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| Screening for OCD |
| Columns - Assessment Tools | |
| Thursday, 31 January 2002 | |
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People who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) experience recurrent, unpleasant thoughts (obsessions) and feel driven to perform certain acts over and over again (compulsions). Although sufferers usually recognize that the obsessions and compulsions are senseless or excessive, the symptoms of OCD often prove difficult to control without proper treatment. Obsessions and compulsions are not pleasurable; on the contrary, they are a source of distress. The following questions are designed to help counselors determine if their patients have symptoms of OCD. The counselor may use this list of questions as an assessment tool to evaluate the client. They should be answered in a “Yes” or “No” format for Part A.Part A Have you been bothered by unpleasant thoughts or images that repeatedly enter your mind, such as: 1. Concerns with contamination (dirt, germs, chemicals, radiation) or acquiring a serious illness such as AIDS? 2. Overconcern with keeping objects (clothing, groceries, tools) in perfect order or arranged exactly? 3. Images of death or other horrible events? 4. Personally unacceptable religious or sexual thoughts? Have you worried a lot about terrible things happening, such as: 5. Fire, burglary, or flooding the house? 6. Accidentally hitting a pedestrian with your car or letting it roll down the hill? 7. Spreading an illness (giving someone AIDS)? 8. Losing something valuable? 9. Harm coming to a loved one because you weren’t careful enough? Have you worried about acting on an unwanted and senseless urge or impulse, such as: 10. Physically harming a loved one, pushing a stranger in front of a bus, steering your car into oncoming traffic, inappropriate sexual contact, or poisoning dinner guests? 11. Excessive ritualized washing, cleaning, or grooming? 12. Checking light switches, water faucets, the stove, door locks, or emergency brake? 13. Counting; arranging; evening-up behaviors (making sure socks are the same height)? 14. Collecting useless objects or inspecting the garbage before it is thrown out? 15. Repeating routine actions (in/out of chair, going through the doorway, re-lighting cigarette) a certain number of times or until it just feels right? 16. Need to touch objects or people? 17. Unnecessary re-reading or re-writing; re-opening envelopes before they are mailed? 18. Examining your body for signs of illness? 19. Avoiding colors (“red” means blood), numbers (“13” is unlucky), or names (those that start with “D” signify death) that are associated with dreaded events or unpleasant thoughts? 20. Needing to “confess” or repeatedly asking for reassurance that you said or did something correctly? If client answered YES to two or more of the above questions, please continue with Part B. If not, they are most likely free of symptoms of OCD. Part B The following questions refer to the repeated thoughts, images, urges, or behaviors identified in Part A. Have your client consider their experience during the past 30 days when selecting an answer. 1. On average, how much time is occupied by these thoughts or behaviors each day? None 3 to 8 hours Less than 1 hour Over 8 hours 1 to 3 hours 2. How much distress do the symptoms in Part A cause you? None Severe Mild Extreme (disabling) Moderate 3. How hard is it for you to control them? Complete control Little control Much control No control Moderate control 4. How much do they cause you to avoid doing anything, going any place, or being with anyone? No avoidance Frequent avoidance Occasional avoidance Extreme avoidance (house bound) Moderate avoidance 5. How much do they interfere with school, work, social, or family life? No interference Definitely interferes Slight interference Extreme (disabling) Much interference The following test was supplied by www.psychologynet.org, a non-profit organization located in Washington State.              |
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