Classroom implications of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

According to a conversation with the British tabloid The Sun Daniel Radcliffe an ex-wizard comes out openly by talking about his suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as a young child. Daniel Radcliffe say that the OCD condition developed when he was at the age of five. Certainly, this was one of the worst things because he note that it would take him five minutes to turn off a light (Fintzy, 2018). On the same note, Radcliffe says that he was forced to repeat each sentence that he said under his breath. Accordingly, being in a condition of OCD does not mean that an individual is weak or insane. In light of this statement this paper discuss the theory of learning in relation to behaviours of an individual suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder; give a description of an emotional theory which best applies and justifies obsessive compulsive disorder; outline a personal disorder or mental disorder that can account for this behaviour; the way in which others are likely to influence individuals suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and lastly provide a conclusion which summarises the paper finings.

Learners with OCD are likely to experience relative impairment in the fields of emotional, social as well as academic performance. Nevertheless, when identified early enough it increases the chances of optimistic emotional, social and academic outcomes for kids and adolescents with OCD. Accordingly, tutors play a significant role towards the success of students with OCD. Subsequently, for instructors and school personnel to sufficiently realise the needs for students with OCD, firstly the have to be familiar with and educate themselves regarding obsessive compulsive disorder. It is essential for teachers to be cognisant with obsessive compulsive disorder as well as the impacts of its symptoms on different people as they may differ significantly. Therefore, it is important for instructors to understand the nature in addition to the severity of individual student’s condition together with its impact on the emotional, social and academic functioning.

Consequently, it has to be understood that obsession in addition to compulsion tend to wax and decrease over time and in most cases it is aggravated by stressful situations hence such information allow tutors be in a better position to realise the needs for learners with obsessive compulsive disorder. In addition, it is significant to discern that the kind and nature of obsession and compulsions can revolutionize over time. Although the form and rigorousness of obsessions and compulsions can differ from one person to another, some behaviours and symptoms which are rampant amongst persons identified with OCD. Some of the normal obsessions include cleanliness, contamination and germs, rearranging, counting and ordering items and repeating (Abramovitch et al., 2018). Even though a majority of the children and adolescent with obsessive compulsive disorder have a general intellectual quotient (IQ) in an average range, completing schooling can prove to be emotionally as well as mentally stressful and physical exhausting. Accordingly, there a number of problems which exist in the daily activities of schooling life. Certainly, this is attributive in the sense that the IQ of kids with OCD condition is lower in terms of performance tasks in comparison to verbal tasks. With regard to the case of Daniel Radcliffe it reveals that students with obsessive compulsive disorder suffer various challenges as well as approaches that can be used by teachers to aid such students overcomes these challenges.

Social issues

Social issues: Social issues are an essential concern because students with obsessive compulsive disorder are more probable to being bullied, mistreated, victimised and socially segregated by their peers. Accordingly, students with students with obsessive compulsive disorder in most cases have less friends due to the negative perception held by their peers as well as because of the incapacity to take part in social practices together with their peers. Consequently, Daniel Radcliffe case shows that kids and teenagers with students with obsessive compulsive disorder face a lot of difficult in making allies, maintaining friends and engaging in activities appropriate with their ages.

Bullying: A major concern experienced by children with OCD is bullying as well as peer victimisation. Students with students with obsessive compulsive disorder have higher chances of being bullied in addition to segregation due to being misunderstood by their peers’ negative attitudes towards their disabilities. Peer victimisation is mainly manifested in different forms such as hitting, kicking and name calling. Research has shown that the more severe the obsession and compulsions the higher the victimisation experienced by peers. Certainly, such cases have been found to heighten the symptoms of loneliness and depression among individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Nevertheless, the problem of bullying can be addressed by teachers concentrating on the similarities which exists among students as well as the differences which make every student distinct. As a result, teachers are supposed to model optimistic and respectful interaction with students with obsessive compulsive disorder to become role models for students to emulate. Accordingly increasing cognizance and sharing info regarding obsessive compulsive disorder with other students, it help to develop opportunities and space for constructive discussions about such conditions (Shin, Lee, Kim, & Kwon, 2014). On the same note students with obsessive compulsive disorder, other individuals and parents with obsessive compulsive disorder can be requested to share their experiences as part of tutorial room happenings. Moreover, instructors can make use of movies and books in a constructive light. Likewise, tutors can motivate and facilitate communication between leaners by offering a supportive as well as structured classroom setting. Indeed, this can be done by pairing obsessive compulsive disorder students with other students and participation in social practices. These groups can be closely monitored by educators to make sure that there is a constructive interaction with OCD students.

Depression, isolation and low self-esteem: as a result of the involuntary as well as indeterminate nature of the obsessive compulsive disorder students with such conditions have a tendency of bring depressed, publicly isolated which make them to have low self-confidence. Depression is the most prevalent disorder with obsessive compulsive disorder. Accordingly, individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder always have lower levels of perceived control due to having co-mobility depression. At the same time the co-occurrence of obsessive compulsive disorder in addition to depression heightens the possibilities of people with OCD to have self-doubt which lowers their self-esteem (Willis, & Neblett Jr, 2018). Consequently, low self-esteem results into negative peer interactions leading to social isolation. In relation to such conditions people with obsessive compulsive disorder tend to hide their obsession and compulsions due to fear of being excluded by their peers. In this sense such individuals are likely to shun certain people and places who could trigger stress and anxiety. Certainly, the existence of obsessive compulsive disorder increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. When these behaviours are viewed by others they are viewed as abnormal in case their obsessive and compulsive behaviours become visible. Indeed, people with obsessive compulsive disorder conditions tent to perfectionists however this results in negative consequences on the social and emotional functioning. Basically this may lead to recurrent criticism, negative peer engagement, depressions as well as low self-esteem. Nevertheless, to aid individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder conditions particularly students, instructors are required to foster friendly surrounding to allow OCD students to feel safe, welcomed and accepted.

Bullying

Accordingly, the obsessive compulsive disorder condition can be appropriately dealt with through the cognitive mediational theory. Indeed, cognitive mediational theory was proposed by Richard Lazarus an American psychologist. This theory makes attempts to describe the relationship between cognition, emotion as well as stress by focussing on the significance played by appraisal. In this light, appraisal is defined as the tendency of the human mind to make automatic as well as unconscious assessment of both situational as well as what such situations mean to them. Therefore, when individuals perceive a stimulus cognitive properties causes excitement in addition to emotions that are related to the same stimulus (Twohig et al., 2018). As a result, the cognitive judgement of the stimulus is the effects which results in future emotional reactions such as fear or stress in relation to the stimulus.

Brain differences: According to recent research studies through neuroimaging technologies under which pictures of the brain as well as its functionality taken has shown that there are specific regions of the brain parts which function dissimilarly among individuals and it may include errors in communication between different parts of the brain. Some these parts of the brain comprises the anterior cingulate cortex, the striatum, the orbitofrontal cortex as well as the thalamus (“Identifying The Causes Of OCD In Children”, 2018). Similarly, another cause of obsessive compulsive disorder include the abnormalities in the neurotransmitter system that is the dopamine, serotonin, glutamate among others which are involved in the conveying of messages between the calls of the brain.

The gene connection: In accordance to the research undertaken by the National Institutes of Health examination of the DNA the results have shown that obsessive compulsive disorder together with other interconnected psychiatric ailments are related with an uncommon transformation of the human serotonin transporter gene. Therefore, individuals who have severe obsessive compulsive disorder signs can have a second difference in the same gene. Additionally, further research postulate the possibility of genetic component where it shows that approximately 25 per cent of obsessive compulsive disorder victims have an immediate family member with the disorder.

Other factors that are likely to contribute to the beginning of obsessive compulsive disorder: Some of the aspects which may play part in the commencement of obsessive compulsive disorder include cognitive, behavioural as well as ecological factors. For instance, in regard to learning theories it is claimed that behavioural conditioning play a major role in the development as well as the maintenance of obsessions and compulsions. Specifically, learning theorists believe that compulsions are actually learned responses which aid a given person to reduce or prevent anxiety as well as discomfort related with obsessions. For example, a person who experiences an intrusion obsession about for instance germs may involve in hand washing to lessen the anxiety triggered by such obsession since the washing of the hands reduces the unease (“Identifying The Causes Of OCD In Children”, 2018). Consequently, the chances that the person will involve in hand washing when a contamination fear occurs in the future is amplified. Thus, compulsive behaviour does not only persists but it become excessive.

Depression, isolation and low self-esteem

In this light, a majority of the cognitive theorists believe that persons with obsessive compulsive disorder have dysfunctional beliefs which is their misinterpretation of intrusive though that results in the creation of obsessions and compulsions. In relation to the cognitive model of obsessive compulsive disorder, every individual experiences intrusive thoughts. Nonetheless, individuals with cognitive obsessive compulsive disorder misinterprets these thoughts as being highly significant, having catastrophic impacts and unmasking a person’s character. Therefore the recurrent misinterpretation of intrusive thoughts result in the development of obsessions. However, since obsessions are much distressing, the person involves in compulsive conducts in attempt to block, resists or neutralising these thoughts.

Both psychological and biological vulnerabilities describes the reasons as to why certain individuals are more probable as compared to others in developing obsessive compulsive disorder. Nevertheless, the major idea in understanding the development of obsessive compulsive disorder is the social play experience. Albert Bundura who is a principle initiator of social learning theory claims that people learn the way to think and act through observing others (Ryan, 2016). In particular social learning theory suggests that individuals can learn how to behave vicariously minus ever coming across direct experience with a certain condition. That means that individuals can learn how to react to a specific condition only through observation on how other people’s reactions. Indeed, this idea notes that leaning can happen without any direct experience hence it has a significant impact for the formation of obsessive compulsive disorder. Therefore, based on the social learning theory individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder have learned to be concerned by prior interaction with other individuals. For instance persons with obsessive-compulsive condition might have been offered information that germs are all over and will positively make them fall sick not considering that the body has a fairly well protected against germs. Certainly, the manner through which initial mentors handled their anxiety may directly or indirectly teach a child on how to react to a similar situation.

In conclusion, in my view individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder are not supposed to be isolated instead they should be provided with the necessary support to help them come out of such problems. Indeed, obsessive compulsive disorder is a situation that is traumatising because it is caused by both nature and nurture factors. As a result, it is important to identify the problem early enough so as to undertake the necessary interventions to enable such individuals to learn appropriately to cope with skills and diminish the negative impacts of obsessive compulsive disorder. Certainly, because the most devastating impacts of obsessive compulsive disorder is an individual’s social and emotional life, teachers and parents should take appropriate measures to enhance a surrounding of acceptance to aid such individuals foster constructive relationship s with their peers.  

References

Abramovitch, A., McCormack, B., Brunner, D., Johnson, M., & Wofford, N. (2018). The impact of symptom severity on cognitive function in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review.

Fintzy, U. (2018). Daniel Radcliffe talks about childhood OCD and being a celebrity – Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved from https://www.jta.org/2012/03/13/arts-entertainment/six-degrees-no-bacon/daniel-radcliffe-talks-about-his-childhood-ocd-and-about-being-a-celebrity

Identifying The Causes Of OCD In Children. (2018). Retrieved from https://beyondocd.org/information-for-parents/helping-a-child-who-has-ocd/causes-of-ocd-in-children

Ryan, M. (2016). Psychological Perspectives of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Shin, N. Y., Lee, T. Y., Kim, E., & Kwon, J. S. (2014). Cognitive functioning in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analysis. Psychological medicine, 44(6), 1121-1130.

Twohig, M. P., Abramowitz, J. S., Smith, B. M., Fabricant, L. E., Jacoby, R. J., Morrison, K. L., … & Lederman, T. (2018). Adding acceptance and commitment therapy to exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy.

Willis, H. A., & Neblett Jr, E. W. (2018). OC Symptoms in African American Young Adults: The Associations between Racial Discrimination, Racial Identity, & Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.