OCD Chicago

Committed to OCD Education and Support
Information for College Students

Self Test

Part A Instructions

Please select YES or NO for the following questions, based on your experience in the past MONTH:

Have you been bothered by unpleasant thoughts or images that repeatedly enter your mind, such as:
  1. Concerns with contamination (dirt, germs, chemicals, radiation) or acquiring a serious illness such as AIDS?
  2. Over concern with keeping objects (clothing, tools, etc) in perfect order or arranged exactly?
  3. Images of death or other horrible events?
  4. Personally unacceptable religious or sexual thoughts?
Have you worried a lot about terrible things happening, such as:
  1. Fire, burglary or flooding of the house?
  2. Accidentally hitting a pedestrian with your car or letting it roll down a hill?
  3. Spreading an illness (giving someone AIDS)?
  4. Losing something valuable?
  5. Harm coming to a loved one because you weren't careful enough?
Have you worried about acting on an unwanted and senseless urge or impulse, such as:
  1. Physically harming a loved one, pushing a stranger in front of a bus, steering your car into oncoming traffic; inappropriate sexual contact; or poisoning dinner guests?
Have you felt driven to perform certain acts over and over again, such as:
  1. Excessive or ritualized washing, cleaning or grooming?
  2. Checking light switches, water faucets, the stove, door locks or the emergency brake?
  3. Counting, arranging; evening-up behaviors (making sure socks are at same height)?
  4. Collecting useless objects or inspecting the garbage before it is thrown out?
  5. Repeating routine actions (in/out of chair, going through doorway, relighting cigarette) a certain number of times or until it feels just right?
  6. Needing to touch objects or people?
  7. Unnecessary rereading or rewriting; reopening envelopes before they are mailed?
  8. Examining your body for signs of illness?
  9. Avoiding colors (“red” means blood), numbers (“13” is unlucky) or names (those that start with “D” signify death) that are associated with dreaded events or unpleasant thoughts?
  10. Needing to “confess” or repeatedly asking for reassurance that you said or did something correctly?

If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, please continue with Part B.

Part B Instructions

The following questions refer to the repeated thoughts, images, urges or behaviors identified in Part A. Consider your experience during the past 30 days when selecting an answer.

Circle the most appropriate number from 0 to 4.

In the past month...
  1. On average, how much time is occupied by these thoughts or behaviors each day?
  2. How much distress do they cause you?
  3. How hard is it for you to control them?
  4. How much do they cause you to avoid doing anything, going anyplace or being with anyone?
  5. How much do they interfere with school, work or your social or family life?

Keep in mind, a high score on this questionnaire does not necessarily mean you have an anxiety disorder – only an evaluation by a health professional can make this determination.

This self-screening test is completely confidential. Your responses will not be recorded. The FOCI is a personal tool for your use only.

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