Interactive Interpreter

Y-BOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale)

The Y-BOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) is a 10-item clinician-rated scale that measures the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms regardless of their content. Obsessions and compulsions subscales each score 0–20 for a total of 0–40, commonly read as 0–7 subclinical, 8–15 mild, 16–23 moderate, 24–31 severe and 32–40 extreme.

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

Y-BOCS Score Interpreter

  • Y-BOCS Score Calculator

    Enter each of the 10 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 10 items entered — 10 still blank. The total can only rise, so treat the range as provisional.

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    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.

  • 10 items across two subscales (Obsessions and Compulsions), each rated 0–4; total score 0–40; higher scores indicate greater OCD severity.

    Total scoreInterpretation
    32+ExtremeScore 32–40. Extreme symptom severity; near-constant obsessions/compulsions with severe functional impairment.
    24–31SevereScore 24–31. Severe OCD with major interference in daily functioning.
    16–23ModerateScore 16–23. Moderate OCD; typical range for clinical trial enrollment.
    8–15MildScore 8–15. Mild OCD; clinically significant symptoms that may warrant treatment.
    0–7SubclinicalScore 0–7. Subclinical range; consistent with remission or no clinically significant OCD.

    Goodman et al. (1989) developed the scale. Severity ranges reflect common clinical convention.

The Y-BOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) is a 10-item clinician-rated scale that measures the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms, whatever their content. Each item is rated 0 to 4, for a total of 0 to 40 with separate obsessions and compulsions subtotals [1].

What does the Y-BOCS measure?

The Y-BOCS was developed by Wayne Goodman, Lawrence Price, Steven Rasmussen and colleagues at Yale. It was designed to measure OCD severity without being influenced by the type of obsessions or compulsions present [1], so it can track very different presentations, from contamination fears to symmetry obsessions to harm obsessions and checking rituals.

The 10 items form two subscales:

  • Obsessions (5 items, 0 to 20) and compulsions (5 items, 0 to 20), for a total of 0 to 40.
  • Each item is rated 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms) [1], across five dimensions: time occupied, interference with functioning, distress, resistance, and perceived control.

The scale is given as a clinical interview, usually preceded by the Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist to identify the client's specific obsessions and compulsions.

The Y-BOCS is the most frequently applied measure of obsessive-compulsive symptoms [3] and was validated as an outcome measure in drug trials for OCD [2]. Self-report scales such as the OCI-R and DOCS are often used alongside it.

Obsessions subscale (O)

5 items: O1 time occupied by obsessions; O2 interference; O3 distress; O4 resistance; O5 control. Each rated 0–4. Subscale total 0–20.

Compulsions subscale (C)

5 items: C1 time occupied by compulsions; C2 interference; C3 distress; C4 resistance; C5 control. Each rated 0–4. Subscale total 0–20.

Symptom checklist (optional)

The Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist (58 items) identifies the specific obsessions and compulsions present before scoring begins. Not scored but guides rating focus.

How do you give the Y-BOCS?

The Y-BOCS is a clinician-administered structured interview. A trained clinician first uses the Symptom Checklist to identify the person's specific obsessions and compulsions, then rates each of the 10 items from 0 (none) to 4 (extreme) using standardized anchor descriptions during a face-to-face interview. It cannot be scored from a questionnaire alone, although separate self-report adaptations have been developed for research use.

How do you score and interpret the Y-BOCS?

  1. Use the Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist first to identify the client's specific obsessions and compulsions. The checklist is not scored.
  2. Rate each of the 10 items from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms) using the standardized anchors [1]. Five items cover obsessions and five cover compulsions, each on time occupied, interference, distress, resistance and control.
  3. Add the five obsession items (O1–O5) for an obsessions subtotal of 0 to 20, and the five compulsion items (C1–C5) for a compulsions subtotal of 0 to 20.
  4. Add the two subtotals for a total of 0 to 40 [1].
  5. Read the total against the commonly used severity bands: 0–7 subclinical, 8–15 mild, 16–23 moderate, 24–31 severe, 32–40 extreme. These bands are a clinical convention rather than cutoffs from the original papers.
  6. To track change, compare with baseline: expert consensus defines treatment response as a 35% or greater reduction in total score, and remission as a score of 12 or less [4].

Use the calculator and score interpreter above to total the items and look up the severity band.

Tracking change

A meta-analysis of adult trials found 30% an optimal response threshold, but the differences were small and the authors recommended keeping the consensus definitions [4].

Psychometric properties

  • Reliability: In a study with four raters and 40 adults with OCD at various stages of treatment, interrater reliability for the total score and each item was excellent, with high internal consistency [1].
  • Validity: In 81 adults with OCD, the total score correlated with two of three independent OCD measures and only weakly with depression and anxiety measures; in a placebo-controlled fluvoxamine trial (n = 42) it was sensitive to drug-induced change that specifically reflected OCD improvement [2].
  • Meta-analysis [3]: Across 144 adult studies, mean reliability for the total scale was 0.866 for coefficient alpha, 0.848 for test-retest correlations and 0.922 for intraclass correlations.

Limitations

  • Not a diagnosis. The Y-BOCS measures severity in people already assessed for OCD; diagnosis needs a clinical evaluation against DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria.
  • Requires a trained interviewer. Scores depend on clinician training and on the use of the anchor descriptions.
  • Severity bands are a convention. The subclinical-to-extreme ranges are not derived from a single primary publication.
  • Two versions. The Y-BOCS-II (2010) revised the severity items and integrated avoidance, so record which version was used when comparing scores.

What are the five Y-BOCS dimensions?

Both the Obsessions and Compulsions subscales use the same five dimensions, each rated 0 (none) to 4 (extreme). This parallel structure allows direct comparison between obsessive and compulsive symptom burden.

Time occupied

How much time per day is consumed by obsessions or compulsions? 0=none; 1=less than 1 hour/day; 2=1–3 hours; 3=3–8 hours; 4=more than 8 hours. Captures the overall symptom burden most directly.

Interference

How much do the symptoms interfere with social, occupational, or other functioning? 0=none; 1=slight; 2=definite impairment but manageable; 3=substantial impairment; 4=nearly incapacitating. Reflects functional impact.

Associated distress

How much distress do the obsessions or compulsions cause? 0=none; 1=mild; 2=moderate; 3=severe; 4=near-constant, disabling distress. Distress ratings often diverge between obsessions and compulsions.

Resistance

How much does the person try to resist? 0=always tries to resist; 4=completely gives in. Note that this dimension is reverse-scored in clinical interpretation, higher resistance effort means lower clinical concern, but higher ratings (less resistance) indicate greater severity.

Control

How much control does the person have over the obsessions or compulsions? 0=complete control; 4=no control. Control captures the experienced sense of ability to resist or stop symptoms and tends to be highly sensitive to treatment change.

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

  • What does a high Y-BOCS score mean?

    A Y-BOCS total score of 24–31 indicates severe OCD, and a score of 32–40 indicates extreme OCD. These ranges reflect a commonly used clinical convention and are not derived from a single primary publication. Higher scores indicate greater time occupied by symptoms, more interference with functioning, more distress, less resistance, and less control over obsessions and compulsions.

  • Is the Y-BOCS self-report or clinician-administered?

    The Y-BOCS is a clinician-administered structured interview. A trained clinician rates each of the 10 items using standardized anchor descriptions during a face-to-face interview, typically preceded by a Symptom Checklist. It cannot be scored from a questionnaire alone, though separate self-report adaptations (such as the Y-BOCS-II Self-Report) have been developed and validated for research use.

  • Can the Y-BOCS diagnose OCD?

    No. The Y-BOCS measures symptom severity in people already assessed for OCD — it is not a diagnostic tool. A diagnosis of OCD requires a structured clinical interview or evaluation against DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria. The Y-BOCS is used after diagnosis to quantify severity, guide treatment planning, and track response over time.

  • What Y-BOCS score reduction indicates treatment response?

    Expert consensus defines treatment response as a reduction of 35% or more in total Y-BOCS score from baseline, and remission as a score of 12 or less. A 2024 meta-analysis of individual participant data from adult trials found an optimal response threshold of 30%, but the differences were small and the authors recommended keeping the consensus definitions.

References

    1. 1.Goodman WK, Price LH, Rasmussen SA, Mazure C, Fleischmann RL, Hill CL, Heninger GR, Charney DS. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. I. Development, use, and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;46(11):1006-1011.
    2. 2.Goodman WK, Price LH, Rasmussen SA, Mazure C, Delgado P, Heninger GR, Charney DS. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. II. Validity. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;46(11):1012-1016.
    3. 3.López-Pina JA, Sánchez-Meca J, López-López JA, et al. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: A Reliability Generalization Meta-Analysis. Assessment. 2015;22(5):619-628.
    4. 4.Ramakrishnan D, Farhat LC, Vattimo EFQ, et al. An evaluation of treatment response and remission definitions in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and individual-patient data meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2024;173:387-397.

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