Delivered at:: School of Psychology

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 1 year, 3, 4 module

Instructor

Jurcik, Tomas

Full Syllabus Ask Question

Abstract

The following course is an introduction to topics in abnormal psychology and clinical psychology, including the classification and etiology of common mental disorders, psychological assessment and treatment. Topics will be examined through a critical, cultural, socio-ecological, as well as a historical and biological lens.Acculturation processes and immigrant mental health research is also discussed.The course is designed to give students a broad overview of the field of clinical and abnormal psychology, and may be useful background for students who are interested in eventually pursuing mental health related research from a social or cultural perspective, or those who simply wish to have a better conceptual grasp of the field. As an introductory course, no specific prerequisites are required, although students are expected to have been exposed to material in introductory psychology undergraduate courses and may benefit from having some previous exposure to social and cultural psychology.

Learning Objectives

To familiarize students with psychological disorders, their assessment and treatment
To examine the origins and basic theories in the field of abnormal and clinical psychology
To develop an appreciation for how social and cross-cultural psychology may inform abnormal and clinical psychology, as well as vice versa
To cover basic issues in immigrant mental health
To develop students' capacities to be able to present and participate in basic scientific discussions in the field

Expected Learning Outcomes

Students will become familiar with controversies in clinical psychology
Students will become familiar with social and cultural factors of common mental disorders, including perspectives from cultural-clinical psychology
Students will become familiar with the common research methods used in abnormal and clinical psychology
Students will become familiar with the history of abnormal and clinical psychology
Students will become familiar with the relationship of clinical psychology to neuroscience, medicine and psychiatry
Students will develop openness to feedback during discussions, and develop debating skills
Students will develop their presentation skills as well as their skills to synthesize and report information, as well as to understand better the core issues of abnormal and clinical psychology topics.

Course Contents

Course overview
Research methods
Overview of mental disorders
Overview of mental disorders
Clinical psychologist roles: Assessment
Clinical psychologist roles: Treatment
Relationship to social, personality, cultural and cognitive psychology and related disciplines
Acculturation/ immigrant mental health
Relationship to neuroscience, medicineand psychiatry
Abnormal and Clinical Psychology: In depth student presentations
Controversies in the field and the future of clinical psychology

Assessment Elements

Attendance and Participation
Attendance, participation in discussions
Final Essay
Student Presentations
Mid-Term Exam

Interim Assessment

2024/2025 4th module
0.1 * Attendance and Participation + 0.35 * Final Essay + 0.25 * Mid-Term Exam + 0.3 * Student Presentations

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Achenbach, T. M. (2017). Future Directions for Clinical Research, Services, and Training: Evidence-Based Assessment Across Informants, Cultures, and Dimensional Hierarchies. Journal Of Clinical Child And Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal For The Society Of Clinical Child And Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 46(1), 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2016.1220315
Budd, M. A., Hough, S., Wegener, S. T., & Stiers, W. (2016). Practical Psychology in Medical Rehabilitation. Switzerland: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1224671
Fazel, M., Wheeler, J., & Danesh, J. (2005). Prevalence of serious mental disorder in 7000 refugees resettled in western countries: a systematic review. Lancet, 365(9467), 1309–1314. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)61027-6
Field, M., & Cartwright-Hatton, S. (2015). Essential Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1641773
Glorisa Canino. (2008). Psychiatric diagnosis – is it universal or relative to culture. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.2A50C5F8
Kirmayer, L. J., Thombs, B. D., Jurcik, T., Jarvis, G. E., & Guzder, J. (2008). Use of an Expanded Version of the DSM-IV Outline for Cultural Formulation on a Cultural Consultation Service. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.DA78F60B
Phillips, J., Frances, A., Cerullo, M. A., Chardavoyne, J., Decker, H. S., First, M. B., … Zachar, P. (2012). The six most essential questions in psychiatric diagnosis: A pluralogue part 2: Issues of conservatism and pragmatism in psychiatric diagnosis. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.F1612F7C
Spiegel, D., Loewenstein, R. J., Lewis, F. R., Sar, V., Simeon, D., Vermetten, E., … Dell, P. F. (2011). Dissociative disorders in DSM-5. Depression & Anxiety (1091-4269), 28(12), E17–E45. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20923
Tangney, J. P., & Maddux, J. E. (2010). Social Psychological Foundations of Clinical Psychology. New York: The Guilford Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=332472
University of Florida, D. of P. U. ( host institution ), Tandon, R. ( author ), Nasrallah, H. A. ( author ), & Keshavan, M. S. ( author ). (2009). Schizophrenia, “just the facts” 4. Clinical features and conceptualization. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.81BD10AB

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Folk, J. B., Disabato, D. J., Goodman, F. R., Carter, S. P., DiMauro, J. C., & Riskind, J. H. (2016). Wise Additions Bridge the Gap between Social Psychology and Clinical Practice: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy as an Exemplar. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.869176D9
Glasgow, R. E., Lichtenstein, E., & Marcus, A. C. (2003). Why Don’t We See More Translation of Health Promotion Research to Practice? Rethinking the Efficacy-to-Effectiveness Transition. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.4018F663
Gone, J. P. (2014). Advancing Cultural-Clinical Psychology: Reflections on the Special Issue. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 33(10), 954–965. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.10.954
Jurcik, T., Chentsova, D. Y. E., Solopieieva, J. I., & Ryder, A. G. (2013). Russians in Treatment: The Evidence Base Supporting Cultural Adaptations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(7), 774–791. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21971
Martin E. P. Seligman. (1995). The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The Consumer Reports Study. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.43FF19E0
Mehta, N. (2011). Mind-body Dualism: A critique from a Health Perspective**. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.2584180A
Scott O. Lilienfeld. (2012). Public skepticism of psychology. Why many people perceive the study of human behavior as unscientific. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.F78D81F7
Seligman, R., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2008). Dissociative Experience and Cultural Neuroscience: Narrative, Metaphor and Mechanism. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.DD153212
Thomas S. Szasz. (1961). The Myth of Mental Illness. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.EF4EA253

Authors

MILETICH MAINA PAVLOVNA
Iurchik TOMAS

Master’s Programme 'Applied Social Psychology'

Abnormal and Clinical Psychology: Social and Cultural Contexts