PSYC 2250 Syllabus

Subject Code

PSYC

Course Number

2250

Course Title

Abnormal Psychology

Prerequisites

PSYC 1101

Corequisites

Terms Offered

Offered Fall and Spring

Credit Hours

(3-0-3)

Course Description

This course emphasizes the etiology and treatments consideration of various forms of abnormal behavior. Topics include historical and contemporary approaches to psychopathology, approaches to clinical assessment and diagnosis, understanding and defining classifications of psychological disorders.

Course Outcomes

Describe historical concepts of abnormal behavior.

Order

Description

1

Describe historical understanding of psychopathology, including: the supernatural, biological, psychological and present conceptions and treatments.

 

Understand the current, integrative approach to psychopathology.

Order

Description

1

Differentiate and understand the following contributions to psychopathology: genetic, neurological, behavioral, cognitive, affective, interpersonal, social/cultural and life-span.

 

Understand approaches to clinical assessment and diagnosis of psychological disorders.

Order

Description

1

Describe key concepts in assessment and diagnosis of psychopathology.

2

Distinguish the basic components of research methods for understanding abnormal behavior.

3

Describe the role of genetics and culture in understanding abnormal behavior.

4

 

Understand approaches to clinical assessment and diagnosis of psychological disorders using the current version of the diagnostic and statistical manual on mental disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of anxiety disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the anxiety disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of somatoform and dissociative disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the somatoform disorders.

2

 

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the dissociative disorder.

 

Understand the complexity of mood disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the mood disorders.

2

Examine the relationship of mood disorders to suicidal behavior and discuss approaches to prevention.

 

Understand psychological and social factors that influence health.

Order

Description

1

Examine the contributions of stress and health-related behavior to the development and treatment of physical disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of eating disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the eating disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of sexual and gender identity disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the sexual disorders.

2

 

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the gender disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of substance-related and impulse-control disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the substance-related disorders.

2

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the impulse-control disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of personality disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the personality disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

 

Understand the complexity of developmental and cognitive disorders.

Order

Description

1

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the developmental and cognitive disorders.

2

 

Integrate the clinical descriptions, etiology, prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment specific to the cognitive disorders.

 

Demonstrate knowledge of legal and ethical issues in mental health services.

Order

Description

1

Describe criteria for civil commitment and criminal commitment.

2

Describe patients' rights and clinical practice guidelines.