CY-BOCS Score Interpretation Guidelines

Severity Classification Framework

A score of 16-23 on the Child Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) indicates moderate severity of OCD symptoms, with a score of 20 being the most representative of moderate severity, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 1, 2
The CY-BOCS uses the same severity classification system as the adult Y-BOCS, with scores ranging from 0-40, where each of the 10 items is rated from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms), as recommended by the American Psychological Association 1
The severity classification framework is as follows:

The CY-BOCS scale quantifies severity based on three key parameters: time spent on obsessions/compulsions, perceived distress levels, and degree of functional interference in daily activities, as outlined by the International OCD Foundation 1, 2
Obsessions and compulsions each contribute up to 20 points of the total 40-point scale, according to the National Institute of Mental Health 3

Avoidance behaviors can lead to underestimation of true symptom severity on the CY-BOCS, as noted by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 1, 2
Family accommodation must be assessed alongside CY-BOCS administration, as recommended by the International OCD Foundation 1, 2, 3

In children and adolescents aged 8–18 years, a total CY‑BOCS score of ≥ 28 indicates severe, treatment‑refractory obsessive‑compulsive disorder, serving as a threshold for considering intensified or alternative therapeutic strategies. 4