Chapter 9. Psychotherapy for OCPD
Publication: Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
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APPENDIX
Pathological Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Scale (POPS)
Factor | Definition | Sample items |
|---|---|---|
Specific traits | ||
Rigidity | Inflexible stance in relating to and viewing the world: stubborn insistence on one’s point of view, demands that others comply, and criticism of alternative view | • I insist that others do things my way. • People tell me that I am inflexible. |
Emotional overcontrol | Difficulty in accepting and expressing emotions as well as relating to the emotions of others | • It is difficult for me to relate to other people’s emotions. • People have described me as being closed with my feelings. |
Maladaptive perfectionism | Self-imposed pressure to complete tasks with precision and at a high standard, at the expense of efficiency and productivity | • I spend too much time on something in order to get it just right. • I am hard on myself when I am unable to complete a task to my high standards. |
Reluctance to delegate | Unwillingness to let others complete tasks because of concerns they won’t meet expectations or distrust of their ability to do it “correctly” | • There are few people who can meet my expectations. • I end up doing a lot of jobs myself because no one can live up to my standards. |
Difficulty with change | Inability to cope with unexpected or unforeseen changes in one’s schedule or routine | • It really irritates me when people don’t stick to the plan. • I am easily upset by changes in my routine. |
General factor | ||
OCP-pathology | Obsessive-compulsive personality dimension on a continuum of increasing severity and dysfunction | Includes all 49 POPS items. |
POPS
The statements in the table describe attitudes, opinions, interests, feelings, and behaviors that people may experience. Place a check in the box that best describes the way you usually are. Please respond to every statement, even if you are not completely sure of your answer. Read each statement carefully, but don’t spend too much time deciding on any one answer. Note: Do not be concerned if you find that some of the statements are similar to each other. Answer each item on its own without concern for your other answers.
Scoring the POPS
Reverse-score items 19 and 25.
Sum items (strongly disagree = 1; disagree = 2; slightly disagree = 3; slightly agree = 4; agree = 5; strongly agree = 6) under each factor and sum all items for overall OCP-pathology score.
Rigidity: 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 24, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38, 41
Emotional overcontrol: 3, 14, 28, 29, 30, 36, 48
Maladaptive perfectionism: 1, 7, 9, 18, 27, 37, 39, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49
Reluctance to delegate: 2, 8, 19 (r), 20, 25 (r), 35, 40, 42
Difficulty with change: 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 23, 39, 43
Note that item 39 is included in both the maladaptive perfectionism and difficulty with change factors.
Copyright and Permissions
Pathological Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Scale (POPS) Copyright © 2019 by Anthony Pinto, Ph.D., Emily B. Ansell, Ph.D., and Aidan G. C. Wright, Ph.D.
Correspondence
For permission to use or adapt this instrument for clinical or research purposes, please contact
Anthony Pinto, Ph.D.
Northwell Health OCD Center
Zucker Hillside Hospital
Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Slightly Disagree | Slightly Agree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | I get lost in the details. | ||||||
2. | I never let someone else do something because they almost always do it incorrectly. | ||||||
3. | I tend to keep my emotions to myself. | ||||||
4. | When someone crosses me, I make sure to get revenge. | ||||||
5. | I hate changing my plans at the last minute. | ||||||
6. | I get upset when my day’s schedule is disrupted. | ||||||
7. | My need to be perfect affects how much I get done. | ||||||
8. | I often have to take over others’ responsibilities to make sure that the job is done right. | ||||||
9. | I spend too much time on something in order to get it just right. | ||||||
10. | I try to convince others of what I believe to be right and wrong. | ||||||
11. | People are either with me or they are against me. | ||||||
12. | I have been told I am inconsiderate of others. | ||||||
13. | I punish those who deserve it. | ||||||
14. | Expressing emotions usually leads to embarrassment. | ||||||
15. | I am easily upset by changes in my routine. | ||||||
16. | I have trouble dealing with unforeseen events. | ||||||
17. | I have trouble with last minute changes. | ||||||
18. | I often miss the deadlines I set for myself. | ||||||
19. | I trust others to carry out tasks competently. | ||||||
20. | I tend to take on more tasks because counting on others is useless. | ||||||
21. | Other people say that I am argumentative. | ||||||
22. | I get angry when others try to change my mind. | ||||||
23. | I have difficulty adapting to change. | ||||||
24. | Others say that I am closed minded. | ||||||
25. | I am happy to let others help me in my work. | ||||||
26. | I am a stubborn person. | ||||||
27. | I often spend too much time getting organized. | ||||||
28. | I rarely feel comfortable showing affection toward others. | ||||||
29. | I hold back my feelings. | ||||||
30. | It is difficult for me to show my feelings to others. | ||||||
31. | People think I am being critical whenever I give them advice. | ||||||
32. | I insist that others do things my way. | ||||||
33. | People tell me that I am inflexible. | ||||||
34. | Others have told me I am demanding in my relationships. | ||||||
35. | When working in a group, I find that I end up doing most of the work. | ||||||
36. | People have described me as being closed with my feelings. | ||||||
37. | I will put off a task if I do not think I can do it perfectly. | ||||||
38. | People say I am critical of the way they do things. | ||||||
39. | It is hard for me to shift from one task to another. | ||||||
40. | I end up doing a lot of jobs myself because no one can live up to my standards. | ||||||
41. | People say that I dismiss points of view that differ from my own. | ||||||
42. | There are few people who can meet my expectations. | ||||||
43. | It really irritates me when people don’t stick to the plan. | ||||||
44. | I frequently need extensions on deadlines. | ||||||
45. | It takes longer for me to complete a task to my high standards. | ||||||
46. | I get caught up in the details no matter what I’m doing. | ||||||
47. | I put pressure on myself to get things just right. | ||||||
48. | It is difficult for me to relate to other people’s emotions. | ||||||
49. | I am hard on myself when I am unable to complete a task to my high standards. | ||||||
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Pages: 143 - 177
History
Published in print: 15 October 2019
Published online: 5 December 2024
© American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Authors
Metrics & Citations
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