Module: Psychological Health, Difficulties & Disorder

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Psychological Health, Difficulties & Disorder
Module Code	PSYC505 (ITS) / PSY1060 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Psychology
Module Co-ordinator	Áine Travers
Module Teachers	Brian Slattery, Darragh McCashin, Lorraine Boran, Simon Dunne
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

The aim of this module is to enable students to critically discuss issues pertinent to mental health and illness, including identifying factors which promote psychological well-being and the conceptualisation, assessment and treatment of a range of psychological difficulties and disorders. Consideration will be given to alternative means of conceptualising and addressing these issues. Students will also consider ethical and legal issues related to psychological health and well-being, disorder and difficulties.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically consider and evaluate historical and contemporary conceptualisations of mental health and illness
2. Engage in advanced consideration and evaluation of ethical and legal issues surrounding research and practice in psychological distress and disorder.
3. Recognise and critically understand how stigma may result from psychological diagnosis and the impact that this may have.
4. Critically appraise the diagnostic systems and assessment methods used by psychologists to identify psychological difficulties and disorders
5. Critically evaluate current knowledge of the epidemiology, clinical features, etiology and treatment approaches for common psychological disorders
6. Critically consider and evaluate evidence on factors which promote psychological health and well-being.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	30	No Description
Seminars	6	Specialist Seminars - on specific topics / methodologies to support the lectures and coursework
Independent Study	48	Group work and independent assessment preparation
Independent Study	41	Lecture review and preparation/ independent learning
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Students will engage in a series of interactive lectures and seminars to cover the topics listed below:

Introduction to ‘abnormality’, psychological health and distress

Consideration of the debates regarding terminology in relation to mental health and illness.

Historical and contemporary conceptualisations of mental health and illness.

Ethical, and legal issues related to mental health (including research and practice)

Stakeholder involvement in treatment and research

Models of the etiology and treatment of psychological disorders in Clinical and Counselling Psychology.

Assessment and diagnosis of psychological disorders in Clinical and Counselling Psychology.

Alternative approaches to understanding psychological difficulties and disorders.

Clinical features, etiology and treatment of a range of common psychological difficulties and disorders:
may include anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, suicidal behavior, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, developmental difficulties and disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, sexual disorders, substance use and addictive disorders and neurocognitive disorders

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Group project	In small groups, students will work together to create a psychoeducational video about mental health aimed at a non-psychology audience. Individual contributions to the group project will be assessed (e.g. through PeerWise).	20%	n/a
Report(s)	Individual Report. Based on the topic covered in the group project, each student will produce an individual report for a psychology audience. This report will include a 1) literature review of research in the area, 2) a description and justification for the video including outlining the target audience 3) an evaluation of any ethical issues related to interventions of this kind 4) an implementation plan and plan for assessment of the effectiveness of the psychoeducational video.	20%	n/a
Essay	Individual Essay. Based on a topic related to a mental health disorder.	60%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Kring, A. & Johnson, S. L.: 2022, Abnormal psychology: the science and treatment of psychological disorders, 15th Edition - DSM 5 TR Update, Wiley,
Allen, F: 2013, Saving normal: an insider's revolt against out-of-control psychiatric diagnosis, DSM-5, big pharma, and the medicalization of ordinary life, Harper Collins,
Carr, A.: 2006, The handbook of child and adolescent clinical psychology: a contextual approach, 2nd Edition, Routledge,
Carr, A., & McNulty, M.: 2016, The handbook of adult clinical psychology: an evidence based practice approach, Routledge, London, UK,
Hooley, J. M., Nock, M.K. & Butcher, J.N.: 2009, Abnormal psychology, 18th Edition (Global), Pearson,
Kelly, B.: 2016, Hearing voices: the history of psychiatry in Ireland, Irish Academic Press,
Nathan, P. E., & Gorman, J. M. (Eds.).: 2015, A guide to treatments that work, 4th, Oxford University Press, New York, US,
Oltmanns, T. F., Martin, M. T., Neale, J. M., & Davison, G. C.: 2012, Case studies in abnormal psychology, 9th Edition, Wiley,
Pilgrim, D. & Rogers, A.: 1999, A sociology of mental health and illness, 2nd Edition, Open University Press,
Wampold, B.E. & Imel, Z.E.: 0, The great psychotherapy debate : the evidence for what makes psychotherapy work, 2nd Edition, Routledge,

Other Resources

None