PSY6005 Abnormal Psychology

This course aims to provide students with a rigorous overview of contemporary mental disorders from childhood to old age. It will cover (a) how theoretical views of abnormality have changed over time in East and West, using a historical perspective, (b) the defining clinical characteristics of prevalent childhood, adolescent, and adult mental disorders in contemporary society, (c) current clinical approach to classify major mental disorders, and (d) how various personal (genetic, physiological, personality, etc.) and social structural factors contribute to mental disorders. In doing so, we will review important research evidence as well as major psychological theories for explaining the disorders. We will use lectures to cover the most essential facts about the disorders, and audiovisual aids to illustrate the most interesting aspects of the disorders. Case studies will also be used to give students a deeper sense of the lives and conditions of people with mental disorders.