Psychology - PSYCH 239

Course Description

This course examines various psychological disorders from a contemporary perspective, specifically exploring anxiety disorders (phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder), categories of personality disorders (bi-polar and depressive disorders), schizophrenia and several others. The underlying pathology and treatments of each disorder will be covered. Legal, ethical and other current health psychology will also be explored.

Prerequisites

(A requirement that must be completed before taking this course.)

Course Competencies

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Compare the current dominant theories in abnormal psychology.
• Summarize research methods in the study of abnormal psychology.
• Explain assessments for the diagnosis of mental disorders.
• Explain the anxiety disorders.
• Compare bi-polar and depressive disorders.
• Explain neurodevelopmental, disruptive, conduct and elimination disorders.
• Evaluate the somatoform symptom and related disorders, dissociative and factitious disorders.
• Explain the feeding and eating disorders.
• Explain substance-related and addictive disorders.
• Examine the aging and neurocognitive disorders.
• Explain gender variations, sexual dysfunctions and paraphilic disorders.
• Explain schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders.
• Distinguish between the different categories of personality disorders.
• Identify current issues in health psychology.
• Examine the legal and ethical issues in abnormal psychology.

Course Schedule