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Y-BOCS

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: severity score from clinician-rated subtotals.

For adults assessed with the original Y-BOCS (0-40). Subtotals must come from a clinician-administered assessment. The interview and symptom checklist are not included. Official instrument and licensing

Switch how results are explained

What it is and when to use it

The original adult Y-BOCS is a clinician-rated measure of obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. Ten items scored from 0 to 4 form two subtotals: obsessions (0-20) and compulsions (0-20). Their sum ranges from 0 to 40.

How to interpret it

Conventional severity bands: 0-7 subclinical; 8-15 mild; 16-23 moderate; 24-31 severe; 32-40 extreme.

Limitations and when not to use it

Severity scoring does not establish or exclude a diagnosis. Use the original adult scale, not Y-BOCS-II (0-50) or the child version. The full instrument and translations are subject to the rights holder's licensing terms.

Formulas and cut-offs are from the original authors of each score; see the references.

Last reviewed: June 2026

References
  1. Goodman WK, Price LH, Rasmussen SA, et al. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. I. Development, use, and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;46(11):1006-1011. PMID:2684084