Introduction to Abnormal Psychology (Mental Disorders) Course Guide

This course outlines the main functions of the DSM and lists the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders with brief descriptions. It also explores the differences in diagnosing disorders in children compared to adults.

This course defines the main categories of cognitive disorders and explains delirium and its core features. It also covers what dementia is, including brief descriptions of its four main types, and explains what amnestic disorders are and their two basic causes. Lastly, it lists three common techniques used in biopsychology research.

This course outlines different drugs of abuse and behavioural addictions, and explains current diagnostic criteria for these conditions. It also covers the various drug delivery methods, genetic and environmental influences on addiction, and the physiological and psychological changes that accompany addiction.

This course defines psychosis and briefly discusses its treatment, lists and summarises seven types of delusional disorders, and explains what schizophrenia is, including the differences between acute and chronic forms. It also provides a brief overview of treatments for schizophrenia.

This course identifies and describes the three most common forms of depression, their triggers and causes. It covers risk factors for depression, how depression varies with age, and explains what psychotic depression is and its three forms. Finally, it discusses different treatments for depression and factors that guide treatment choices.

This course lists and briefly explains six common anxiety disorders, outlines symptoms of anxiety, and discusses the meaning of “time course” and its variants. It also describes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This course explains in simple terms the differences between somatoform and factitious disorders, and provides brief descriptions of the main somatoform, factitious, and dissociative disorders. It also evaluates the differences between Munchausen’s Syndrome and Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, including the main treatments available for both, and offers a brief diagnostic evaluation of a client with one of these disorders.

This course briefly defines different paraphilias and their main symptoms or behaviours. It identifies the characteristics and potential causes of various sexual disorders and describes different sexual and gender identity disorders. It also summarises the key characteristics of male and female sexual dysfunctions and the treatment options available.

This course compares anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and explains the differences between binge eating and compulsive eating. It lists six theories for why people may become obese and identifies the three broad categories of sleep disorders. It also explains what narcolepsy is, along with common symptoms experienced by sufferers.

This course defines adjustment and impulse-control disorders, and briefly describes common impulse-control disorders. It covers the key symptoms of adjustment disorders and explains the required time frame for diagnosing an adjustment disorder.

This course identifies the two criteria for distinguishing normal from abnormal personalities and provides brief overviews of various personality disorders. It describes the behaviours and characteristics of psychopaths and summarises research on how people become psychopaths. It also explains why there are limited treatment options for psychopaths.