Measuring symptoms of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders using a single dimensional self-report scale

Abstract

BackgroundObsessions and compulsions are heterogenous but can be classified into obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), hoarding disorder (HD), hair-pulling disorder (HPD), and skin-picking disorder (SPD). OCD is in itself heterogenous, with symptoms clustering around four major symptom dimensions: contamination/cleaning, symmetry/ordering, taboo obsessions, and harm/checking. No single self-report scale captures the full heterogeneity of OCD and related disorders, limiting assessment in clinical practice and research on nosological relations among the disorders.MethodsTo provide a single self-report scale of OCD and related disorders that respects the heterogeneity of OCD, we expanded the DSM-5-based Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders-Dimensional Scales (OCRD-D) so that is also includes the four major symptom dimensions of OCD. A psychometric evaluation and an exploration of the overarching relations among the dimensions were conducted using an online survey which was completed by 1,454 Spanish adolescents and adults (age span = 15–74 years). Approximately 8 months after the initial survey, 416 participants completed the scale again.ResultsThe expanded scale showed excellent internal psychometric properties, adequate test-retest correlations, known groups validity, and correlations in the expected directions with well-being, depression/anxiety symptoms, and satisfaction with life. The higher-order structure of the measure indicated that harm/checking and taboo obsessions formed a common disturbing thoughts factor and that HPD and SPD formed a common body-focused repetitive behaviors factor.ConclusionThe expanded OCRD-D (OCRD-D-E) shows promise as a unified way to assess symptoms across the major symptom dimensions of OCD and related disorders. The measure may be useful in clinical practice (e.g., screening) and research, but more research on construct validity, incremental validity, and clinical utility is needed.

Sensory Overresponsivity and Symptoms Across the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum: Web-Based Longitudinal Observational Study

“…Thus, the scale yields a measurement of 8 OC symptom dimensions, and each dimension is assessed using 5 items: time, control, distress, avoidance, and interference. The measure shows excellent psychometric properties, which are reported in detail elsewhere [48]…”

“…To measure symptoms across the major symptom dimensions of OCD and across the OC spectrum, we took advantage of recent advances in the measurement of OCD and related disorders by using an updated version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Dimensional Scales [47] that assesses body dysmorphic, hoarding, skin-picking, and hair-pulling symptoms and the 4 major symptom dimensions of OCD (contamination and cleaning, taboo obsessions, harm and checking, and symmetry and ordering) [48]. Thus, the scale yields a measurement of 8 OC symptom dimensions, and each dimension is assessed using 5 items: time, control, distress, avoidance, and interference.…”