(CMOCS) Children's Measure of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms

BY CECIL R. REYNOLDS, PHD, AND RONALD B. LIVINGSTON, PHD

Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is relatively common in children and teens, and its impact on daily functioning can be severe. Yet until now it has been difficult to assess—those who suffer from OCD tend to hide their symptoms; comorbid conditions often obscure its presence; and existing OCD instruments have been limited by inadequate normative and psychometric data.

A Self-Report Measure That’s Brief, Easy to Use, and Well Normed

Now there’s a new option for evaluating OCD—a brief, easy-to-administer, self-report inventory that offers both detailed and summary scores, all referenced to a large, representative norm sample. The new Children’s Measure of Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms (CMOCS) assesses and quantifies the subjective experience of children and teens who have obsessions and/or compulsions at either a clinical or subclinical level.

The CMOCS is composed of 56 items covering six Problem Areas:

• Fear of Contamination
• Rituals
• Intrusive Thoughts
• Checking
• Fear of Mistakes and Harm
• Picking/Slowing

These scales address obsessions and compulsions and their impact on daily functioning. In addition, two validity scales alert you to inconsistent responding or defensiveness on the examinee’s part.

Problem Area Scores and Summary Scores Reflecting Severity and Impact

Group or individually administered in just 10 to 15 minutes, the CMOCS employs a simple self-report format with a 4-point response scale ranging from “Never” to “Almost Always.” Items are written at a second-grade reading level.

The test generates six Problem Area Scores plus two Summary Scores: the Total Score, indicating overall symptom level, and the Impact Score, reflecting the degree to which obsessions or compulsions interfere with daily functioning and cause distress. Both are strongly associated with clinical status.

Useful in Virtually Any Assessment Setting

Because it gives you both the big picture and a profile of specific obsessions and compulsions, the CMOCS is useful for various assessment purposes.

• In clinical settings the test is a helpful diagnostic tool. Its items are anchored in DSM-IV criteria for OCD; its norm-referenced scores help you determine whether symptoms are clinically significant; its rich, detailed score profile guides intervention planning; and its brevity simplifies symptom monitoring.
• In school settings CMOCS results, particularly the Impact Score, can help you ascertain whether students meet IDEA criteria for Emotional Disturbance. They’re also useful in creating IEPs, determining whether misbehavior is a direct result of a student’s disability, and measuring response to intervention.
• In research settings the CMOCS can be used to establish baseline data, compare individual children or large groups, and identify subgroups. Its strong normative sample and easy reading level make the test ideal for research applications.

The CMOCS answers the need for a psychometrically sound self-report measure of problematic obsessions and compulsions experienced by children and adolescents. The fact that it can be interpreted at both summary and specific levels makes this unique test widely useful.