A Five-Factor Measure of Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Traits

Abstract

This study provides convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity data for the Five-Factor Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI), a newly developed measure of traits relevant to obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) from the perspective of the Five-factor model (FFM). Twelve scales were constructed as maladaptive variants of specific FFM facets (e.g., Perfectionism as a maladaptive variant of FFM competence). On the basis of data from 407 undergraduates (oversampled for OCPD symptoms) these 12 scales demonstrated convergent correlations with established measures of OCPD and the FFM. Further, they obtained strong discriminant validity with respect to facets from other FFM domains. Most important, the individual scales and total score of the FFOCI obtained incremental validity beyond existing measures of the FFM and OCPD for predicting a composite measure of obsessive–compulsive symptomatology. The findings support the validity of the FFOCI as a measure of obsessive–compulsive personality traits, as well as of maladaptive variants of the FFM.