Obsessive and Compulsive Characteristics of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: Quantification by a Newly Developed Questionnaire
- 11 April 1992
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research
- Vol. 16 (2), 266-271
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.1992.tb01374.x
Abstract
The purpose of the this study was to develop an instrument for measuring the obsessive and compulsive characteristics of drinking-related thought and behavior in subjects who abuse or are dependent on alcohol, and to quantify the extent to which drinking-related thought and behavior in these subjects resemble the obsessions and compulsions seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To achieve these goals, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was modified to reflect obsessionality and compulsivity specifically related to heavy drinking rather than to obsessions and compulsions generally. The modified Y-BOCS (Y-BOCS-hd) was administered to 62 subjects satisfying DSM-III-R criteria for alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence and 62 matched normal controls. The data showed that the Y-BOCS-hd is a sensitive and specific instrument for measuring the obsessive and compulsive characteristics of drinking-related thought and behavior in alcohol-abusing and alcohol-dependent populations, and that there are specific and quantifiable similarities between these characteristics and the obsessions and compulsions of OCD. The data also indicated that the Y-BOCS-hd may be a useful screening instrument for the presence of alcohol abuse and dependence.Keywords
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