Interactive Interpreter

FOCI: Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory

The FOCI (Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory) is a brief self-report questionnaire for adults that screens for OCD symptoms and rates their severity, comprising a 20-item symptom checklist and a 5-item severity scale. Quick to administer and sensitive to treatment change. A severity score ≥8 suggests clinically significant OCD.

For professional reference, research, and education only. Not for diagnosis or medical advice.

FOCI Score Interpreter

  • FOCI Severity Score Calculator

    Enter each of the 5 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.

    0 of 5 items entered — 5 still blank. The total can only rise, so treat the range as provisional.

    Item 1
    Item 2
    Item 3
    Item 4
    Item 5

    Each item scores 0–4. Response anchors differ by item on this scale, so use the wording printed on the form.

  • Enter a total score to see its range.

  • 5 items, each rated 0–4. Higher scores indicate greater OCD severity. A score ≥8 with ≥1 checklist symptom endorsed indicates clinically significant OCD.

    Total severity scoreInterpretation
    20+ExtremeMaximum severity; intensive clinical attention indicated.
    16–19SevereSubstantial impairment; treatment is strongly indicated.
    12–15ModerateClinically significant OCD; treatment recommended.
    8–11MildClinically significant threshold met; further evaluation warranted.
    0–7SubclinicalScores below 8 suggest OCD symptoms are not at a clinically significant level.

    Storch EA et al. J Clin Psychol. 2007;63(9):851–859 (≥8 clinical-significance threshold). Finer severity tier labels (mild/moderate/severe/extreme) reflect common clinical convention.

About the FOCI

The FOCI (Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory) is a brief self-report measure of OCD symptoms and their severity, with separate scales for listing symptoms and rating severity [1].

Eric Storch and colleagues at the University of Florida developed it as a brief, practical alternative to lengthier OCD measures such as the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). It was designed for adults and is intended for both initial screening and ongoing monitoring of OCD severity in clinical and research settings.

The FOCI is structured similarly to the Children's Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (C-FOCI), adapting the format for adult presentations of OCD across the full range of common symptom themes.

What does the FOCI measure?

The FOCI consists of two parts:

Part 1, symptom checklist. A checklist of 20 common OCD symptoms. Clients indicate which symptoms (obsessions and compulsions) they currently experience. Items span:

  • Contamination concerns and cleaning
  • Harm obsessions and checking
  • Unwanted intrusive thoughts (aggressive, sexual, religious)
  • Symmetry and ordering
  • Repeating, counting, and arranging rituals
  • Hoarding

Part 2, severity scale. Five items, each rated 0–4:

  1. Time spent on obsessions and compulsions
  2. Distress caused by symptoms
  3. Interference with daily functioning
  4. Resistance to symptoms
  5. Control over symptoms

How do you give the FOCI?

The FOCI is a self-report questionnaire completed by the individual being assessed, typically in about five minutes. It does not require a trained clinician to administer. The respondent first marks which of the 20 checklist symptoms they currently experience, then rates the five severity items from 0 to 4.

How do you score and interpret the FOCI?

Totals on the severity scale run from 0 to 20: 0–7 subclinical, 8–11 mild, 12–15 moderate, 16–19 severe and 20 extreme. The scorer at the top of this page shows each range with its note. The tiers above 8 follow common clinical convention rather than published cutpoints.

A severity score of ≥8, combined with the presence of at least one checklist symptom, indicates clinically significant OCD warranting further evaluation or treatment.

Psychometric properties

  • Development study. In 113 adults with OCD, the severity scale had an internal consistency of α = .89 and correlated highly with the Y-BOCS total; the symptom checklist had adequate reliability (K-R 20 = .83) [1].
  • Replication. In 89 adults with OCD, both parts had good internal consistency, and severity scale scores were significantly lower after cognitive behavioural therapy [2].
  • Screening accuracy. In a Thai validation with 197 participants, the severity scale separated OCD from other groups well (area under the curve 0.945), and a cutoff of ≥5 gave the best balance (sensitivity 0.92, specificity 0.82) [4].

Advantages over longer measures

The FOCI can be completed in about five minutes [4], and unlike the Y-BOCS it needs no clinician interview. This makes it suitable for:

  • High-volume clinical settings
  • Repeated measurement throughout treatment
  • Intake screening alongside other measures

Limitations

  • The FOCI severity scale captures global OCD severity rather than dimension-specific severity; if treatment planning requires identification of dominant symptom themes, consider supplementing with the DOCS
  • Self-report measures may underestimate OCD severity in clients with limited insight
  • The checklist is useful for identifying treatment targets and monitoring symptom shifts over time
  • The FOCI does not assess the severity of individual symptoms [1]
  • It is a screening and severity-monitoring tool, not a diagnosis; a score of ≥8 calls for a comprehensive clinical assessment

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.

Related

FAQ

  • How is the FOCI scored?

    The FOCI severity scale contains five items, each rated 0–4, yielding a total score of 0–20. A higher score indicates greater OCD severity. To screen positive, a person needs a severity score of ≥8 and at least one symptom endorsed on the 20-item checklist.

  • Is the FOCI self-report or clinician-administered?

    The FOCI is a self-report measure completed by the individual being assessed, typically in about five minutes. It does not require a trained clinician to administer, making it practical for routine clinical monitoring and high-volume settings.

  • Can the FOCI diagnose OCD?

    No. The FOCI is a screening and severity-monitoring tool, not a diagnostic tool. A score of ≥8 on the severity scale warrants further clinical evaluation, but a diagnosis of OCD requires a comprehensive assessment by a qualified clinician.

  • What does a FOCI severity score of 8 or above mean?

    A score of ≥8, combined with at least one endorsed checklist symptom, indicates clinically significant OCD symptoms that are likely to interfere with functioning and warrant further evaluation or treatment consideration. Scores below 8 suggest subclinical severity.

References

    1. 1.Storch EA, Kaufman DA, Bagner D, Merlo LJ, Shapira NA, Geffken GR, Murphy TK, Goodman WK. Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: development, reliability, and validity. J Clin Psychol. 2007;63(9):851–859.
    2. 2.Aldea MA, Geffken GR, Jacob ML, Goodman WK, Storch EA. Further psychometric analysis of the Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory. J Anxiety Disord. 2009;23(1):124–129.
    3. 3.Storch EA, Khanna M, Merlo LJ, Loew BA, Franklin M, Reid JM, Goodman WK, Murphy TK. Children's Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory: psychometric properties and feasibility of a self-report measure of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in youth. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2009;40(3):467-83.
    4. 4.Saipanish R, Hiranyatheb T, Jullagate S, Lotrakul M. A study of diagnostic accuracy of the Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory--Thai Version (FOCI-T). BMC Psychiatry. 2015;15:251.

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