Kursinformation

This course will provide students with an opportunity to learn about and understand abnormal behavior through the lens of psychopathology. Students will learn how to define and analyze psychological disorders, describe psychological dysfunction, distress, and atypical cultural responses. This course will be organized according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -5th Edition (DSM-5).

We will use an integrated approach when discussing and learning about psychological disorders in that we will examine the interaction between cultural, social, biological, and developmental factors. Specific disorders to be reviewed include mood, anxiety, substance use, eating, sexual, psychotic, and child spectrum disorders We will examine and apply psychological theory and findings from empirical studies when examining psychopathology.

 

This is an elective course that counts towards the requirements in the psychology minor, major and combined major.

The goals of this course are as follows:

 

1.   Define and analyze abnormal behavior and describe psychopathology in relation to cultural, social, biological, and developmental factors;

2.   Demonstrate understanding of assessment, etiology, symptoms, and treatments of the major psychological disorders in the DSM-5;

3.   Demonstrate familiarity with research methods and ethical considerations appropriate for the study of psychopathology;

4.   Identify and apply major psychological theories and findings from empirical studies to the explanation of psychopathology;

5.   Enhance writing skills in conjunction with APA format.

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: