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Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) Test

Assess the severity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors in just 2 minutes. Ten focused items support baseline evaluation and tracking changes over time to guide treatment decisions.

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Questions: 102 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

26,789 views

2,350 completions

1,806 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

20/40

Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (OCS)

Measures the overall severity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors over time and their impact on functioning and distress.

Mild–Moderate

Moderate–Severe

Extreme

0 – 15: Mild–Moderate | 16 – 31: Moderate–Severe | 32 – 40: Extreme

A score of 20 falls in the Moderate–Severe range, suggesting a notable level of obsessions/compulsions with meaningful distress or interference.

example score

5/10

Obsessions (O)

Measures the severity and impact of intrusive obsessive thoughts, images, or urges and the distress they cause.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 3: Low | 4 – 6: Moderate | 7 – 10: High

A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting obsessions occur with noticeable distress and some interference in daily functioning, but with partial ability to manage them.

example score

5/10

Compulsions (C)

Measures the severity of repetitive actions or rituals performed to reduce anxiety linked to obsessive thoughts.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 3: Low | 4 – 6: Moderate | 7 – 10: High

A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting compulsive rituals are present and cause a noticeable but not extreme impact on daily functioning.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People with intrusive thoughts

41%OF USERS

They take it to understand how often obsessions occur, how distressing they feel, and how much they disrupt daily life.

People with compulsive rituals

34%OF USERS

They use it to measure the severity of repetitive behaviors like checking, washing, or counting and how hard they are to resist.

Clients tracking treatment progress

25%OF USERS

They complete it during therapy to see whether symptoms are improving over time and what areas still need work.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (OS)

Average

28.4

Normal range

23.2 — 33.7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Obsessions (O)

Average

3.7

Normal range

2 — 5.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Compulsions (C)

Average

5.3

Normal range

3.7 — 6.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this scale measure?

It rates the current severity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Ratings reflect time spent, interference, distress, resistance, and perceived control.

Who can complete it and how is it administered?

It is typically clinician-rated using a structured interview, with responses based on the past week. A self-report format may be used when interview administration is not available.

What time period should responses cover?

Answer based on symptoms during the last 7 days, including today. If symptoms vary, use the usual level across the week.

How long does it take and how many questions are included?

It includes 10 core items. Completion usually takes about 2 minutes, depending on symptom complexity.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores indicate symptom severity and can be used to track change over time. Interpretation should consider clinical context and language or translation differences when nonstandard versions are used.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

obsessiveness ocd psychopathology

This measure is used to rapidly quantify the current severity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is designed to support standardized symptom rating across different OCD presentations and to facilitate consistent clinical monitoring over time.

It consists of 10 items and typically takes about 2 minutes to complete. Items assess core dimensions of symptom severity (e.g., time occupied, interference, distress, resistance, and degree of control) to support baseline characterization and repeated measurement during treatment. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was developed by Goodman, W., and is intended to complement, not replace, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and clinical judgment.

Author: Goodman, W.

Literature: Goodman, W. K., Price, L. H., Rasmussen, S. A., Mazure, C., Fleischmann, R. L., Hill, C. L., Heninger, G. R., & Charney, D. S. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: I. Development, use, and reliability. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1989.

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