Comparisons among the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale, compulsion checklist, and other measures of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Background. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Compulsion Checklist (CC) were compared with one another and with five other measures to assess their place in measuring the outcome of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method. Data came from a randomised trial of 46 patients with OCD who completed eight weeks of treatment by exposure and response prevention. Using a structured modelling analysis, the YBOCS and the CC were compared with a latent factor derived from five other variables (Target Rituals, Target Obsession, Clinical Global Impression, Avoidance, Disability) of baseline severity and change after treatment, and also directly with those variables. Results. Both the YBOCS and the CC were accurate and sensitive measures of OCD. The YBOCS related slightly more than did the CC to the latent factor and to Disability directly. The YBOCS related slightly more to Disability than it did to other measures. Inter-assessor and self v. assessor reliability was high. Conclusions. The 10-item YBOCS plus the 4-item Disability scale are a simple and efficient way to measure important aspects of OCD in clinical practice.