Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Psychopathology)

Question 1

Obsession

Answer 1

A persistent thought, idea, impulse or image that is experienced repeatedly, feels intrusive and causes anxiety.

Question 2

Compulsion

Answer 2

A repetitive and rigid behaviour or mental act that a person feels driven to perform in order to prevent or reduce anxiety.

Question 3

Categories of OCD and what they all have in common

Answer 3

-Regular OCD: characterised by obsessions and/or compulsions
-Trichotillomania: compulsive hair pulling
-Hoarding Disorder: the compulsive gathering of possessions and the inability to part with anything regardless of its value
-Excoriation Disorder: compulsive skin picking
These are alike in their repetitive behaviour accompanied by obsessive thinking.

Question 4

The DSM describes the main symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder as:

Answer 4

-recurrent obsessions and compulsions
-recognition by the individual that the obsessions and compulsions are excessive and/or unreasonable
-the person is distressed or impaired, and daily life is disrupted by the obsessions and compulsions

Question 5

Emotional Characteristics of OCD

Answer 5

OCD may feel depressed and/or other negative emotions.

Guilt and disgust.

Question 6

Behavioural characteristics of OCD

Answer 6

How actions which typically leads to the carrying out of repetitive actions to reduce anxiety. This leads to avoidance.

Question 7

Cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 7

Sufferers are usually plagued with obsessive thoughts. They also tend to develop cognitive strategies.

Anxiety.

Question 8

Biological Explanation for OCD

Answer 8

Genetics: genes can predispose individuals to the illness. It only suggests that this is part of the reason, as patients often have family members with the condition.

Question 9

Billet et al 1998 and Bellodi et al 2001

Answer 9

claim that genetic factors play a role. Using evidence from twin studies and family studies, they showed that close relatives are more likely to have the disorder than more distant relatives

Question 10

Mckeon and Murray 1987

Answer 10

patients with OCD are more likely to have first degree relatives who suffer from anxiety disorders

Question 11

Lewis 1936 and Pauls et al 2005

Answer 11

there is a higher percentage of OCD sufferers in relatives of patients than in a control group.