Free OCD Test for Adults Online
Test for Contamination, Harm, Symmetry, Relationship OCD
OCD Screening Test — Y-BOCS Framework
This free OCD test uses the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) principles — the gold standard clinical assessment for OCD severity, developed at Yale University and used worldwide by psychiatrists and psychologists. It screens across all major OCD subtypes: Contamination OCD, Harm OCD, Symmetry OCD, Checking OCD, and Relationship OCD (ROCD). The test assesses both obsessions (unwanted, intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours or mental rituals performed to reduce distress), along with time spent, distress caused, and functional impairment.
Obsessions
Unwanted intrusive thoughts that cause distress
Compulsions
Repetitive behaviours or mental rituals
All Subtypes
Contamination, harm, symmetry, checking, ROCD
Instant Results
Severity rating with ERP treatment guidance
✓ Based on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
✓ Screens for all major OCD subtypes including ROCD and Harm OCD
✓ Includes ERP treatment guidance and specialist referral information
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Frequently Asked Questions — OCD Testing
What is the Y-BOCS and why is it the standard for OCD assessment?
The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale was developed by Wayne Goodman and colleagues in the 1980s specifically to measure OCD symptom severity independently of the specific content of obsessions and compulsions. Before the Y-BOCS, OCD measurement instruments were confounded by content — they were better at detecting some subtypes than others. The Y-BOCS solved this by assessing the dimensional features of OCD (time spent, interference, distress, resistance, control) rather than the specific symptom content, making it equally valid across all subtypes. Scores range from 0 to 40, with 0-7 representing subclinical, 8-15 mild, 16-23 moderate, 24-31 severe, and 32-40 extreme severity. It is used to guide treatment decisions and monitor response in clinical practice worldwide.
Is Harm OCD dangerous? Will people with Harm OCD act on their thoughts?
People with Harm OCD are not at elevated risk of harming others — the research evidence on this is consistent and clear. The defining characteristic of Harm OCD is that the thoughts are ego-dystonic: they cause intense distress, horror, and revulsion because they contradict the person's genuine values and genuine feelings about the people involved. The person's typical response is not temptation but desperate avoidance — removing themselves from situations where harm could theoretically occur, compulsively checking whether harm has happened, and seeking reassurance about their character. Genuine violent intent does not look like this. The biggest risk for people with Harm OCD is not acting on their thoughts — it is suffering in silence for years because they fear that disclosing the thoughts will lead others to believe they are dangerous.
Why does reassurance make OCD worse rather than better?
Reassurance functions as a compulsion — it provides brief anxiety relief that reinforces both the obsession and the compulsive seeking of reassurance. When someone with contamination OCD asks "Are you sure I didn't get anyone sick?" and receives the answer "Yes, you're fine," the anxiety temporarily decreases. But the obsessional brain interprets this as confirmation that the concern was valid enough to require external checking. The compulsion of reassurance-seeking is reinforced because it "worked," and the threshold for needing reassurance gradually lowers — the person needs it more frequently, for less provocative situations, and the relief it provides lasts for shorter periods. Partners, family members, and friends who provide repeated reassurance with kind intentions are unfortunately maintaining OCD. Effective treatment helps family members learn how to be supportive without accommodating compulsions.
How is OCD different from anxiety disorder?
OCD was classified as an anxiety disorder in earlier diagnostic systems (DSM-IV) but was moved to its own category — Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders — in DSM-5, reflecting the recognition that it has a distinct structure. The key difference is the specific obsession-compulsion cycle: in generalised anxiety disorder, worry is triggered by real-world concerns and tends to be future-focused and verbal. In OCD, obsessions are intrusive, ego-dystonic, and often involve specific contamination, harm, symmetry, or moral themes, and compulsions are specifically designed to neutralise or prevent the obsessional fear. OCD and anxiety disorders commonly co-occur — depression is also common in OCD, affecting 25-50% of people with the condition. The co-occurring conditions require attention in treatment, though ERP remains the primary treatment target.
What is the difference between OCD and OCPD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is frequently confused with OCD but is a fundamentally different condition. OCD involves ego-dystonic obsessions and compulsions — the person recognises that their obsessions are excessive and unreasonable and does not want them. OCPD is characterised by ego-syntonic traits — the person's excessive concern with orderliness, perfectionism, and control feels appropriate and correct to them, not alien or distressing. People with OCPD believe their rigid standards are right and others should conform to them; people with OCD know their OCD is irrational and wish they could stop. The two conditions can co-occur but require different treatment approaches. ERP is the treatment for OCD; psychotherapy addressing the underlying perfectionism and control beliefs is more relevant for OCPD.
What medications are used for OCD and how effective are they?
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the first-line medication treatment for OCD, and they are used at higher doses than those typically used for depression. Fluvoxamine (Luvox), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), and escitalopram (Lexapro) all have evidence for OCD. Clomipramine (a tricyclic antidepressant) has strong historical evidence and is used when SSRIs are insufficient. Medication produces meaningful improvement in approximately 40-60% of people with OCD — less impressive than ERP's 60-80% response rates, but important because the combination of ERP plus medication produces better outcomes than either alone. Medication also reduces the intensity of obsessions enough to make ERP more manageable in severe cases.
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