OCD And The Biological Approach To Explaining OCD - evaluation

Question 1

What is the strength of the biological approach to understanding OCD?

Answer 1

Research links OCD vulnerability to genetic make up as Nestadt et al in their twin study found 68% of MZ twins shared OCD as opposed to 31% of DZ twins

Family studies suggest 4x more likely to have OCD if a relative has it and animal studies show certain genes link to repetitive behaviours

Question 2

What’s another strength of the biological approach?

Answer 2

Antidepressants alter serotonin levels and reduces OCD sometimes

Question 3

List a limitation of the biological approach to OCD.

Answer 3

Role of environmental factors as Cromer et al found that half OCD clients had previously suffered trauma and the worse the trauma, the worse the OCD

Question 4

What’s another limitation of the biological approach?

Answer 4

Studies based on animal studies in which humans are more complicated than mice

Question 5

What’s the last limitation for the biological approach?

Answer 5

People with OCD often have depression = means serotonin levels activity may be due to the depression not the OCD

Highlights that correlation doesnt equal causation