Table 1.
Frequencies of OCD Symptoms in the Penn Sample from the YBOCS Checklist
| Category Obsessions |
YBOCS item | Current (%) | Past (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Impulsive Aggression | Fear might harm self | 4.1 | 18.9 | 77.0 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Fear might harm others | 6.8 | 9.5 | 63.8 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Violent/horrific mental images | 8.1 | 9.5 | 81.1 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Blurting obscenities/insults | 9.5 | 2.7 | 87.8 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Doing something intentionally embarrassing | 9.5 | 4.1 | 86.5 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Acting on unwanted impulses | 6.8 | 8.1 | 85.1 |
| Impulsive Aggression | Fear will steal things | 4.1 | 14.9 | 81.1 |
| Unintentional Harm | Harm others if not careful enough | 21.6 | 8.1 | 70.3 |
| Unintentional Harm | Being responsible something bad happen | 32.4 | 5.4 | 62.2 |
| Unintentional Harm/Impulsive Aggression | Other aggressive or harm related obsessions | 8.1 | 0.0 | 90.5 |
| Contamination | Disgust with bodily waste/secretion | 36.5 | 1.4 | 62.2 |
| Contamination | Concern with dirt or germs | 48.6 | 6.8 | 44.6 |
| Contamination | Concern with environmental contaminants | 17.6 | 1.4 | 81.1 |
| Contamination | Excessive concern with household items | 23.0 | 0.0 | 77.0 |
| Contamination | Excessive concern with animals | 31.1 | 1.4 | 67.6 |
| Contamination | Concern with sticky substance/residues | 33.8 | 1.4 | 64.9 |
| Contamination | Will get ill because of contaminant | 41.9 | 2.7 | 55.4 |
| Contamination | Will get others ill by spreading contaminant | 9.5 | 1.4 | 87.8 |
| Contamination | Concern about how contamination feels | 18.9 | 0.0 | 79.7 |
| Contamination | Other contamination obsession | 5.4 | 0.0 | 91.9 |
| Sexual | Intrusive sexual thoughts, images, impulses | 12.2 | 5.4 | 82.4 |
| Sexual | Obsessions involving children/incest | 5.4 | 4.1 | 89.2 |
| Sexual | Obsessions involving homosexuality | 9.5 | 1.4 | 89.2 |
| Sexual | Aggressive sexual obsessions | 2.7 | 2.7 | 94.6 |
| Sexual | Other sexual obsessions | 4.1 | 0.0 | 95.9 |
| Hoarding | Hoarding and saving obsessions | 47.3 | 10.8 | 41.9 |
| Scrupulosity | Concerns with sacrilege/blasphemy | 20.3 | 2.7 | 77.0 |
| Scrupulosity | Excessive concerns with morality | 27.0 | 2.7 | 70.3 |
| Scrupulosity | Other scrupulosity/religious | 1.4 | 1.4 | 97.3 |
| Symmetry | Symmetry/exactness w/ magical thinking | 6.8 | 1.4 | 91.5 |
| Symmetry | Symmetry/exactness w/out magical thinking | 45.9 | 2.7 | 48.6 |
| Know or Remember | Need to know or remember | 37.8 | 1.4 | 60.8 |
| Miscellaneous | Fear of saying certain things | 21.6 | 2.7 | 74.3 |
| Misunderstood | Not saying just right thing/being misunderstood | 47.3 | 5.4 | 47.3 |
| Losing Something | Fear of losing things | 43.2 | 4.1 | 52.7 |
| Miscellaneous | Nonviolent images | 6.8 | 2.7 | 90.5 |
| Miscellaneous | Nonsense sounds/noises | 10.8 | 2.7 | 86.5 |
| Miscellaneous | Bothered by sounds/noises | 27.0 | 1.4 | 71.6 |
| Miscellaneous | Lucky/unlucky numbers | 14.9 | 1.4 | 83.8 |
| Miscellaneous | Special colors | 5.4 | 1.4 | 93.2 |
| Miscellaneous | Superstitious fears | 12.2 | 6.8 | 79.7 |
| Miscellaneous | Other miscellaneous obsessions | 9.5 | 0.0 | 86.5 |
| Somatic | Concern with already having an illness/disease | 12.2 | 1.4 | 86.5 |
| Somatic | Concern with appearance of body part | 12.2 | 1.4 | 85.1 |
| Somatic | Other somatic concerns | 2.7 | 0.0 | 97.3 |
| Compulsions
|
||||
| Washing | Excessive hand washing | 43.2 | 5.4 | 51.4 |
| Washing | Ritualized showering, bathing, grooming | 35.1 | 1.4 | 63.5 |
| Washing | Cleaning household/inanimate items | 44.6 | 2.7 | 52.7 |
| Washing | Measure to prevent contact with contaminants | 25.7 | 1.4 | 73.0 |
| Washing | Other contamination ritual | 4.1 | 1.4 | 94.6 |
| Checking | Checking locks, stove, other appliances | 55.4 | 4.1 | 39.2 |
| Checking | Checking did not/will not harm others | 5.4 | 4.1 | 89.2 |
| Checking | Checking did not/will not harm self | 9.5 | 0.0 | 89.2 |
| Checking | Checking nothing terrible did/will happen | 5.4 | 2.7 | 89.2 |
| Checking | Checking did not make mistake | 40.5 | 1.4 | 56.8 |
| Checking | Checking tied to somatic obsession | 8.1 | 0.0 | 89.2 |
| Checking | Other checking | 6.8 | 0.0 | 91.9 |
| Repeating | Rewriting/rereading | 40.5 | 1.4 | 56.8 |
| Repeating | Repeating routine activities | 6.8 | 2.7 | 89.2 |
| Repeating | Other repeating rituals | 2.7 | 0.0 | 89.2 |
| Counting | Counting rituals | 18.9 | 4.1 | 75.7 |
| Ordering | Ordering/arranging rituals | 41.9 | 1.4 | 54.1 |
| Hoarding | Hoarding/collecting compulsions | 39.2 | 6.8 | 54.1 |
| Mental | Special words, images, numbers, repeated mentally | 9.5 | 0.0 | 89.2 |
| Mental | Special prayers repeated in set matter | 14.9 | 2.7 | 82.4 |
| Mental | Mental counting | 24.3 | 6.8 | 66.2 |
| Mental | Mental listmaking | 31.1 | 0.0 | 66.9 |
| Mental | Mental reviewing | 33.8 | 2.7 | 63.5 |
| Listmaking | Excessive listmaking, written or aloud | 29.7 | 2.7 | 67.6 |
| Reassurance | Urge to tell, ask, confess, seek reassurance | 28.4 | 2.7 | 68.9 |
| Miscellaneous | Urge to touch, tap, rub | 16.2 | 1.4 | 82.4 |
| Miscellaneous | Rituals involving blinking/staring | 9.5 | 0.0 | 90.5 |
| Miscellaneous | Any measure (not checking) to prevent harm/bad | 5.4 | 2.7 | 91.9 |
| Miscellaneous | Ritualized eating behaviors | 13.5 | 2.7 | 81.1 |
| Miscellaneous | Superstitious behaviors | 5.4 | 2.7 | 91.9 |
| Miscellaneous | Hair pulling | 4.1 | 5.4 | 89.2 |
| Miscellaneous | Self-damaging behaviors | 13.5 | 6.8 | 78.4 |
| Miscellaneous | Other miscellaneous | 4.1 | 0.0 | 94.6 |
N=74. YBOCS=Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, checklist items.
Category represents the larger grouping used for the individual symptoms listed in the second column. Current means the symptom was endorsed as being an existing area of concern. Past means the symptom existed previously, but not currently. Never means the symptom was never present. Participants were able to select as many symptoms as necessary.