Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
PSYC 2341
Descriptive
Abnormal Psychology
Department
Psychology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
201930
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Contact hours
Lecture: 4 hrs. per week / semester
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities
This course will employ a number of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives which will include some of the following:
- Lectures.
- Seminar presentations.
- Audio-visual materials.
- Small group discussion.
- Research papers.
- Volunteer projects.
Course description
Students are introduced to basic issues in the study of abnormal psychology and to a selection of mental disorders. Topics include the history of psychopathology, paradigms, classification, assessment, research methods, theories of etiology, and approaches to treatment.
Course content
- Historical and Scientific Considerations
- The nature of abnormality.
- The mental health professions.
- History of psychopathology.
- Current Paradigms in Psychopathology and Treatment
- Biological paradigm.
- Psychoanalytic paradigm.
- Learning paradigm.
- Cognitive paradigm.
- Consequences of adopting a paradigm.
- Classification and Diagnosis
- Classification and DiagnosisDiagnostic system of the American Psychiatric Association.
- Issues in classification.
- Criticisms of diagnosis.
- Clinical Assessment Procedures
- Reliability and validity.
- Biological assessment.
- Psychological assessment.
- Cultural diversity and assessment.
- Research Methods in the Study of Abnormal Psychology
- Science and scientific methods.
- Research methods of abnormal psychology.
- Anxiety Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Mood Disorders
- Descriptions.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Personality Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Substance Use Disorders (Focus on Alcohol)
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Sexual Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Childhood Disorders
- Description.
- Theories of etiology.
- Therapies.
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Civil commitment.
- Criminal responsibility.
- Ethical issues.
Learning outcomes
- Define abnormality.
- Describe the perceived causes and treatments of abnormal behaviour prior to the twentieth century.
- Describe the biological, psychoanalytic, behavioural, cognitive, and diathesis-stress paradigms of psychopathology.
- Describe the therapies associated with each paradigm.
- Evaluate each paradigm with regard to its strengths and weaknesses.
- Describe the current DSM system of classifying mental disorders, the reason for using a classification system, and the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis.
- Describe clinical assessment techniques including unstructured and structured interviews, psychological inventories, projective tests, intelligence tests, neuropsychological assessments, psychophysiological assessments, behavioural assessments, and brain imaging techniques.
- Evaluate each assessment technique in terms of its reliability and validity.
- Describe the case study, correlation, and experimental methods of scientific investigation.
- Evaluate each method of investigation with regard to its strengths and weaknesses.
- Describe the symptoms and associated features of anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, dissociative disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, substance use disorders, sexual disorders, schizophrenia, and childhood disorders.
- Describe and evaluate the theories of etiology for each disorder.
- Describe and evaluate the psychological and biological therapies for each disorder.
- Describe and discuss issues relating to civil commitment and criminal responsibility.
- Describe and discuss ethical dilemmas in therapy and research.
Means of assessment
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with ÌÇÐÄvlog´«Ã½policy. Evaluation will be based on the course objectives. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on some of the following:
- Multiple-choice tests.
- Written-answer tests.
- Final exam.
- Oral presentation.
- Research project/term paper.
- Volunteer project.
An example of one evaluation scheme:
4 tests | 40% |
Mid-term exam | 15% |
Term paper | 15% |
Oral presentation | 10% |
Final exam | 20% |
Total | 100% |
Textbook materials
Textbook(s) such as the following, the list to be updated periodically:
- Barlow, D. H., Durand, V. M., & Stewart, S. H. (2012). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Nelson Education.
- Butcher, J .N., Mineka, S., Hooley, J. M., Taylor, S,. & Anthony, M. (2010). Abnormal psychology (1stCanadian ed.). Toronto, Canada.: Pearson Education Canada.
- Davison, G., Blankstein, K., Flett, G., & Neale, L. (2010). Abnormal psychology (4th Canadian ed.). New York, NY: Wiley.