9990 · 1.3.1
Diagnostic criteria for impulse control disorders flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9990 Diagnostic criteria for impulse control disorders (syllabus 1.3.1). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
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Core feature of impulse control disorders?
Repeated failure to resist impulses driving behaviours that harm self or others — increasing tension before the act and relief/gratification after.
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Kleptomania criteria?
Recurrent failure to resist stealing unneeded items — not for profit or anger; rising tension beforehand, pleasure/relief afterwards.
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Pyromania criteria?
Deliberate fire-setting on more than one occasion — fascination with fire, tension before, pleasure when present or involved.
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ICD vs OCD?
OCD: ego-dystonic obsessions + anxiety-reducing compulsions. ICD: pleasurable impulse with tension–release cycle — act is gratifying, not ritual to neutralise obsession.
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ICD vs conduct disorder?
Conduct disorder involves broader antisocial pattern for gain/power; kleptomania steals without need — different motivation and criteria.
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Comorbidity issue?
ICDs often co-occur with mood, anxiety, and substance disorders — diagnostic boundaries blurred, affecting validity of separate category.
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What is the core feature of an Impulse Control Disorder (ICD)?
The recurrent failure to resist an impulse, drive, or temptation to perform an act that is harmful to the person or to others, preceded by tension and followed by relief.
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What is the primary motivation for stealing in kleptomania?
The motivation is to relieve a build-up of internal tension. The act of stealing provides pleasure, gratification, or relief. It is not for monetary gain or personal use of the object.
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How is pyromania different from arson?
Pyromania is driven by a psychological need for tension relief and a fascination with fire. Arson is fire-setting with a clear, rational motive, such as for insurance fraud, revenge, or to conceal a crime.
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What happens to the objects stolen by a person with kleptomania?
The objects are typically not needed and could have been afforded. They are often hoarded, discarded, returned secretly, or given away, highlighting that the value is in the act of stealing, not the object itself.
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What diagnostic 'rule-out' is common to both kleptomania and pyromania?
For both disorders, the behaviour must not be better explained by another mental disorder, particularly a manic episode, antisocial personality disorder, or a conduct disorder.