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The need for adequate methods of measuring symptoms in obsessional disorders is stressed, particularly since, owing to the comparative rarity of the condition, a multicentre approach will be necessary if controlled studies are envisaged. A new method of measurement, the Lynfield Obsessional/Compulsive Questionnaire, is described. The questionnaire is derived from the Leyton Obsessional Inventory and may be of value in showing response to treatment.

The Leyton Obsessional Inventory has been found to be a useful measure in assessing patients before and after treatment with clomipramine. Mean scores for symptoms and interference altered significantly during the course of treatment. The Leyton Obsessional Inventory, however, lacks external validation owing to the absence of some valid alternative quantification. In the absence of such external validation it seems justifiable to use the mean Leyton score diagnostically but not as a sole indication of severity or response to treatment.