Description of the Questionnaire

The Leyton Obsessional Inventory – Child Version (Leyton-CV-20) is a validated and standardized tool for assessing obsessive and compulsive symptoms in children and adolescents. It consists of 20 questions that evaluate thoughts and behaviors related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The questionnaire can be administered either as a self-report or through an interview, targeting children approximately between the ages of 8 and 18.

Data Analysis and Use

Each question is answered either with a yes/no format or on a Likert scale, depending on the version. Responses are recorded in order to calculate a total score that reflects the presence and severity of OCD symptoms. The data can be analyzed quantitatively to compare different groups (such as clinical vs. control groups), to monitor symptom progression following therapeutic intervention, and to identify behavioral profiles and obsessive-compulsive symptom patterns.

Purpose

The primary aim of the Leyton-CV-20 is the early identification of children and adolescents who may present with obsessive-compulsive disorder, in order to refer them for further clinical assessment and possible intervention. Additionally, it serves as a valuable research tool for studying the psychopathology of OCD during childhood and adolescence.

Scoring

Responses are scored either 0 or 1 in the short versions or on a 0 to 3 scale in more extensive formats. The total score ranges from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating a greater intensity and presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Specific cutoff scores have been established to help determine clinically significant symptom levels, adjusted according to population norms and the context of use.

Bibliography

Berg, C. Z., Rapoport, J. L., & Flament, M. F. (1986). The Leyton Obsessional Inventory – Child Version.
Flament, M. F., Whitaker, A., Rapoport, J. L., Davies, M., Berg, C. Z., Kalikow, K., … & Shaffer, D. (1988). Obsessive compulsive disorder in adolescence: An epidemiological study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 27(6), 764-771.
Rapoport, J. L., & Inoff-Germain, G. (2000). Obsessive compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. In: Goodman, W. K., & Rudorfer, M. V. (Eds.), Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Contemporary issues in treatment.
Galanaki, E., & Kontogianni, K. (2011). Psychometric evaluation of questionnaires for children and adolescents. Psychologia, 18(1), 22–39.