Lindsay has obsessions about contamination and washes her hands hundreds of times per day.During therapy,Lindsay is asked to get her hands dirty on purpose and then leave them dirty for several hours.This is an example of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of exposure therapy with response prevention, where Lindsay is exposed to the feared stimulus (contamination) and is prevented from engaging in the compulsive behavior (handwashing) that usually reduces her anxiety. This helps to break the link between the obsession and the compulsive behavior, ultimately reducing the symptoms of OCD. Choice A is incorrect because punishment is not being used here. Choice B is incorrect because systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing the individual to the feared stimulus while using relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety. Choice C is incorrect because negative reinforcement involves removing a negative stimulus to increase a behavior, whereas here we are preventing the individual from engaging in a behavior that normally reduces anxiety.

Lindsay Has Obsessions About Contamination and Washes Her Hands Hundreds