Department of Psychology, Unit Catalogue 2011/12 |
|
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
| Period: |
Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| EX 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| Before taking this unit you must take PS20092 and take PS20106 and take PS20107 and take PS20108 and take PS20109 |
| Description:
| Aims: The unit aims: * To introduce the work of clinical psychologists in the main areas of Adult Mental Health. * To allow students to critically evaluate the concept of mental illness and identify and understand psychological approaches to the understanding and treatment of the most commonly recognised problems seen in psychiatric settings and the community. * To show how psychological concepts are applied to mental health problems both as an extension of "normal" processes and as "psychopathology". * To introduce the scientist-/practitioner model prevalent in the practice of clinical psychology. Learning Outcomes: After completing the unit students will be able to: * Critically examine a number of general issues relevant to clinical psychology, including concepts of abnormality and diagnostic systems frequently used to classify mental health problems. * Critically examine the extent to which psychological, biological and social factors are understood to contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological problems. * Evaluate a number of approaches to the prevention and treatment of common mental health problems. * Understand the difference between transdiagnostic and diagnosis specific factors. * Discuss the understanding and treatment of a variety of disorders including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and personality disorders. * Understand the link between research into psychopathology and the way in which these problems are assessed, formulated and managed * Understand the way in which understanding of mechanisms involved in the maintenance of specific psychological problems links to the way in which treatments are developed and deployed. Skills: On completion of this unit, students will be able to: * Understand the scientific underpinnings of clinical psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development and limitations. (T/F A) * Recognise the inherent variability and diversity of psychological functioning and its significance. (T/F A) * Demonstrate systematic knowledge and critical understanding of a range of influences on psychological functioning, how they are conceptualised across the core areas, and how they interrelate * The core knowledge domains within psychology include (i) research methods, (ii) biological psychology, (iii) cognitive psychology, (iv) individual differences, (v) developmental psychology and (vi) social psychology. In addition to these core areas it is expected that students will gain knowledge of conceptual and historical perspectives in psychology. (T/F A) * Has detailed knowledge of several specialised areas and/or applications, some of which are at the cutting edge of research in the discipline. (T/F A) * Reason scientifically, understand the role of evidence and make critical judgements about arguments in psychopathology. (T/F A) * Communicate ideas and research findings as applied to psychopathology and clinical psychology both effectively and fluently by written, oral and visual means. (T/F A) * Solve problems by clarifying questions, considering alternative solutions and evaluating outcomes. (T/F A) * Undertake self-directed study and project management in order to meet desired objectives. (T/F A) * Take charge of their own learning, and can reflect and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses for the purposes of future learning. (T/F A) Content: Throughout the unit participants will learn about the foundations of clinical psychology in core psychological disciplines, including but not confined to learning theory, cognitive psychology and social psychology. The content of the unit reflects the main areas of Adult Mental Health in which Clinical Psychologists are involved namely the identification, understanding and treatment of: emotional disorders; phobias (including agoraphobia and social phobia); a variety of other anxiety disorders (e.g. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder and General Anxiety Disorder); eating probblems including anorexia and bulimia; depression and psychosis; and "personality disorders". The unit will consider the theoretical and empirical foundations of different approaches to psychopathology, and provide an opportunity to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each, including the tensions between psychological and biological accounts of mental health problems. |
| Programme availability: |
PS30122 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Psychology
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