An adult client is admitted to the psychiatric unit because of a daily, complex handwashing ritual that takes two hours or longer to complete. The client worries about staying clean and refuses to sit on any of the chairs in the day area. This client's handwashing is an example of which clinical behavior?

A. Phobia. A phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that leads to a desire to avoid it. The client's behavior is more characteristic of a compulsion rather than a phobia. B. Obsession. An obsession is an intrusive, unwanted thought, image, or urge that causes significant anxiety. While the client's fear of contamination could be an obsession, the handwashing itself is a compulsion. C. Compulsion. This is the correct answer because a compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. The client's excessive handwashing ritual is a classic example of a compulsion. D. Addiction. Addiction involves a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance or behavior, typically involving a sense of euphoria or pleasure, which is not applicable to the client's behavior.