The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) is a widely used self-assessment questionnaire designed to measure the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. This clinically validated OCD screening test evaluates how distressing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are in daily life. Unlike general anxiety measures, the OCI-R provides a structured assessment of six core OCD dimensions, making it a valuable tool for both individuals and mental health professionals. If you’re looking for an OCD test online, this evidence-based questionnaire can provide insights into whether further evaluation may be beneficial.

The OCI-R evaluates six core symptom dimensions of OCD:

✔ Washing – Concerns about contamination and compulsive cleaning behaviors.
✔ Checking – Repeated checking of locks, appliances, and tasks due to fear of harm.
✔ Ordering – Preoccupation with symmetry and compulsions to arrange objects.
✔ Obsessing – Distress from intrusive, unwanted thoughts.
✔ Neutralizing (Mental Rituals) – Using counting, praying, or special thoughts to prevent anxiety.
✔ Hoarding – Difficulty discarding items and excessive saving behaviors.

Why Use the OCI-R Test?

✔ Quick & effective – Takes only a few minutes to complete.
✔ Clinically validated – Used in research and therapy worldwide.
✔ Accessible & free – No cost or special permission required to take the test.

This test provides insight into OCD symptom severity, but it is not a diagnostic tool.

👉 Take the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) test below to assess your symptoms.

How the OCI-R Works (Scoring and Interpretation)

The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) is an 18-item OCD questionnaire designed to measure the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Unlike general anxiety tests, the OCI-R scoring system specifically assesses how distressing and disruptive obsessive-compulsive behaviors are in daily life.

✔ 0–5: Minimal or no OCD symptoms.
✔ 6–15: Mild OCD symptoms (may not require clinical intervention).
✔ 16–25: Moderate OCD symptoms (impacting daily life, therapy may help).
✔ 26–40: Severe OCD symptoms (likely causing significant distress, therapy recommended).
✔ 41–72: Extreme OCD symptoms (strongly recommended to seek professional support).

🔹 What Does Your Score Mean?
A score of 21 or higher is often used as a screening threshold for OCD, though severity interpretation varies.

Scores above 40 suggest severe symptoms, with compulsions and obsessions significantly interfering with daily life.

💡 Think of it like a mental clutter scale: A lower score indicates minimal OCD tendencies, while higher scores suggest increasing distress and interference in daily activities.

OCI-R Anxiety Self-Assessment Form

The OCI-R is a self-rating scale that is designed to assess the severity and type of symptoms of those potentially dealing with OCD.

Instructions
Before you begin the test, read the following definitions of “obessions” and “compulsions.”

Obsessions: are unwelcome or distressing ideas, thoughts, images or impulses that repeatedly enter your mind. They may seem to occur against your will. They may be repugnant to you, are often senseless, and may not fit your actual personality at all (for example, the recurrent thought or impulse to harm to your children, even though you never would).

Compulsions: are behaviors or acts that you feel driven to perform, even though you may recognize them as senseless or excessive. At times, you may try to resist doing them, but this may prove difficult. You may experience anxiety that does not diminish until the behavior is completed.

The following statements refer to experiences that many people have in their everyday lives. Select the answer that best describes how much that experience has distressed or bothered you during the past month.

How Reliable & Valid is the OCI-R?

The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) scoring system has been extensively studied and validated for measuring OCD symptom severity.

Reliability (Does it produce consistent results?)

The OCI-R test provides stable and repeatable scores, making it reliable for tracking OCD symptoms over time.
It has been tested in clinical and research settings with strong internal consistency.

Validity (Does it measure what it claims to?)

The OCI-R strongly correlates with OCD diagnoses, meaning it accurately identifies individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
It does not simply measure general anxiety or depression—it specifically targets OCD-related symptoms, including compulsions and intrusive thoughts.
The OCI-R scoring system is sensitive to change, meaning scores typically decrease as symptoms improve with therapy or treatment.

💡 Think of it like a symptom tracker: Just as a heart rate monitor helps assess fitness levels, the OCI-R test helps measure the severity of OCD symptoms over time.

Next Steps: What to Do with Your Results?

If your OCI-R score is 21 or higher, it may indicate clinically significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms, meaning professional support could be beneficial.

Your Options Moving Forward:
✔ If your score is below 15, mild OCD tendencies are common, but awareness and self-help strategies may help.
✔ If your score is 16–25 (moderate symptoms), self-help strategies or therapy could be useful in reducing distress.
✔ If your score is 26 or higher, working with an OCD specialist may help develop strategies to manage obsessions and compulsions effectively.

👉 “Start OCD Treatment Today“

Foa, E. B., Huppert, J. D., Leiberg, S., Langner, R., Kichic, R., Hajcak, G., & Salkovskis, P. M. (2002).
The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: Development and validation of a short version. Psychological Assessment, 14(4), 485–496.
https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.14.4.485

Summary: This foundational study introduces the OCI-R, a shortened 18-item version of the original Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI). The research details how the scale was developed to streamline OCD assessment, improve scoring clarity, and remove redundancies while maintaining strong psychometric properties. The study confirms that the OCI-R effectively measures six core OCD symptom dimensions and differentiates OCD from other anxiety disorders.

Huppert, J. D., Walther, M. R., Hajcak, G., Yadin, E., Foa, E. B., Simpson, H. B., & Liebowitz, M. R. (2007).
The OCI-R: Validation of the subscales in a clinical sample. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(3), 394–406.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.05.006

Summary: This study evaluates the six-factor structure of the OCI-R in a clinical sample of OCD patients. The findings confirm that each subscale (Washing, Checking, Ordering, Obsessing, Neutralizing, Hoarding) represents a distinct but related symptom domain. The study also highlights the OCI-R’s effectiveness in differentiating OCD symptoms from general anxiety symptoms, reinforcing its diagnostic utility.

Abramowitz, J. S., & Deacon, B. J. (2006).
Psychometric properties and construct validity of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised: Replication and extension with a clinical sample. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 20(8), 1016–1035.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.001

Summary: This research replicates and extends the psychometric validation of the OCI-R in a clinical sample of individuals with OCD. The study confirms the scale’s high internal consistency, reliability, and validity and finds that the OCI-R is effective in distinguishing OCD from other anxiety disorders. The findings further support the OCI-R’s suitability as a screening and monitoring tool for OCD symptoms.

Sica, C., Ghisi, M., Altoè, G., Chiri, L. R., Franceschini, S., Coradeschi, D., & Melli, G. (2009).
The Italian version of the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory: Its psychometric properties on community and clinical samples. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(2), 204–211.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.07.001

Summary: This study examines the cross-cultural applicability of the OCI-R by validating an Italian-language version in both clinical and community samples. The results confirm that the scale retains its six-factor structure, strong internal consistency, and clinical sensitivity across different populations. This study supports the OCI-R’s use in international OCD research and clinical assessments.

Wootton, B. M., Diefenbach, G. J., Bragdon, L. B., Steketee, G., & Tolin, D. F. (2015).
A psychometric evaluation of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) in individuals with OCD, hoarding disorder, and anxiety disorders. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 7, 26–33.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2015.07.001

Summary: This research evaluates the OCI-R’s effectiveness in distinguishing OCD, hoarding disorder, and other anxiety disorders. The findings confirm that the OCI-R’s total score and subscales are strongly correlated with clinical diagnoses, demonstrating its suitability for both OCD screening and severity assessment. The study also suggests that the hoarding subscale can be used separately to assess hoarding behaviors distinct from OCD symptoms.

Explore More Anxiety Self-Assessments

✔ GAD-7 Anxiety Test – Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screening

✔ PDSS Panic Disorder Test – Panic Disorder Severity Scale

✔ SPIN Social Anxiety Test – Social Phobia Inventory

✔ OCI-R OCD Test – Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory

✔ SMSP-A Phobia Test – Severity Measure for Specific Phobia – Adult

✔ SHAI Health Anxiety Test – Short Health Anxiety Inventory

✔ PSWQ Anxiety Test – Penn State Worry Questionnaire