, Diefenbach GJ, Bragdon LB, Steketee G, Frost RO, Tolin DF. A contemporary psychometric evaluation of the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). Psychol Assess. 2015;27(3):874-882.View source
- 3.Gönner S, Leonhart R, Ecker W. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R): validation of the German version in a sample of patients with OCD, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders. J Anxiety Disord. 2008;22(4):734-749.View source
Last reviewed: Jun 3, 2026
Related Assessments
Explore complementary clinical tools and screeners