CAIE A-Level Psychology 1.5.3 OCD treatments
Practise describing and evaluating OCD treatments, including SSRIs, ERP, CBT studies and treatment choices for stimulus cases.
- Syllabus
- 2028–2030
- Course
- Psychology 9990
- Level
- A2
Exam points
- describe how SSRIs and ERP are used to manage obsessions and compulsions
- apply ERP steps to a named case by targeting both the obsession and the compulsion
- evaluate Lovell, Lehmkuhl or ERP evidence using reliability, child research or outcomes
1.5.3—OCD treatments question 1
[Maximum number: 6]
From the key study by Lovell et al. (2006) on the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder:
Question (a)
(a)
Identify two criteria that were necessary for participants to meet to be included in the study.
[ 2 ]
Syllabus: 1.5.3 Key study on treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder using telephone administered cognitive- behavioural therapy (CBT): Lovell et al. (2006).
Award 1 mark for each appropriate reason.
Definitive answer:
- diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder
- score of 16 or more on YBOCS (Yale-Brown scale)
- age 16-65.
Question (b)
(b)
Outline two reasons why some participants were excluded from the study.
[ 2 ]
Outline two reasons why some participants were excluded from the study.
Award 1 mark for each appropriate reason.
Definitive answer: patients with:
- obsessional slowness
- organic brain disease
- a diagnosis of substance misuse
- severe depression or with suicidal intent
- patients who had been on anti-depressants or anxiolytics for less than 3 months.
NOTE: 0 marks for 'withdrawing from study'; 0 marks for 'mixing/doubling up' with Q1(a)(i)
Question (c)
(c)
Suggest why Lovell et al. did not include a control group in their study.
[ 2 ]
Suggest why Lovell et al. did not include a control group in their study.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate suggestion stated and applied to study with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate suggestion identified but not applied.
Answers may include:
- a control group was not needed ( 1 ) the aim was to see if CBT by telephone was as good as face-to-face; both groups receiving CBT (2)
- a control group would receive no treatment (1) and if they were to be an appropriate control group they would have to meet the same inclusion criteria as the experimental groups (2).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
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