Question

While in the facility, a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder saves all used medicine cups and paper cups and arranges them in elaborate sculptures in the room. At home, the client saves mail and magazines and makes elaborate paper sculptures from them. Which outcome would indicate successful treatment for this client?

1. The client throws away all disposable cups.
2. The client is discharged and takes the cups home.
3. The client keeps the cups in a bag in his room.
4. The client goes home on pass and arranges magazines.

Answer 1

A successful treatment outcome for a client with OCD who compulsively hoards would be represented by the client being able to throw away unnecessary items, like disposable cups, indicating a reduction in compulsive behaviors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is related to the treatment of a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), who exhibits compulsive hoarding and arranging behaviors. An important part of treatment for OCD involves reducing or eliminating compulsive behaviors, so a successful treatment outcome would involve changes in these behaviors. Success in OCD treatment can be subjective and depends on individual goals set in collaboration with healthcare providers. However, generally:

• The client throwing away all disposable cups would indicate a significant reduction in compulsive saving and could suggest improvement.
• The client being discharged and taking the cups home could indicate a continuation of hoarding behavior without intervention, which is not a successful treatment outcome.
• The client keeping the cups in a bag in his room could represent an attempt to organize or contain the behavior, but does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the compulsive need to save and organize.
• The client going home on pass and arranging magazines could suggest the behavior persists outside of the facility, which also does not necessarily indicate a successful treatment outcome.

Given these options, the most likely indication of successful treatment is the client's ability to throw away disposable items, as this demonstrates a change in compulsive behaviors associated with OCD.