CNS6018: Psychopathology

This course involves an introduction to the study of abnormal behaviors in children, adolescents, and adults. The etiology, definition, prevalence rate, and morbidity of disorders in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) are reviewed. The course will focus on an introduction to the science and art of clinical assessment as the foundation of practice in mental health settings and the use of assessment techniques in a professional and ethical manner. In part, adjustment disorders, V codes, and the ICD system will be studied. Students will primarily concentrate on serious mental disorders in the context of normal lifecycle transitions and review various methods of treatment related to the disorders covered. The course will make a concerted effort to apply the above to the "real world" of mental health professionals by examining treatment and assessment considerations.