Y-BOCS
The Y-BOCS is the standard measure of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom severity. It rates how much obsessions and compulsions interfere — independent of their specific content — so it can track change across treatment.
What the Y-BOCS measures
The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale rates the severity of obsessions and compulsions across five dimensions each — time spent, interference, distress, resistance, and control. Because it scores severity rather than symptom content, the same scale works regardless of what a client's obsessions or compulsions are about, which is what makes it useful for tracking treatment response.
Who it's for
Adults with OCD. The classic Y-BOCS is a clinician-administered semi-structured interview; a self-report version (Y-BOCS-SR) exists, and the CY-BOCS adapts it for children and adolescents.
Scoring
Ten items (five for obsessions, five for compulsions) are each rated 0–4 and summed to a total of 0–40. Higher scores mean greater severity. Most OCD treatment trials define meaningful response as roughly a 25–35% reduction in the total score.
Severity bands
| Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–7 | Subclinical |
| 8–15 | Mild |
| 16–23 | Moderate |
| 24–31 | Severe |
| 32–40 | Extreme |
Interpreting a single score is only half the picture — knowing when a change is real matters too. See how assessment scoring works for severity bands, cutoffs, and reliable change.
Score and track it automatically
Theracharts auto-scores validated assessments, applies the severity bands, flags reliable change, and charts the trend across treatment. Free for up to 10 clients.
Start freeAll assessmentsFrequently asked questions
What is a good Y-BOCS score?
Lower is better. A total of 0–7 is generally subclinical; 8–15 mild, 16–23 moderate, 24–31 severe, and 32–40 extreme. Treatment usually aims to move a client down across these bands over time.
Is the Y-BOCS self-report or clinician-administered?
The classic Y-BOCS is a clinician-administered interview, but a validated self-report version (Y-BOCS-SR) is widely used, and the CY-BOCS adapts it for children.
This page is educational. Validated measures are screening and monitoring tools, not diagnoses — interpret every score in clinical context.