Self-report of obsessions and worry.

The relationships between self-reported worry and obsessional-compulsive symptoms were examined among 145 hospital outpatients. Subjects completed the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Padua Inventory. Despite moderately strong correlations, the scales measured distinct constructs. Eliminating five items from the Padua Inventory may improve its discriminant validity. Correlations with the Padua Inventory subscales showed that obsessional loss of mental control was moderately correlated to both worry and checking, whereas worry and checking were only weakly correlated. The results are discussed in terms of possible relationships between worry and obsessions.