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Psychological Approaches to Depression and Schizophrenia

PSY501

Course CodePSY501
ECTS

Course Description

This aim of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding of issues relating to mental health and psychopathology. Controversies in defining 'abnormality' will be examined from different perspectives. Methods of diagnosis and different approaches to explaining Schizophrenia and depression will be discussed along with approaches to treatment. Consideration is given to ethical and social issues relating to a diagnosis of psychological abnormality.

Course Objectives

This aim of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding of issues relating to mental health and psychopathology. Controversies in defining 'abnormality' will be examined from different perspectives. Methods of diagnosis and different approaches to explaining Schizophrenia and depression will be discussed along with approaches to treatment. Consideration is given to ethical and social issues relating to a diagnosis of psychological abnormality.

Key Topics

  1. LO1: Understand the diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia.
  2. LO2: Understand therapies for schizophrenia and the role of the clinical psychologist.
  3. LO3: Understand the diagnosis and classification of depression.
  4. LO4: Understand therapies for depression.

Course Outline

WeekTopics
1Defining normality and abnormality
2Biological explanations of schizophrenia: genetics, neural correlates and the dopamine hypothesis
3Psychological explanations: psychodynamic, cognitive and sociocultural factors
4Therapies for schizophrenia: conventional and atypical antipsychotics, ECT, CBT, psychoanalysis
5Clinical psychology as a discipline: the practical role of contemporary clinical psychologists
6Research methods used in clinical psychology
7Classifying depression: major depressive disorder, reliability and validity, cultural differences in diagnosis
MidtermMidterm evaluation
9Explaining depression: genetic and neurotransmitter dysfunction
10Therapies for depression: antidepressants, ECT and CBT
11Effectiveness of therapies and public health approaches: social networks, inequality and wellbeing
12Assessment workshop: drafting against the assessment criteria, one-to-one tutorials, formative feedback on drafts
13Supervised completion and submission
14Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement
15Review and coursework completion
FinalFinal assessment and submission

Learning Outcomes

  1. LO1 Understand the diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia.
  2. 1.1 Describe the process of defining normality and abnormality.
  3. 1.2 Evaluate biological explanations of schizophrenias.
  4. 1.3 Evaluate psychological explanations of schizophrenias.
  5. LO2 Understand therapies for schizophrenia and the role of the clinical psychologist.
  6. 2.1 Evaluate approaches to therapy for schizophrenia and their effectiveness.
  7. 2.2 Describe the role of clinical psychology as a discipline.
  8. 2.3 Analyse research methods used within clinical psychology.
  9. LO3 Understand the diagnosis and classification of depression.
  10. 3.1 Explain how depression is classified.
  11. 3.2 Evaluate biological and psychological approaches to explaining depression.
  12. LO4 Understand therapies for depression.
  13. 4.1 Explain approaches to therapies for depression.
  14. 4.2 Analyse the effectiveness of therapies used for depression.
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