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Psychopathology Across the Life Span

  • Module code: PS7009
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 7
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: N/A
  • Co-requisites: N/A

Summary

This module focuses on the problems and disorders that have their onset in infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. It provides an in-depth analysis of the factors relevant to diagnosis, assessment, aetiology, risk and protective factors, maintenance and treatment of psychological disorders. Key psychological disorders reviewed include regulatory behaviour problems, prematurity, autism and language difficulties, externalising (eg., Bullying and Conduct Disorder) and internalising problems (eg., anxiety, PTSD and mood disorders), eating disorders, neurological disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, and substance misuse disorders. Particular emphasis is also placed on discussing and evaluating the empirical evidence for different therapeutic approaches in the treatment of these disorders.

Aims

  • To advance students' knowledge regarding psychopathology of childhood, adolescence and adulthood;
  • To facilitate the acquisition of the ability to accurately recognise and differentiate amongst various psychological disorders;
  • To develop students' understanding of the risk and protective factors, short and long-term consequences of these disorders;
  • To enhance knowledge of the methods of assessment and to provide the critical skills and pertinent knowledge to identify and recommend appropriate therapeutic approaches in the treatment of psychological disorders.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of psychopathology across the life span;
  • Accurately differentiate psychological disorders across the life span;
  • Identify and critically evaluate research which examines the causal factors, short and long term consequences, and treatment of psychological disorders;
  • Show an advanced ability to discuss issues pertinent to the diagnosis, assessment, aetiology and treatment of clinical case examples using research evidence.

Curriculum content

  • Psychopathology: concept and classifications
  • Methods of assessment and treatment in developmental psychopathology;
  • Regulatory behaviour problems (crying, feeding and sleeping problems);
  • The development of premature children;
  • Autism;
  • Language disorders;
  • Externalising behaviour problems (conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, bullying);
  • Anxiety disorders: specific phobias, social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder;
  • Mood disorders;
  • Eating disorders;
  • Substance misuse disorders;
  • Personality disorders;
  • Psychosis;
  • Neurological disorders.

Teaching and learning strategy

This module will be delivered through 22 one-hour weekly keynote lectures (which will present core material that is knowledge-based) followed by one-hour interactive lectures (which will involve student-led discussions, presentation of current research on a given topic, video presentations and clinical case discussions) to facilitate deeper engagement and understanding of relevant issues.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Lectures 44
Guided independent study Independent study 256
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

Learning will be assessed via a 1,500-word report worth 25% of the final mark where students will be required to demonstrate an ability to apply their knowledge to specific clinical examples, and provide an evidence-based recommendation for treatment. Students will also write a 1,500-word essay, worth 25% of the final mark and which will assess their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the factors relevant to aetiology, maintenance and treatment of adult psychopathology. A final two-hour unseen examination, worth 50% of the final mark will assess students' ability to critically evaluate different psychological disorders of childhood and adolescence, and the limitations and strengths of existing literature concerned with a specific disorder.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of psychopathology across the life span Formatively through the lectures and summatively through the report, the essay and the examination.
Accurately differentiate psychological disorders across the life span Formatively through the lectures and summatively through the report, the essay and the examination.
Identify and critically evaluate research which examines the causal factors, short and long term consequences, and treatment of psychological disorders Formatively through the lectures and summatively through the report, the essay and the examination.
Show an advanced ability to discuss issues pertinent to the diagnosis, assessment, aetiology and treatment of clinical case examples using research evidence. Formatively through the lectures and summatively through the report, the essay and the examination.

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Coursework Portfolio 50
Written exam Examination 50
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

Davey, G.C.L. (2008). Psychopathology: Research, assessment and treatment in clinical psychology. Chichester: BPS Blackwell.

 

Developmental Psychopathology From Infancy through Adolescence (5th Edition). McGraw-Hill

 

 

Bibliography recommended reading

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (DSM-IV), text revision (4th ed.).Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Bennett, P. (2003).  Abnormal and clinical psychology: An introductory textbook. London: Open University Press.

Cicchetti, D. & Cohen, D.J. (2006). Developmental psychopathology. (2nd ed.).Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.

Costa, P. T. & Widiger, T. A. (Eds.). (1994). Personality disorders and the Five Factor Model of Personality. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Costello, E. J., Mustillo, S., Erkanli, A., Keeler, G., & Angold, A. (2003). Prevalence and Development of Psychiatric Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence. Archives of General Psychiatry, 60(8), 837-844

Fauman, M. A., (2002). Study guide to DSM-IV-TR.  Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.

Gillberg, C., Harrington, R. & Steinhausen, H. C. (Edt.) (2005). A clinician's handbook of child and adolescent psychiatry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Hersen, M. & Bellack, A. (2000). Psychopathology in adulthood (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Halgin, R. P. & Whitbourne, S. K. (2005). Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorders (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Lindsey, S. J. E. and Powell, G. E. (Eds.). (2004). The handbook of clinical adult psychology (2nd ed.). Hove: Brunner- Routledge.

Merikangas, K. R. & Avenevoli, S. (2002). Epidemiology of mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. In M. T. Tsuang & M. Tohen (Eds.), Textbook in psychiatric epidemiology (2nd ed.). New York, N.Y: John Wiley & Sons

O'Connor, T. G. (2003). Natural experiments to study the effects of early experience: Progress and limitations. Development and Psychopathology, 15(4), 837-852.

Phares, V. (2008). Understanding abnormal child psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken: Wiley. 

Rutter, M. & Sroufe, A. (2000) Developmental psychopathology: concepts and challenges. Developmental Psychopathology,12(3), 265-296.

Wilmshurst, L. (2011). Child and adolescent psychopathology: A casebook. London: Sage Publications.

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