Multidimensional assessment of OCD: integration and revision of the vancouver obsessional‐compulsive inventory and the symmetry ordering and arranging questionnaire

Abstract

This article reports on the integration and revision of two self-report measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms based on data from an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) sample (n=228): the Vancouver Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (VOCI) and the Symmetry Ordering and Arranging Questionnaire (SOAQ). The revised measure provides scores on five symptom subscales (Contamination, Checking, Hoarding, Symmetry and Ordering, Obsessions). It shows improvement upon current versions in several ways: it has a good model fit, eliminates redundancy, reduces overlap across subscales, is much shorter, and covers those OCD dimensions most frequently identified in factor-analytic studies. Strengths of the revision compared with other measures are high distinctiveness of subscales, discriminant validity with depression and anxiety, and a more fine-grained and comprehensive assessment of obsessional contents.