| CODE | COU5136 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Psychopathology for Counsellors | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Counselling | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit seeks to provide an introduction to the field of mental health difficuties. More specifically, it aims at acquainting students with the epidemiology, classification, and aetiology of those mental health disorders encountered most commonly in the counselling relationship, with special reference to transcultural contexts and diverse populations. Emphasis will be made on recognition of psychopathological symptoms and behaviours and their manifestations in everyday life, both with adults as well as with children. Possible dynamics and particular difficulties developing during the study-unit of counselling as a direct result of these symptoms will be exemplified. The ethical and value-laden dilemmas connected to diagnosing and labelling clients with a psychiatric disorder, as well as issues of race, ethnicity, culture, class, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities or illness as they influence the manifestations of behaviours that may be diagnosed as mental disorders will be discussed. Research based best practice forms of psychological therapy will be presented, with specific emphasis on the intervention of choice for each disorder. This study-unit also focuses on the role of counsellors as advocates and promoters of social justice issues for people with mental health difficulties. Case study examples and class exercises will be utilised to enable students develop a good understanding of the biological and psychosocial bases of the major mental health disorders and how they are experienced by those affected by them. Aims: - To describe mental health difficulties as expounded in standard classification of mental health disorders used by mental health professionals; - To discuss the epidemiology, classification and aetiology of common mental health disorders encountered in counselling practice; - To Identify differences and commonalities between mental health disorders in transcultural contexts and diverse populations; - To illustrate how mental health difficulties can affect the counselling relationship; - To identify ethical and value-laden dilemmas connected to the diagnosis of mental health disorders; - To describe best practice forms of psychological therapy and counselling interventions with mental health disorders; - To discuss the role of counsellors as advocates for social justice with persons experiencing mental health difficulties. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recognise the symptomatology that characterizes common mental health disorders; - Comprehend their classification according to the American Psychiatric Association system of classification of mental illness; - Identify particular dynamics in the counselling relationship developing as a result of mental health issues; - Discuss ethical issues related to diagnosis; - Recognise the influence of the various factors that may affect a diagnosis; - Comprehend the various psychopathologies from the point of view of those affected by them; - Discuss counselling interventions based on best practice psychological therapy with clients showing mental health related difficulties. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply knowledge gained in the study-unit to the counselling situation; - Assist clients diagnosed with mental health issues with enhanced empathic understanding; - Discern, plan for and begin to apply best practice interventions with specific psychopathologies; - Counsel clients preventatively from a wellness perspective in order to anticipate the possible development of mental health issues. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association. - Kilgus, M. D., & Rea, W. S., Jr. (2014). Essential psychopathology casebook (First edition.). W.W. Norton & Company. Supplementary Readings: - Alloy, L. B., Riskind, J.H., Manos, M.J., (2005). Abnormal psychology: current perspectives (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. - Bentall, R.P. (2003) Madness explained. Penguin. - Boyle, M. (2002)Schizophrenia: A scientific delusion? 2nd edition. Routledge. - Breggin, P. (2008) Medication madness: The role of psychiatric drugs in cases of violence, suicide and murder. St. Martin's Press. - Coles, S.,Keenan, S., Diamond, B. (Eds.)(2013) Madness contested: power and practice. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books. - Fernando, S. (2010) Mental health, race and culture. 3rd. Palgrave - Freeth, R. (2007) Humanising psychiatry and mental health care: the challenge of the person-centred approach. Radcliffe publishing. - Greene, R. W. (1998). The explosive child: A new approach for understanding and parenting easily frustrated, "chronically inflexible" children. HarperCollins Publisher - Karr-Morse, R., & Wiley, M. S. (1997). Ghosts from the nursery: Tracing the roots of violence. The Atlantic Monthly Press. - Mash, E. J., & Wolfe, D. A. (2010). Abnormal child psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning - Sanders, P. & Hill, A. (2014) Counselling for depression: a person centred and experiential approach to practice. Sage. - Widiger, T. A., & Sankis, L. M. (2000). Adult psychopathology: Issues and controversies. Annual Review of Psychology, 51, 377-404. - Zigler, E., & Glick, M. (1986). A developmental approach to adult psychopathology. Wiley. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Students are expected to attend all the lectures and prepare themselves by completing assigned readings prior to the respective lecture. | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Roberta Attard Mary Joan Camilleri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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