Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Related Disorders, and Exam Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering OCD mechanisms, treatment via ERP, body dysmorphic disorder, and psychopathology assessment concepts from the lecture.

Mauer's Two-Process Theory of Avoidance Learning

A behavioral model of OCD explaining that a neutral stimulus becomes paired with anxiety through classical conditioning, and the resulting avoidance or neutralizing behaviors are maintained through operant conditioning via negative reinforcement.

Negative Reinforcement (in OCD)

The operant conditioning mechanism where engaging in a compulsive behavior relieves an aversive state of anxiety, thereby strengthening and perpetuating the compulsion.

Thought Suppression

A cognitive coping strategy where an individual actively attempts to bury, eliminate, or stuff down unwanted, intrusive thoughts or images.

Thought-Action Fusion

A cognitive distortion common in OCD where having an intrusive thought is viewed as morally equivalent to carrying out the act itself, or where thinking about an event is believed to make it more likely to occur.

Low Confidence in Memory

A cognitive bias and risk factor in OCD where individuals doubt their ability to remember accurately, increasing the subjective importance and threat of repetitive thoughts.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

The primary behavioral treatment for OCD that involves systematic exposure to situations that provoke obsessions while actively preventing the client from performing the associated compulsions.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

A condition characterized by preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance that are not observable or appear slight to others, driving repetitive behaviors or mental acts.

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

The DSM-5 text revision diagnostic category that encompasses OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, and trichotillomania.

Trichotillomania

A condition categorized within obsessive-compulsive and related disorders characterized by recurrent, compulsive hair pulling.

Mirror Exposures

A treatment intervention for body dysmorphic disorder where individuals either face mirrors if they avoid them, or learn to manage and reduce excessive hours spent examining flaws in mirrors.

Reliability

The degree of consistency of a measurement; it can produce consistently incorrect results and is not sufficient on its own to establish validity.

Biological Perspective (in Assessment)

An approach in psychopathology that evaluates medical and neurological processes using equipment such as fMRIs and PET scans.

Projective Test

An assessment tool associated with the psychodynamic approach (such as a sentence completion test) that uses ambiguous stimuli to reveal underlying, unconscious motivations.

Reciprocal Relationship

A bidirectional relationship in psychopathology where two variables or symptoms continually influence and maintain each other.

Point Prevalence

The proportion or amount of people experiencing a disorder at a specific, designated single point in time.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A pervasive condition characterized by future-oriented apprehension and chronic worry about what might happen in upcoming events.

Fear of Fear

The core defining fear in panic disorder, focusing on anxiety and dread regarding the onset of panic attacks and associated bodily sensations.

Compulsion

A repetitive physical behavior or mental ritual engaged in as a means of neutralizing obsessional thoughts and alleviating tension.

Neuroticism

One of the Big Five personality traits technically defined as the tendency to experience negative affect or negative mood swings, serving as the single best predictor of psychopathology.