SUBJECT

Title

Introduction to Adult and Child Clinical Psychology

Code

PSYB17 - 137

Type of instruction

lecture

Level

Bachelor

Part of degree program
Credits

5

Recommended in

Semester 4

Typically offered in

Autumn semester

Course description

The main goal of this course is to provide insight into the theoretical background, applications and practice of clinical psychology. An overview of the mental disorders, their symptomatology, epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis and special needs during therapy are provided. This course shows equally mental and behavioral disorders in adulthood, childhood and adolescents. In addition, aim of this course is to introduce to cultural and historical aspects of mental disorders and to show the diagnostic systems. The theoretical knowledge is complemented by clinical practice where the students can know competencies for clinical psychology.

Learning outcome, competences
knowledge:
An overview of the mental disorders, their symptomatology, epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis and special needs during therapy are provided.
attitude:

  •  explorative
  •  empathetic, congruent, with unconditional positive regard
  •  supportive

skills:

  •  knowledge of characteristics of mental disorders
  •  identification of mental disorders based on symptoms
  •  get in touch with a patient with mental disorder
  •  form and maintain an ethically proper relationship with patients

Content of the course
Topics of the course

  •  Introduction, historical background, diagnostic systems and methods of assessment in clinical psychology, models of abnormality
  •  Depressive disorders, bipolar and related disorders
  •  Anxiety disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders
  •  Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders
  •  Impulse-control disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders
  •  Personality disorders
  •  Eating disorders and sexual dysfunctions
  •  Neurodevelopmental disorders
  •  Other childhood-onset disorders
  •  Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
  •  Dissociative disorders and neurocognitive disorders
  •  Clinical psychology in practice (mental health services, guidelines, evidence-based practice)
  •  Psychotherapies

Learning activities, learning methods
Primary knowledge acquisition is via lectures and by video presentations.

Evaluation of outcomes
Learning requirements, mode of evaluation, criteria of evaluation:

requirements
written exam during the exam period

mode of evaluation:
examination grade

criteria of evaluation:
written exam based on material

Readings

Reading list
Compulsory reading list

Barlow, D.H., and Durand, V.M. (2015). Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach, 7th Edition (Wadsworth Publishing).

Recommended reading list
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Pub.

Detailled syllabus
lectures (3x45min)
1. Introduction to clinical psychology, historical background, diagnostic systems and methods of assessment in clinical psychology (DSM, BNO), models of abnormality (Book: chapters 1, 2, 3, 4)
2. Depressive disorders, bipolar and related disorders (Book: chapter 7)
3. Anxiety disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders (Book: chapters 5, 6)
4. Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders (Book: chapter 5)
5. Impulse-control disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders (Book: chapter 11)
6. Personality disorders (Book: chapter 12)
7. Eating disorders and sexual dysfunctions (Book: chapters 8, 10)
8. Neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, tic (Book: chapter 14)
9. Other childhood-onset disorders (depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, feeding and eating disorders, etc) (Book: chapters 5, 6, 7, 8)
10. Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (Book: chapter 13)
11. Dissociative disorders and neurocognitive disorders (Book: chapters 6, 15)
12. Clinical psychology in practice (mental health services, guidelines, evidence-based practice) (Book: chapter 16)
13. Psychotherapies