Which statement about obsessive-compulsive disorder is NOT a core diagnostic feature?

Which statement about obsessive-compulsive disorder is NOT a core diagnostic feature?

• A. Obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming and cause distress or impairment.
• B. Delusions.
• C. Recurrent intrusive thoughts.
• D. Compulsions aimed at reducing distress.

Answer: (B)

The main concept here is what features define obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD centers on obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming or cause distress or impairment. Obsessions are recurrent intrusive thoughts, urges, or images, while compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to relieve distress or prevent a feared event. In contrast, delusions—fixed false beliefs not grounded in reality—are not a core diagnostic feature of OCD; they are characteristic of psychotic disorders. In OCD, most people maintain some level of insight into the irrational nature of their thoughts, and there is even a specifier for OCD when insight is absent or delusional, but this does not make delusions a defining criterion.

The main concept here is what features define obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD centers on obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming or cause distress or impairment. Obsessions are recurrent intrusive thoughts, urges, or images, while compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to relieve distress or prevent a feared event. In contrast, delusions—fixed false beliefs not grounded in reality—are not a core diagnostic feature of OCD; they are characteristic of psychotic disorders. In OCD, most people maintain some level of insight into the irrational nature of their thoughts, and there is even a specifier for OCD when insight is absent or delusional, but this does not make delusions a defining criterion.