330.601.81
Perspectives of Psychiatry: the Public Health Framework
Location
Internet
Term
1st Term
Department
Mental Health
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2014 - 2015
Instruction Method
TBD
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Paul McHugh
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Prerequisite
Introduction to Online Learning
Describes the basic features of mental disorders using an epistemological framework that facilitates understanding in the context of public health research and practice. Includes discussion of the distinction between neurological activity and mental life, and briefly presents the historical as well as current state of knowledge of the most common psychiatric conditions. Framework includes four fundamental perspectives for understanding mental disturbances: disease, dimension, behavior, and life story, with explanation of the distinct etiopathologic nature each perspective brings to bear on the problem of defining, classifying, and measuring mental disorders.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish between neurological activity and mental life
- Recognize the value of epistemological approach to psychiatric conditions
- Distinguish between normal human responsiveness and psychiatric symptoms, behaviors, syndromes, disorders, and diseases
- Understand the need for the practical utility of viewing psychiatric conditions from four perspectives
- Identify the key elements of, and the distinctions between, a psychiatric history and a mental status examination
- Understand the principles of ascertainment, measurement, and classification of psychiatric signs and symptoms (strengths and weaknesses)
- Distinguish between a psychiatric nomenclature, nosology, and diagnostic classification; presentations, types, ranges and key features of major psychiatric syndromes; dementias, schizophrenia, affective disorders, psychoactive substance use disorders, mental retardation, and disorders of adjustment to life circumstances; difficulties in assessing and comparing degrees of impairment associated with the different major psychiatric syndromes; relationships among all four psychiatric perspectives in understanding, assessing, measuring, and treating major psychiatric syndromes