Psychometric Analysis of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self-Report and Social Anxiety Spectrum Self-Report in the Korean Population

Psychiatry Investig. 2024 Mar;21(3):265-274. doi: 10.30773/pi.2023.0338. Epub 2024 Mar 25.

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Korean versions of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self Report (OBS-SR) and the Social Anxiety Spectrum Self Report (SHY-SR) questionnaires, along with determining their optimal cut-off points in a Korean population.

Methods: The study included outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (n=86), or social anxiety disorder (SAD) (n=52), those with major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=27), and 33 healthy controls. Participants were administered the Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR questionnaires. Clinical symptoms were also assessed with several self-rating scales.

Results: The Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. Both questionnaires effectively differentiated between individuals with OCD or SAD and normal controls or those with MDD. Receiver-operating characteristic analyses of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR yielded area under the curve values of 0.89 and 0.96 for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Forth Edition diagnosis, respectively, and showed optimal threshold values of 50 and 44.

Conclusion: The Korean versions of OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrate good reliability and validity in assessing manifestations of obsessive-compulsive and social anxiety psychopathology in Korean populations.

Keywords: Obsessive–compulsive disorder; Psychometrics; Reliability and validity; Social anxiety; Spectrum scale.