title: Assessing Sexual Orientation-Related Obsessions and Compulsions in Italian Heterosexual Individuals: Development and Validation of the Sexual Orientation Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (SO-OCS).
abstract: Sexual Orientation-Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (SO-OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts, images, and urges related to one's sexual orientation, and by consequent avoidance, reassurance seeking, and overt and covert compulsions. Currently there is no short self-report measure that assesses SO-OCD symptoms. The current article describes two studies that develop and evaluate the first version of the Sexual Orientation Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (SO-OCS), a 14-item Italian self-report measure targeted towards heterosexual individuals. In Study 1, the SO-OCS was developed and refined through item analysis and exploratory factor analysis from an initial pool of 33 items administered to 732 Italian nonclinical participants. The SO-OCS showed a unidimensional structure and an acceptable internal consistency. In Study 2, the factor structure, internal consistency, temporal stability, construct and criterion validity, and diagnostic sensitivity of the SO-OCS were investigated in three samples of Italian participants (294 from the general population, 52 OCD patients who reported sexual orientation-related symptoms or concerns as a primary complaint, and 51 OCD patients who did not report these symptoms as primary complaint). The SO-OCS was again found to have a unidimensional structure and good internal consistency, as well as to exhibit strong construct validity. Specifically, the SO-OCS showed an excellent criterion validity and diagnostic sensitivity, as it successfully discriminated between those with SO-OCD and all other groups of participants. Finally, evidence of temporal stability of the SO-OCS in a nonclinical subsample was found. The SO-OCS holds promise as a measure of SO-OCD symptoms in heterosexual individuals.
authors.affiliation: University of Pisa; Institute for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology and Psychotherapy of Florence (IPSICO). Electronic address: g.melli@ipsico.it.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melli
authors.affiliation: Deakin University.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moulding
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology and Psychotherapy of Florence (IPSICO).
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gelli
authors.affiliation: University of Genova.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiorri
authors.affiliation: Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapy Center, Naples.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D057566:Self Report; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: assessment; obsessions; obsessive-compulsive disorder; sexual orientation