OCD

Question 1

What are the 4 types of obsessive disorders?

Answer 1

• OCD = obsessions and compulsions
• trichotillomania = compulsive hair pulling
• hoarding disorder = gathering possessions
• excoriation disorder = compulsive skin picking

Question 2

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of OCD?

Answer 2

• repetitive compulsions
• compulsions reduce anxiety
• avoidance

Question 3

What are the 3 emotional characteristics of OCD?

Answer 3

• anxiety and distress
• accompanying depression
• guilt and disgust

Question 4

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of OCD?

Answer 4

• obsessive thoughts
• cognitive coping strategies
• insight into excessive anxiety

Question 5

What is the biological approach to explaining OCD?

Answer 5

• genetic and neural
• genetic explanation = candidate genes (genes that cause vulnerability for OCD), polygenic (caused by multiple genes), inherited genes (from parents resulting in different types of OCD)
• neural explanation = low serotonin meaning low moods and OCD, frontal lobes and parahippocampal gyrus all associated with processing unpleasant info and logical thinking

Question 6

What is a strength and a limitation for genetic explanations of OCD?

Answer 6

• strength of research support in family studies and found that person who had a family member with OCD is 4x as likely to develop it - reliable
• limitation that its not just genes - there are also environmental risks for OCD like trauma and experiences - too simplistic - lacking in validity

Question 7

What is a strength and a limitation for neural explanations of OCD?

Answer 7

• strength of research support from antidepressants that work solely on serotonin levels can help OCD showing that serotonin is involved - reliability
• limitation of serotonin link not being unique to OCD as its also involved in the accompanying depression (co-morbidity) and the antidepressants help the low serotonin levels in the depression not OCD