AL PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 10 MARK SCHEME

AL Psychology Assignment Ten

MARK SCHEME: Please see also the Generic Mark Scheme in General Resources on Canvas.

ABNORMALITY: OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND RELATED DISORDERS

All questions are from examination papers.

1.
a. Describe explanations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (8 marks)

Explanations of obsessive-compulsive disorder, including the following: biomedical

(genetic, biochemical and neurological); cognitive and behavioural; psychodynamic.

Biomedical: Genetic – Genes (such as PTPRD, SLITRK3 and DRd4) have been found to have a
possible role in OCD type symptoms. Biochemical – Oxytocin dysfunction – increase worries
and fear of certain situations/stimuli with the belief that survival could be threatened.
Neurological – Abnormalities of brain structure and function. Basal ganglia implicated in
being related to obsessive-thinking. Also orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus
(used to check warning messages about threatening stimuli). Possibly basal ganglia no longer
receiving these messages. Candidates may also refer to striatum, thalamus and the caudate
nucleus). A malfunction in these areas may lead the OCD patient to continue to receive
messages to do ‘survival’ type activities (such as handwashing) even when this has already
been done by the person.

Cognitive and behavioural: Cognitive – This explanation is linked to obsessive thinking.

These thoughts lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety for the person. The reasoning
behind the thoughts is fault (e.g. the toilet is covered in harmful germs that could kill).
Stressful situations can make these thoughts worse. Behavioural – This leads to compulsive
behaviour which reduces the obsessive thoughts for a time and acts as the negative
reinforcer of the behaviour (as something unpleasant is removed). Cognitive and
behavioural can be described separately or together.

Psychodynamic: Arise from the anal stage of psychosexual development. There may have
been difficulties between the child and parent at this stage when the child defecated or
urinated. Children may become either anally expulsive or anally retentive and the individual
may become fixated at this stage. Compulsive cleaning or other rituals may help to soothe
the early childhood trauma. Could also be the id and the superego in conflict with each
other. The obsessive cleaning could act as an ego defence mechanism to deal with this
conflict.

Credit examples of the explanations.

Mark according to the levels of response descriptors in Table A.

Other appropriate responses should also be credited.

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AL PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 10 MARK SCHEME

b. Evaluate explanations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including a discussion of

nature versus nurture. (10 marks)

A range of issues could be used for evaluation here. These include:

Named issue: Nature versus nurture debate with reference to the various explanations of
obsessive-compulsive disorder. For example, the biomedical explanation would suggest that
OCD is due to nature as it suggests that OCD has a genetic cause and some researchers have
identified the specific gene that could be responsible for OCD. On the other hand,
psychodynamic is more on the nurture side of the debate as the process of developing OCD
may have arisen out of childhood conflict between a parent and child.

Comparisons of different explanations: Usefulness (effectiveness) of different explanations –

could relate these to therapies that have developed from the explanations.

Reductionist nature of the explanation: Biomedical is the most reductionist and the
psychodynamic the least. Can argue any of them are not full explanations.

Deterministic nature of the explanation: All could be argued to be deterministic to an

extent with biomedical the most deterministic.

Scientific nature of explanation (or not): Biomedical is the most scientific.

Mark according to the levels of response descriptors in Table B.

Other appropriate responses should also be credited.

2. ‘Biomedical treatments are perfect for treating obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.’

To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use examples of research you have studied to
support your answer. (12 marks)

Marks: Use generic levels of response in Table C.

Syllabus: Treatment and management of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders:

biomedical (SSRIs).

Most likely (any other appropriate responses should be credited):

For: Biomedical treatments (SSRIs) directly restore any chemical imbalance that might be
causing the OCD. Biomedical treatments can be given on a fixed schedule with dosage increased
or decreased as required. Biomedical treatments are easy to apply, with little time or effort, e.g.
one pill twice per day.

Against: Biomedical treatments may alleviate associated symptoms but not remove the cause.
Biomedical treatments may have side effects which may make the person feel worse.
Biomedical treatments may be addictive and so only used short-term.

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AL PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 10 MARK SCHEME

3. Victor gets up at 4 a.m. to go to school because he has to wash and then wash again because he
does not feel clean. Then Victor washes again and again. Victor has obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD), which involves obsessions (thoughts) and compulsions (behaviours).

Suggest a suitable treatment for Victor that would target both obsessions and compulsions.
(8 marks)

In this question candidates are free to suggest any way in which the assessment request could
be investigated. This may be in the form of a number of suggestions for research, application or
development of a theoretical approach, or it may be that candidates design their own study to
investigate the assessment request. Such an approach can include any appropriate method. Each
answer should be considered individually as it applies to the mark scheme.

4.
a. Describe the biomedical explanation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (4 marks)

Award 1–2 marks for a basic answer with some understanding of the topic area. Award 3–4
marks for a detailed answer with clear understanding of the topic area.

For example:

 Genetic/inherited: PTPRD, SLITRK3, DRD4 (linked to dopamine uptake).

 Biochemical: Oxytocin dysfunction.

 Neurological: Overactivity in areas of the brain – orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior

cingulate cortex, the striatum, the thalamus, the caudate nucleus and the basal ganglia.

Other appropriate responses should also be credited.

b. Explain one similarity and one difference between the biomedical explanation of obsessive-
compulsive disorder (OCD) and one other explanation of this disorder. (6 marks)

Likely comparisons will be to other explanations including cognitive, behavioural and/or

psychodynamic.

Similarities and/or differences could include:

 Offers an explanation of OCD (likely to be a difference):

 Nature versus nurture;

 Situational versus individual explanation;

 Scientific nature of explanation;

 Reductionist nature of explanation;

 Deterministic nature of explanation.

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AL PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 10 MARK SCHEME

Evidence to support explanation (or not): Practical applications (likely to be a similarity and
related to treatments.)

Mark according to the levels of response criteria below:

Level 3 (5–6 marks): Candidates will show a clear understanding of the question and will
include one similarity and one difference. Candidates will provide a good explanation with
clear detail.

Level 2 (3–4 marks): Candidates will show an understanding of the question and will include
one appropriate similarity in detail or one appropriate difference in detail. OR one similarity
and one difference in less detail. Candidates will provide a good explanation.

Level 1 (1–2 marks): Candidates will show a basic understanding of the question and will
attempt a similarity and/or difference. This could include both but just as an attempt.
Candidates will provide a limited explanation.

Level 0 (0 marks): No response worthy of credit.

Other appropriate responses should also be credited.

5. Explain the difference between obsessions and compulsions. (2 marks)

Marks: 1 mark for basic answer, e.g. identification. 1 mark for elaboration/ example.

Most likely answer (other appropriate responses to be credited):

 Obsessions: A state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or

frequently; recurrent unwanted thoughts.

 Compulsions: Repetitive physical behaviours and actions; rituals that are performed over and
over again (in an attempt to relieve the anxiety caused by obsessional thoughts).

TOTAL FOR ASSIGNMENT 50 MARKS