Definition
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) entails the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are defined as unremitting thoughts that are at some point intrusive and unwanted and usually associated with significant anxiety or distress. With compulsions, the individual feels compelled to engage in stereotyped behaviors or mental acts in efforts to reduce distress or anxiety. The diagnosis requires that these obsessions and/or compulsions consume considerable time in an individual’s day and/or cause clinically significant distress or impairment.
Categorization
OCD is classified with the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association 2013). Previously classified as an anxiety disorder, OCD has been reclassified since the DSM-5 with greater appreciation for other prominent features of the disorder, namely, the repetitive behaviors and thoughts that persist despite...
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References and Readings
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Agyemang, A.A. (2017). OCD. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_9177-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_9177-1
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