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Description
Content: Clinical Psychologists are trained to provide talking therapies for people in distress. They take an integrative theoretical approach to understanding why some individuals come to suffer from conditions like depression or psychosis.
This module invites students to 鈥渢hink like a clinical psychologist鈥� by appraising empirical research from genetics, neuroscience, psychology and sociocultural theory to arrive at nuanced understandings of common mental health problems. Students are encouraged to take a critical stance on the research and theories. They are helped to develop probabilistic theoretical models of how vulnerabilities might accumulate over time to produce a particular condition.
Research relating to neuroscience, individual differences, family dynamics and social inequality is reviewed, and teaching is given on medical, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural theories. The effectiveness of common interventions such as medication or CBT is evaluated. In an interactive session, students are given the opportunity to debate controversies in mental health, such as the process of diagnosis or the role of stigma and social exclusion.
Students from departments other than Psychology and Language Science are welcome; some knowledge of brain anatomy and common concepts in psychology (e.g., personality traits or cognitive biases) will be advantageous, as well as skills in critically evaluating published empirical studies.
Teaching Delivery: Ten weekly 2-hour lectures which often include discussion. The module also includes an interactive session discussing controversies in mental health.
Indicative topics: Central concepts: Biopsychosocial, cognitive and psychodynamic theories, and 鈥渄iathesis-stress鈥�;
Depression I: Pathways to depression;
Depression II: Treatments for depression;
Anxiety disorders;
Trauma and PTSD;
Personality disorders;
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder;
Eating disorders;
Controversies in mental health;
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Module Aims:
This module aims to:
1) Introduce students to the characteristics of common issues treated by Clinical Psychologists
2) Critically appraise research relating to genetics, neuroscience, cognitive and psychodynamic theories, and sociocultural perspectives on mental health
3) Teach skills in arguing for particular conceptualisations of mental health issues, based on research evidence
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 8th April 2024.
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