Escala obsessivo-compulsiva de Yale-Brown (Y-BOCS): Crítica a suas características psicométricas: Série Psicofarmacologia - 75

Objective: To describe Y-BOCS psychometric characteristics and propose modifications in its structure. Methods: Review of the studies about Y-BOCS reliability and validity and report of cases attended in the Obsessions and Compulsions Research Program of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Results: The studies demonstrated that the Y-BOCS has good inter-rater reliability, good testretest reliability and low internal consistency reliability that increases when items 4 (resistance to obsessions) and 9 (resistance to compulsions) are excluded and item 12 (avoidance) is included. Y-BOCS demonstrated good convergent validity when compared to CGI, NIMH OC scale, Physicians Global Rating and Patient Global Rating, Compulsion Checklist and Disability; and low convergent validity when compared to MOCI, Leyton Obsessive Inventory and SCL-90. Also, Y-BOCS demonstrated low divergent validity to anxiety and depression. Conclusions: The exclusion of items 4 (resistance to obsessions) and 9 (resistance to compulsions) and inclusion of item 12 (avoidance) can improve Y-BOCS psychometric profile. There is not an ideal evaluation scale for severity of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It is possible that more global scales, like CGI, could better meet the clinical reality than dicotomic scales like the Y-BOCS.