The OCD Student

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By: Klara Morgan and Abby Johnson

 What is OCD?
OCD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder

- Individuals are “plagued with unwanted thoughts,

images or impulses that are difficult to suppress, causing
them great stress and worry.”
- Two parts, the obsession and the compulsion.
- Obsession is the process happening in an individual’s
brain.
- Compulsions are the physical actions OCD individuals
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take to combat the obsession.

 Mindsets
★ Fear of contamination
★ Fears of harm, illness, or death to self or others
★ Fears, feelings, or urges related to numbers, symmetry, or
order
★ Excessive doubting or dread of uncertainty
★ Fears, feelings, or urges related to perfection
★ Fears related to discarding something based on a
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hypothetical need
 Behaviors
★ Repeatedly washing hands, using antibacterial wipes or
hand-sanitizer
★ Avoiding touching surfaces that others may have touched
★ Refusing to share items or supplies with others
★ Checking behavior, such as making sure doors or windows are
locked or turning light switches on and off repeatedly
★ Avoiding leaving a perceived safe zone (classroom)
★ Avoiding going into unsafe zones (lunch or recess areas)
★ Counting, touching, or saying words a certain number of times
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due to a belief in the significance of a certain number

 Behaviors
★ Touching objects a certain number of times; not being able to move on
unless the physical contact has been made
★ Constantly evening up books or other items on a shelf or desk;
aligning edges to be even
★ Rearranging items to be in a certain order, such as by color
★ Constantly rechecking to see that everything is in a backpack or book
bag
★ Getting up and sitting down repeatedly at a desk, until feeling just right
★ Erasing and rewriting words over and over
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★ Repeating various actions for no apparent reason

 Reasons Behind OCD
★ It is believed that OCD likely is the result of a combination of:
○ Genetic - 25% of OCD individuals have an immediate family member
with it
○ Neurobiological - communication issues between different parts of the
brain
○ Behavioral - learned compulsions
○ Cognitive - misinterpretation of intrusive thoughts
○ Environmental factors - a response to outside forces, like abuse
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 Intervention
Strategies
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 Classroom Strategies for over anxious
Student: OCD Student
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 Intervention
Strategies
An intervention strategy
is a plan or method to
help a student succeed.

OCD students need

guidance in order to
flourish and it is the
teacher’s job to have a
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plan in place for them.

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash
 Classroom Functions
- Provide quite places for students to study,
take notes, or read
- Set aside areas so students can have a
space away from peers
- Allow students the use of noise cancelling
devices
- Have signals to tell the OCD student they
will be next
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 Seating Arrangement
Giving an OCD student a specific seat or allowing him or her choose their own seat
allows them to have control over a small item. Where a teacher places a student is
heavily dependent upon the severity of the OCD.

“My extreme OCD student told me he had to sit in the back

corner of the room because he could not stand to have anyone
behind him.” -Nina March

“if they are easily distracted then I will seat them close to my desk in the front of the
room so that they will focus.” - Jake Fenley
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 Breaking Into Chunks
OCD students are so overwhelmed by their thoughts - a
full assignment list or complete instructions for an
activity can be overwhelming. To avoid this:

- Teachers can explain assignments in pieces.

- Students can be told one portion of the instruction
at a time. The next part would not be given until
they had completed the first step.
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 Reading
★ Allow another individual (an aide or peer) to read to the student, unless the
student is uncomfortable with this arrangement.
★ Reduce the amount of material to be read:
○ assign shorter assignments
○ provide a summary of a chapter
○ allow the student to use a summarized version of a book.
★ Allow the student to submit an assignment involving reading after the due
date. Establish modified due dates/times with students who have difficulty
turning in assignments.
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★ Allow the student to use a card/piece of paper to cover anxiety-provoking

words in reading material, but keep other words visible.
Reading
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 Writing
★ Allow the student to use a computer/iPad rather than write by hand.
★ Allow the student to print, if cursive handwriting is problematic (or vice
versa).
★ Have the student use unlined paper, if the student feels compelled to write
every letter perfectly on the lines of lined paper.
★ Allow the student additional time to submit an assignment involving writing.
Establish a contract delineating the modified due dates/times with students
who have difficulty turning in assignments.

“OCD students may want to have perfect handwriting or answer each question word
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for word and not modify the answer. Some will feel overwhelmed and instead of
turning in a paper that could earn a suitable grade they will feel it is not worthy and
not turn anything in and take a zero.” -Jake Fenley
 Modifications - for Teachers
★ Secret words/phrases for students to leave the room
★ Adjusted homework assignments
★ Extra time on assignments/tests
★ Different grading scale
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 Modifications - for Peers
★ Buddy System
★ Accountability Partner
★ Understanding that peers need different things
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 Follow Up with Student

★ Conferencing with the OCD student

○ Could have a 504 plan or IEP
★ Quick Check Ins
○ Hand signs
■ Thumbs up
○ Colored cards

“Working one on one with them and encouraging them that their work is much
better than they think. Having regular meetings with them about their thought
processes and letting them know that I understand what they are dealing with
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in getting their work completed.” -Jake Fenley

 ❖ To keep the student on track
with their education.
❖ Organizing the classroom
The Need for
Management
❖ The Buddy System
Interventions and ❖ Reading Partner
Student Roles ❖ Note taker
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 ❖ Breaking down instruction
➢ One step at a time

Writing a paper (starting)

Intervention Time! -Outline

-Step by step instruction to start a

Writing a Thank You paper

Note
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 Work Cited

Classroom Accommodations for Teachers. (2019, January 09). Retrieved December 03, 2020, from
https://anxietyintheclassroom.org/school-system/profession-specific-resources/teachers-classroom-accommodations-ocd-anxiety/

Fenley, Jake. Interview. By Abby Johnson. December 2, 2020

How Does OCD Affect Children In The Classroom? (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2020, from
https://www.rileychildrens.org/connections/how-does-ocd-affect-children-in-the-classroom

Leininger, Melissa & Taylor, Tina & Prater, Mary & Heath, Melissa. (2010). Teaching Students With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Intervention
in School and Clinic - INTERVENTION SCHOOL CLINIC. 45. 221-231. 10.1177/1053451209353447.

March, Nina. Interview. By Klara Morgan. 2 December, 2020

OCD at School. (n.d.). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/ocd-at-school

Teachers Guide to OCD in the Classroom. (2018, March 29). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from
https://childmind.org/guide/a-teachers-guide-to-ocd-in-the-classroom/
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What Causes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? (2018, March 30). Retrieved December 03, 2020, from
https://beyondocd.org/ocd-facts/what-causes-ocd
THANK YOU!
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