Psychopathology

Catalog description

This course provides a bio-psycho-social perspective to a range of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Ed. (DSM-V) classified maladaptive behaviors that are exhibited by many social work clients. It provides an in-depth study of the etiology, course, prognosis, and resolution of major psychological and psychiatric conditions. The DSM-V will serve as a backdrop and context for presenting and studying these conditions. The Competency Based- Assessment Model, which follows a process of reviewing and understanding an individual's past in order to distinguish and interpret present concerns (Zide & Grey, 2001), is the theoretical and philosophical framework through which the course's information will flow. Students will become familiar with DSM-V diagnostic criteria and the empirical and epidemiological data that support each diagnosis. The course will also look at the behaviors that are evaluated in the process of arriving at a differential diagnosis. The cultural context will play a major role in understanding these conditions. Pre-requisites: SWK 601, 602, 611, 612, 613, 621, 622, 701, 702 and 798 OR must be active in the Advanced Standing Social Work student group.