Week 4: Psychological Disorder
1. Psychological Disorder (as listed in
the DSM-IV-TR):
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
2. DSM-IV-TR Code for this disorder:
#300.3
3. Why did you choose this disorder? (50
words or less)
This disorder is one that I find
interesting for many reasons, but primarily because it has gained so much
popularity and visibility in the past few decades. Many television shows show
the struggle of patients living with OCD and some compulsions and obsessions
can be bizarre. I chose this disorder because I would like to learn more about
the cultural aspects of it.
4. Discuss the psychological disorder
(150-250 words)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or
OCD, is characterized by repetitive, unwanted thoughts which are followed by
the repetition of rituals. By performing those rituals, the patient believes
that he or she will be able to avoid the anxiety that is produced by the
repetitive thoughts (Hansel & Damour, 2008). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
is equally common among men and women. The obsessions manifest as recurrent
thoughts, impulses, fears, and ideas, while compulsions are the drive pushing
the patient to perform some kind of repetitive act, which can be speaking a
phrase, cleaning his body, checking the locks, etc. Patients believe that
unless the perform the ritual, bad things can happen. Although most patients
are aware that their behavior is abnormal, they can’t control their thoughts
and obsessive need to perform rituals (Hansel & Damour, 2008).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can start to manifest in individuals of all ages,
including children. However, onset past the age of 40 is very rare (Hansel
& Damour, 2008).
5. Discuss the relationship between human
development and socialization (150-250 words)
During individuals’ life span, they
will go through a series of psychological, physical, and behavioral changes.
This phenomenon is known as human development. Socialization, on the other
hand, refers to the process through which individuals learn and adapt to the
behaviors and norms of their culture, through instruction, experience, and
observation. Both processes – human development and socialization – are in permanent
motion throughout the course of an individual’s life (Shiraev & Levy,
2010). Human beings are constantly changing and developing their beliefs,
attitudes, values, and behaviors, and that development occurs similarly within
certain cultures, since individuals tend to conform to their social
expectations. For example, in small cultures with little occupational
specialization, parents expect children to learn new concepts on their own,
while in industrialized societies children have a specific set of guides
associated with their learning (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). However, despite of
those social influences, human development will occur at each individual’s own
time. The individual’s socialization will be influenced by the culture’s
characteristics, even if these characteristics become intrinsic and unconscious
(Shiraev & Levy, 2010).
6. How does the relationship between human
development and socialization affect the psychological
disorder? (150-250 words)
When it comes to the influence of
human development on the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, it is interesting to
note that studies have shown that individuals with higher IQ scores, especially
those in industrialized countries, are more likely to suffer from OCD
(Peterson, Pine, Cohen, & Brook, 2001). In the United States, for instance,
over 2% of the population suffers from this disorder, which is the fourth most
common psychiatric disorder in the country. Individuals who suffer from
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are also likely to suffer from depression. It is
difficult to link environment factors to the occurrence of OCD, but researchers
believe that a predisposed genetic component associated with the disorder may
be affected by the environment (Pub Med Health, 2010). A curious aspect of OCD
is the fact that the symptoms of this disorder can easily be associated with
elements of normal human behavior, like cleaning ot worrying about safety, but
elevated to a higher level.
7. Discuss cultural considerations in
regards to prevalence, treatment, trends, etc. (150-250 words)
Studies have shown that cultural
differences do not have a high impact on the epidemiology of
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, as this disorder is consistent in many different
countries and cultures. In fact, researches performed in 15 different countries
showed that the differences between cultures do not have that much influence on
lifetime prevalent rates, which range between 1.9% (Korea) and 2.5% (Japan) (Pallanti,
2008). Some studies have shown that religion can be associated with
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In the Egyptian culture, for example,
individuals are requires to pray several times a day, and have repetitive
cleaning rituals, which are very strict. This emphasis and obsession with
cleanliness can be considered a source of obsessions and compulsions in that
culture. (Osaka, 2004). However, after observing the different researches, it
is possible to conclude that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is more linked to
genetics and biological factors than cultural differences, even if some
cultures’ characteristics may induce obsessive behaviors.
8. Discuss how this disorder may/may not
be accepted/explained within certain cultural contexts
(150-250 words).
Although some culture’s values and
traditions may be linked to the existence and prevalence of
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the abnormal extreme behaviors associated with
the disease are frowned upon cross-culturally, and often bring shame and
embarrassment to patients, even leading to suicidal thoughts in some cases. One
of the cultural factors that can be strongly associated with
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is religion, since rituals performed by religious
groups can be repetitive, judgmental and strict, which brings out feelings like
worry, vulnerability, and neuroticism (Hansell & Damour, 2008). The
cultural factors present in different countries tend to shape the symptoms on
patients suffering with OCD. In Brazil, for example, researchers found a
predomination of aggressive obsessions, which can be linked to the rise of
urban violence in the country. In the Middle Eastern cultures, the primary
sources of compulsion in patients were religious/scrupulosity concerns (Lewis-Fernandez
et al., 2010). Although these examples may not represent an acceptance of the
still highly tabooed disorder, it offers some explanation to the various
symptoms in different cultures.
9. What have you learned about this
disorder that you did not previously know? (50-100 words)
Some facts about
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder that I found interesting to learn were the ones
regarding the prevalence of the disorder. For example, the fact that
individuals with higher IQ are more likely to suffer from OCD was particularly
interesting because it makes sense. Very smart individuals usually have a difficult
time unwinding, and their brains are constantly working and worrying, which can
explain the occurrence of obsessive thoughts.
10.
References
Hansell,
J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Lewis-Fernández,
R., Hinton, D. E., Laria, A. J., Patterson, E. H., Hofmann, S. G., Craske, M.
G., Stein, D. J., Asnaani, A. and Liao, B. (2010), Culture and the anxiety
disorders: recommendations for DSM-V. Depress. Anxiety, 27: 212–229.
doi: 10.1002/da.20647
Osaka,
A. (2004). OCD in Egyptian adolescents: The effect of culture and
religion. Retrieved from
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/articles/ocd-egyptian-adolescents-effect-culture-and-religion
Pallanti,
S. (2008). Transcultural observations of obsessive-compulsive disorder. American
Journal of Psychiatry, 165(2), 169-170. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07111815
Pub
Med Health. (2010). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. PubMed Health. Retrieved
June 23, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001926/
Shiraev,
E. B. & Levy, D. A. (2010). Cross-cultural psychology:
Critical thinking and contemporary applications (4th ed.). Boston:
Pearson/Allyn Bacon.
No comments:
Post a Comment