Question 1

Paul's mother has OCD. What is the likelihood that he will be diagnosed with it too?

Accepted Answer

There is evidence to suggest that OCD runs in families and that relatives (especially first-degree relatives) of individuals with OCD are more likely to develop the disorder themselves compared to the general population. However, the exact likelihood depends on various factors such as the strength of the genetic component and environmental factors. Therefore, it is more likely that Paul will be diagnosed with OCD if his mother has the disorder compared to if she didn't have it.

Question 2

In studying the hypothesis that individuals with OCD have memory deficits, Cuttler and Graf (2009)identified prospective memory as:

Accepted Answer

Prospective memory involves remembering to perform an intended action at the right time or place in the future. This is different from retrospective memory, which involves remembering past events and experiences.

Question 3

Because only 40-60% of OCD sufferers do not respond to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), current research (Van Nieuwerburgh et al., 2009)is now concentrating on:

Accepted Answer

Research is now focusing on genetic polymorphisms, which may play a role in why some individuals with OCD do not respond to SSRIs. This approach may help personalize treatment plans for individuals with OCD.

Question 4

The obsessive thought that "if I have unwanted thoughts of harming others, then I must be a latent psychopath", is an example of which type of 'faulty appraisal'?

Accepted Answer

The obsessive thought mentioned in the question is an example of a catastrophic misinterpretation of significance. This type of faulty appraisal involves interpreting a situation or thought in an overly negative or catastrophic way, leading to anxiety or distress. In this case, the individual is catastrophizing by assuming that having unwanted thoughts of harming others means that they are a latent psychopath.

Question 5

In thought-action fusion, the person with this characteristic blurs the distinction between:

Accepted Answer

In thought-action fusion, the person with this characteristic blurs the distinction between thinking about an event and reacting as if it has occurred. This means that the person may believe that having a certain thought or desire is the same as actually committing the action associated with it. It is a common characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders. Choices A and C are not related to thought-action fusion. Choice D is incorrect as there is a correct answer.

Question 6

As compared to controls without OCD, people with OCD have been found to have impairment in

Accepted Answer

People with OCD have been found to have impairment in executive function, which includes the ability to plan, organize, initiate, and shift attention between tasks. This has been shown to contribute to the difficulty in suppressing intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that are characteristic of OCD. There is not sufficient evidence to suggest impairments in visual or auditory processing or task-oriented behaviors in people with OCD when compared to controls.

Question 7

A lot of OCD research has focused on which neurotransmitter?

Accepted Answer

Serotonin has been implicated in OCD, as it is involved in regulating mood, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat OCD, further supporting the role of serotonin in the disorder. However, other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate are also being studied for their potential involvement in OCD.

Question 8

Rachman and his colleagues have identified the importance of thought-action fusion in OCD, which refers to:

Accepted Answer

Thought-action fusion in OCD involves behaving as though one's thoughts have actually occurred, believing that thinking about events will increase their likelihood, and believing that thinking something unpleasant is the same as doing it.

Question 9

Dysfunction in the ___________________ brain region has been linked to both OCD and Tourette's syndrome.

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently found dysfunction in the basal ganglia, a group of structures located deep in the brain, in individuals with OCD and Tourette's syndrome. These structures are involved in motor control, decision-making, and habit formation, and abnormal activity in the basal ganglia can result in repetitive behaviors and tics seen in these disorders.

Question 10

A study of compulsive checkers (people who continually check to see if they have done something such as turning off the stove)found that these individuals

Accepted Answer

The study found that compulsive checkers have a memory deficit for actions they have performed, which is why they feel the need to repeatedly check if they have done something.

Question 11

Which of the following is the most widely used behavioural treatment for OCD?

Accepted Answer

Exposure and response prevention is the most widely used behavioural treatment for OCD, as it involves gradually exposing the patient to feared situations or objects and preventing them from engaging in compulsive behaviours. This helps the patient learn to tolerate anxiety and diminishes the need for compulsions. Cognitive-behavioural therapy may also be used in conjunction with exposure and response prevention, but it is not the most widely used behavioural treatment on its own. Thought stoppage is not a well-supported treatment for OCD, and medication is not a behavioural treatment but rather a pharmacological one.

Question 12

According to Clark's analysis of faulty appraisals that contribute to obsessions, people with obsessions overestimate:

Accepted Answer

Clark's analysis suggests that individuals with obsessions tend to overestimate the importance of their thoughts, the importance of controlling their thoughts, and the degree of threat posed by their thoughts. Therefore, all of the above choices are correct.

Question 13

Researchers trying to isolate a specific gene for OCD have found:

Accepted Answer

The researchers have found several interesting candidate genes, meaning they have identified genes that show promise for further investigation as potential genetic contributors to OCD. It does not specify that any specific gene has been isolated as solely responsible for OCD, so option A is not correct. Similarly, option B is not the best choice because while significant markers have been found, the focus is on the candidate genes. Option D is also incorrect as it states that there are no genetic markers for OCD, which is not true according to the information given.

Question 14

Adler viewed obsessive-compulsive disorder as due to:

Accepted Answer

Adler believed that obsessive-compulsive disorder was caused by a personal sense of incompetence and inferiority, which led to a need for control and perfectionism. This is in line with his larger theory of personality, which posits that individuals strive to overcome feelings of inferiority and develop a sense of social interest (i.e. a concern for the welfare of others and society as a whole). Therefore, D (lack of social interest) can be ruled out as the cause of OCD in Adler's theory. A (fixation in the anal stage) is a Freudian explanation that Adler would not support, and B (content of the personal unconscious) is not a primary factor in Adlerian theory.

Question 15

According to the psychoanalytic view, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a result of

Accepted Answer

According to the psychoanalytic view, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a result of struggles to control instinctual impulses. These impulses may be related to early childhood experiences and unresolved conflicts that are expressed through compulsive behaviors. The individual may feel a need to control their environment and avoid anxiety-provoking situations, leading to repetitive and rigid behaviors. Therapy may involve exploring these underlying conflicts and developing more adaptive coping strategies.

Question 16

A strictly behavioural therapist treating Steve for contamination fear due to OCD would use which of the following interventions?

Accepted Answer

Behavioral therapy for OCD, particularly for contamination fears, often involves exposure and response prevention (ERP). This means gradually exposing the person to the source of their fear (in this case, getting dirty) without allowing them to perform their usual compulsive behaviors (e.g., washing). This helps the individual learn that the anxiety or distress decreases over time without the compulsive action, thereby reducing the fear and compulsion over time. Choices A, B, and D do not specifically align with strictly behavioral approaches as they involve meditation, cognitive restructuring, and thought stopping, respectively.

Question 17

When presented with dirty items, Rauch et al. (1994)found that people with contamination fears resulting from OCD show increased regional blood flow to the:

Accepted Answer

Rauch et al. (1994) found that individuals with contamination fears due to OCD exhibited increased regional blood flow to the basal ganglia and frontal lobe, areas of the brain involved in the regulation of anxiety and fear responses.

Question 18

PET scan studies have found ___________ in patients diagnosed with OCD.

Accepted Answer

PET scan studies have found increased activation in the frontal lobes in patients diagnosed with OCD. This area of the brain is associated with decision-making, planning, and impulse control, which are all areas affected in individuals with OCD.

Question 19

Izzy frequently feels that when he is driving, he accidently hit someone and left the scene of the accident. If Izzy was in treatment with a therapist who was Adlerian, the therapist would view his obsessions as

Accepted Answer

Adlerian therapy emphasizes the individual's desire for competence and self-improvement. Izzy's obsessions could be seen as an attempt to gain mastery over his fears and anxieties related to driving, rather than an attempt to repress unconscious impulses or resolve psychosexual stages.

Question 20

The effectiveness of exposure with response prevention in the treatment of OCD is likely due to

Accepted Answer

Exposure with response prevention is a form of extinction, where the conditioned response (compulsion) is no longer reinforced and eventually extinguished. This is why it is an effective treatment for OCD. The other options (resistance, modeling, and operant conditioning) are not directly applicable to the mechanism of action in this treatment.

Quiz 6: Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders