NURS 6501: Final Exam: Please contact Assignment Samurai for help with NURS 6501: Final Exam or any other assignment. Email: assignmentsamurai@gmail.com   During a community health survey, which population is most likely to have recently developed symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Group of answer choices

• Men in their late 30s
• Adolescents of both sexes
• Elderly women
• Women in their early 20s

  The correct answer is: Adolescents of both sexes   Explanation: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a bimodal age of onset, but the most common period for initial symptoms is:

• Late childhood to early adolescence (peaking around 10–12 years old).
• A smaller second peak occurs in early adulthood (20s–30s).

Why This Group?

• Neurodevelopmental factors: OCD is linked to prefrontal-striatal-thalamic circuit dysfunction, which often manifests during brain maturation in adolescence.
• Puberty-related hormonal changes may trigger symptoms.
• Early-onset OCD is more common in males, but by adulthood, the sex ratio equalizes.

Why Not the Others?

• Men in late 30s / Women in early 20s: Less typical for new-onset OCD (though adult-onset occurs).
• Elderly women: OCD rarely develops de novo in this group (more likely exacerbation of preexisting symptoms).

Key Insight: Early intervention in adolescents improves outcomes, as untreated OCD can become chronic. Thus, adolescents are the most likely group for recent-onset OCD.