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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Unit aim

Explores the various causes of human emotion (positive and negative) and behavioural dysfunction from genetic, social, psychological and biological perspectives. Systems for classifying or diagnosing disorders of behaviour, mood and thought such as depressive and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, addictions and sexual dysfunction and their limitations will be discussed. Factors associated with effective coping with life's challenges in various cultures will be discussed in terms of a continuum of effective adaptation. The unit will also focus on the research regarding evidence-based treatments for various psychological disorders.

Unit content

  • Contemporary theories of abnormality
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Mood disorders and suicide
  • Schizophrenia Personality disorders
  • Treatments for clinically significant distress or maladaptive behaviour
  • Childhood disorders
  • Cognitive disorders and lifespan issues
  • Sexual disorders
  • Substance-related disorders
  • Mental health and the law

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of formal and informal diagnostic approaches across cultures and professional disciplines, including categorical and dimensional perspectives
2 demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding theories of psychopathology
3 understand methods, and their limits, for categorising and assessing individuals for the purposes of formal clinical psychological research
4 demonstrate knowledge of the literature on a range of cognitive and psychological disorders
5 write a clear, concise description, informed by the clinical research literature, of diagnostic criteria and treatment options for a mental disorder.
6 reflect on and describe in writing one’s personal view of abnormality, including comments on the objective cues used and cultural or personal origins of one’s views.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of formal and informal diagnostic approaches across cultures and professional disciplines, including categorical and dimensional perspectives
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  2. demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding theories of psychopathology
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  3. understand methods, and their limits, for categorising and assessing individuals for the purposes of formal clinical psychological research
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  4. demonstrate knowledge of the literature on a range of cognitive and psychological disorders
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  5. write a clear, concise description, informed by the clinical research literature, of diagnostic criteria and treatment options for a mental disorder.
    • GA1:
  6. reflect on and describe in writing one’s personal view of abnormality, including comments on the objective cues used and cultural or personal origins of one’s views.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:

Prescribed texts

  • No prescribed texts.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.