Determining the Cut-off Scores for the Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory and the Dimensional Obsessive Compulsive Scale and Reviewing Their Psychometric Properties: Which is More Appropriate for the Evaluation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

Abstract

Objective: Measurement is essential in psychiatry's clinical and research fields. The cut-off scores of the Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Dimensional Obsessive Compulsive Scale (DOCS), which are widely used in the evaluation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), have not been determined. Method: DOCS and MOCI were applied to 128 patients with OCD and 124 healthy participants. The psychometric properties of the scales were examined by ROC analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch models. Results: The cut-off point has been determined as 25 for the DOCS total score, and 18 for the MOCI. The analysis has been shown that some items in MOCI deteriorated the structure of the scale. In DOCS, it has been shown that almost all scale items are compatible with the scale structure. Conclusion: In this study, the cut-off scores have been calculated for the MOCI and the DOCS, so these two scales have become a more effective and helpful construct. It has been also concluded that the DOCS has more robust psychometric properties than the MOCI.