OCD, ASD, and PTSD Across the Lifespan | Psychiatric Assessment & Differential Diagnosis

In this lecture, Dr. Raymond Zakhari, DNP, EdM, PMHNP, Clinical Professor at Hunter College, explores three major psychiatric conditions—Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—through the lens of clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis.

You’ll learn to:

Differentiate OCD from anxiety and psychotic spectrum disorders.

Recognize ASD presentations across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Identify the neurobiological and psychological underpinnings of PTSD and acute stress responses.

Apply the 4P model (Predisposing, Precipitating, Perpetuating, and Protective factors) to case-based reasoning.

Integrate DSM-5-TR criteria with RDoC domains and real-world clinical decision-making.

🎯 Ideal For: PMHNP, FNP, and psychiatric nursing students | clinicians refining diagnostic skills | educators in advanced practice nursing