PSYC 230 Mental Health and Psychological Disorders I

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the different ways of defining abnormality, especially as it pertains to deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger
2. Describe the symptoms and treatments for anxiety disorders, trauma and stress disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders
3. Explain the causes of suicide and how it is researched
4. Describe what treatments are used after suicide attempts
5. Discuss past and present ways of evaluating and diagnosing abnormality
6. Describe the different types of professionals involved in the field of mental health
7. Compare and contrast biological, psychoanalytic, behavioural, and cognitive models, as well as "Integration Models" such as the "Developmental Psychopathology Perspective"
8. Describe the therapies associated with each model
9. Evaluate each model with regard to its strengths and weaknesses
10. Describe the current DSM system of classifying mental disorders, the reason for using a classification system, and the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis
11. Describe clinical assessment techniques
12. Evaluate each assessment technique in terms of its reliability and validity
13. Discuss the characteristics of suicide prevention programs
14. Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills, especially as it pertains to understanding and treating abnormality, the prevention of mental illness and relationship between the judicial system and mental health