A person experiencing frequent hand washing due to fears of germs is indicative of which disorder?

The behavior of frequent hand washing driven by fears of germs is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In OCD, individuals often experience intrusive thoughts or obsessions that cause significant anxiety, leading them to engage in compulsive behaviors—such as excessive hand washing—as a way to alleviate that anxiety. The hand washing itself becomes a ritualistic behavior aimed at reducing the perceived threat posed by germs, reflecting an excessive concern for cleanliness and control over one’s environment.

Generalized anxiety disorder involves a more pervasive pattern of worry across multiple domains of life but does not typically manifest in specific compulsions like hand washing. Social anxiety disorder centers on the fear of social situations and judgment from others, while specific phobia pertains to an intense fear of a specific object or situation. In contrast, the compulsive behaviors found in OCD, like the hand washing described, are directly tied to intrusive thoughts and the need to reduce that distress through specific actions. Therefore, the connection between compulsive hand washing and an irrational fear of germs directly points to obsessive-compulsive disorder as the correct identification of the disorder.