Which statement best characterizes OCD criteria?

Which statement best characterizes OCD criteria?

• A. Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts; compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts; time-consuming (>1 hour/day) or causing distress or impairment; not due to substances or another condition.
• B. Obsessions are random memories; compulsions are medical procedures; symptoms are caused by sleep deprivation.
• C. Obsessions are positive thoughts; compulsions are voluntary; OCD is always temporary.
• D. OCD is a mood disorder with no obsessions or compulsions.

Answer: (A)

OCD criteria center on obsessions and/or compulsions that cause significant distress or impairment and are not due to substances or another medical condition. Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, urges, or images that repeatedly enter the person’s mind. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. A key part of the diagnosis is that these symptoms take up a lot of time (often more than an hour each day) or cause clear distress or impairment in functioning. The statement identified captures these elements: it mentions intrusive, unwanted thoughts; it describes repetitive behaviors or mental acts; it notes the substantial time commitment or distress/impairment; and it excludes substances or another condition as the cause. The other options mischaracterize what obsessions and compulsions are (for example, calling obsessions random memories or compulsions medical procedures), misstate who is affected (obsessions are not positive thoughts), or misclassify OCD as a mood disorder or a temporary condition.

OCD criteria center on obsessions and/or compulsions that cause significant distress or impairment and are not due to substances or another medical condition. Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, urges, or images that repeatedly enter the person’s mind. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. A key part of the diagnosis is that these symptoms take up a lot of time (often more than an hour each day) or cause clear distress or impairment in functioning.

The statement identified captures these elements: it mentions intrusive, unwanted thoughts; it describes repetitive behaviors or mental acts; it notes the substantial time commitment or distress/impairment; and it excludes substances or another condition as the cause. The other options mischaracterize what obsessions and compulsions are (for example, calling obsessions random memories or compulsions medical procedures), misstate who is affected (obsessions are not positive thoughts), or misclassify OCD as a mood disorder or a temporary condition.