Psychopathology and Illness

Catalog description

This course attempts to provide the student with a rigorous overview of the field of abnormal psychology. We will cover historical, cultural, theoretical, (e.g., biological, cognitive, behavioral and psychodynamic) phenomenological and some research-based perspectives on cognitive and affective function and dysfunction, and the links between them. As an integral part of the course, the students will be expected to become familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition and learn to administer the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 (SCID-5). Emphasis will be placed on understanding the advantages and limitations of the DSM-5 in terms of classification accuracy, construct validity, cultural sensitivity and general utility in the practice of clinical psychology. The major goal of this course is that students begin to get an understanding of what it is like to encounter, assess, diagnose, and work with patients with these pathologies. In addition, since this is a core course in the Clinical Psychology (Health Emphasis) program, the issue of co-morbidity among psychiatric and medical disorders will be covered in detail, particularly in course assessments.