Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) In 1985, Goodman founded and served as chief of the OCD Clinic at
Yale University. During this time, along with his colleagues Lawrence Price and
Steven Rasmussen, he developed the
Y-BOCS, which is widely used in research and clinical practice to determine the severity of OCD and to monitor improvement during treatment. It has since been translated into numerous languages. Goodman and his colleagues have also developed the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale—Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II) in an effort to modify the original scale. Other rating scales developed by Goodman and his colleagues include: the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (FOCI), the Children's Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (C-FOCI), Level 2—Repetitive Thoughts and Behaviors (Cross-cutting symptom measure used in the
DSM-5), and the Treatment-Emergent Activation and Suicidality Assessment Profile (TEASAP). By July 2018, Goodman's original article on the
Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale was the most cited paper on
obsessive–compulsive disorder.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors Goodman was one of the first investigators to test and establish the efficacy of
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in OCD and show their comparative advantage over other antidepressant medications. He also developed the use of adjunctive antipsychotic medications in SSRI-resistant OCD and found that patients with comorbid tic disorders are most likely to respond to this combination.
International OCD Foundation In 1986, Goodman co-founded the nonprofit OCD Foundation (now named the International OCD Foundation). While on faculty at Yale University, he had the idea to bring together a group of dedicated individuals with OCD who were participating in research studies for a self-help group. They later expanded and started a foundation to help reach a wider audience and educate the public about OCD and treatment options. He served as chair of its scientific advisory board for the first ten years. Goodman received the Lifetime Career Achievement Award from the International OCD Foundation in 2012.
Deep brain stimulation Goodman conducts research in the use of
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. He has published on the use of DBS for intractable OCD. In October 2016, The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded him a grant for research aimed at developing adaptive DBS for OCD. Other grants include an award in 2025 to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and safety of DBS in treatment-resistant bipolar depression. The funding is part of the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. ==Service with the Food and Drug Administration==