Genetic Explan of OCD Flashcards
Research Support
One strength of the genetic explanation for OCD is the strong supporting evidence base
to support it from a variety of sources e.g. twin studies which suggests some people are vulnerable to OCD as a
result of their genetic make-up. A family study by Marini and Stebnicki (2012) found that a
person with a family member diagnosed with OCD is around four times more likely to develop it
as someone without. This higher prevalence amongst those who share DNA suggests that there
must be some genetic influence on the development of OCD. (talk abt twins)
Environmental influences
Purely genetic explanations overlook the role of the environment as a cause of OCD characteristics. Findings typically show that a child has around 11% chance of developing OCD if one of their parents has the condition; this is despite the child inheriting 50%
of their genes from a parent. This means environmental factors must play a vital role in the development of OCD. Furthermore, Cromer et al (2007) found that over half of the OCD patients in their sample had a traumatic experience in their past, and that OCD was more severe in those with more than one trauma. This suggests OCD cannot entirely be genetic in origin and environmental stressors influence its development. The evidence suggests that OCD is a complex
interaction of nature and nurture, and it may be beneficial to use the diathesis-stress model to explain OCD.
