Value of a One-Item OCD Severity Perception Screener

Abstract

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental illness comprised of unwanted obsessions followed by repetitive rituals (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The gold standard for measuring OCD severity is the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS; Goodman et al. Archives of General Psychiatry, 46(11), 1006–1011, 1989). This study sought to understand how well individuals with OCD reported their severity levels through the use of a one-item severity perception screener compared to the YBOCS and the impact that the accuracy of this rating can have on disability and motivation. Data were collected from assessments from a free and openly available OCD self-help internet website. Findings conclude that individuals with OCD have a good understanding and ability to accurately rate their OCD severity level and warrant additional research to determine if a one-item OCD severity perception screener can serve as a quick assessment tool to help understand one’s OCD severity level. Additionally, findings from this study conclude that inaccurately understanding one’s OCD severity level is associated with disability and motivation levels around wanting to keep one’s OCD versus challenge it. Future research should examine the validity of a one-item OCD severity perception screener and further examine the impact inaccurately rating one’s severity level has on disability, motivation, treatment, and treatment outcomes.