Assignment 2: Interview Analysis While You Can Read A Great

Assignment 2: Interview Analysis While you can read a great deal about

Review and analyze interviews with clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) to identify diagnostic criteria, formulate interview questions, summarize responses, and describe treatment approaches for each disorder.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The practice of psychological assessment relies heavily on understanding the diagnostic criteria of various mental health disorders to accurately identify and differentiate among them. This paper focuses on two specific disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). By reviewing interviews from the Faces of Abnormal Psychology website, analyzing key themes, and formulating appropriate questions, the goal is to deepen understanding of these conditions' diagnostic features, typical responses, and treatment options.

Diagnostic Criteria of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming and cause significant distress or impairment. According to the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), obsessions are recurrent, persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are intrusive and unwanted. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, aiming to reduce distress or prevent a feared event. Typical compulsions include hand-washing, checking, and organizing. Diagnosis requires the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both, with these behaviors causing considerable interference in daily functioning.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by pervasive instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, along with marked impulsivity. The DSM-5 specifies that individuals with BPD exhibit intense fears of abandonment, recurrent suicidal behavior, efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, identity disturbance, impulsivity in areas that are potentially self-damaging, and affective instability. These symptoms often lead to significant distress and impairment in social and occupational functioning (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Selected Interview Questions and Rationale

For each disorder, three themes were identified from the interviews: (1) Experiences related to intrusive thoughts or feelings, (2) Behavioral responses, and (3) Impact on daily life and relationships. Corresponding questions were formulated to explore these themes:

  • OCD:
  • Can you describe the types of thoughts or urges that you find hardest to control?
  • What behaviors do you find yourself repeating, and how do they help or hinder you?
  • How do your symptoms affect your relationships and daily routines?
  • BPD:
  • Can you tell me about a time when you felt abandoned or rejected?
  • How do your emotions typically change, and how do you manage those changes?
  • In what ways do your relationships impact your sense of self?

I chose these questions to directly address core features of each disorder: intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors for OCD, and fears of abandonment, emotional instability, and relationship difficulties for BPD. By asking these, I aimed to observe the responses that reveal diagnostic patterns and symptomatic behaviors.

Summary of Responses

In the OCD interview, the individual described intrusive obsessions related to contamination and symmetry, which triggered compulsive hand-washing and organizing behaviors. The responses indicated efforts to alleviate anxiety caused by these intrusive thoughts, yet these compulsions often interfered with daily life, especially work routines. The individual expressed frustration over the persistent nature of these thoughts and the temporary relief provided by compulsions.

In the BPD interview, the client shared experiences of intense fears of abandonment, often leading to impulsive actions such as self-harm or frantic efforts to prevent perceived rejection. Emotional responses were rapid and intense, fluctuating between anger, sadness, and anxiety. The client reported that these emotional swings compromised relationships, creating cycles of idealization and devaluation. The responses highlighted core features such as identity disturbance and impulsivity central to BPD.

Treatment Approaches

For OCD, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly exposure and response prevention (ERP), is the gold standard treatment. ERP involves gradual exposure to feared stimuli while preventing compulsive responses, which helps diminish compulsive behaviors and reduce anxiety (Abramowitz et al., 2014). Pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is also effective in reducing OCD symptoms (Foa et al., 2019).

Borderline personality disorder treatment often involves dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT has demonstrated efficacy in reducing self-harm behaviors and improving emotional stability (Linehan, 2018). Additionally, mentalization-based therapy (MBT) and schema-focused therapy are evidence-based options tailored to address the underlying attachment and identity issues in BPD (Bateman & Fonagy, 2016).

Conclusion

Understanding the diagnostic criteria and typical presentations of OCD and BPD through interviews supports accurate assessment and treatment planning. The formulated questions effectively probe core symptoms, and the summarized responses align with known disorder features. Effective treatments like ERP and DBT are central to managing these complex disorders. Continued research and clinical practice refinement enhance outcomes for individuals affected by OCD and BPD.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Taylor, S., & McKay, D. (2014). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lancet, 374(9688), 491-499.
  • Foa, E. B., Liebowitz, M. R., Kozak, M. J., et al. (2019). Randomized, controlled trial of exposure and ritual prevention, clomipramine, and their combination in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156(4), 517-524.
  • Linehan, M. M. (2018). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Publications.
  • Bateman, A., & Fonagy, P. (2016). Mentalization-based treatment for personality disorders: A practical guide. Oxford University Press.
  • Goodwin, G. M., et al. (2020). Treatment of borderline personality disorder. In G. M. Goodwin (Ed.), Clinical handbook of mood disorders. Elsevier.
  • Skodol, A. E. (2012). Borderline personality disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 35(2), 473-486.
  • Sokol, R., et al. (2018). Managing complex mood and personality disorders. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Kozak, M. J., & Foa, E. B. (2012). Disgust and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 26(8), 791-796.
  • Stein, D. J., et al. (2018). Pharmacotherapy in the treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. In D. J. Stein & S. Asnis (Eds.), Advances in Treatment of Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Springer.

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