Psychopathology Across the Life Cycle
Code: 102572 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2502443 Psychology | OB | 2 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Sergi Ballespí Sola
- Email:
- sergi.ballespi@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Other comments on languages
Teaching in Catalan and Spanish in all groups; some teaching in English in group 5. Materials can be provided in different languages. The exam in Spanish must be requested in the first 4 weeks; Ev1 also available in English.Teachers
- David Clusa Gironella
- Eduardo Fuente Díez
- Maria Soledad Fernandez Gonzalo
- Juan Vicente Luciano Devis
- Maria Jesus Tarragona Oriols
- Natàlia Díaz-Regañón Serra
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Contextualization
All people is placed in the multidimensional mental ill-health continuum all the time across our lives. Psychopathology represents a deviation from normal psychological functions, which must be understood in the context of people development and in our social and cultural context.
In the professional practice of psychology, whatever the specialty, it is essential to be able to identify abnormal behavior and when this can affect the individual or the people around him/her. Whether in a job interview, in the daily functioning of an organization, in a training event or in any of the spaces of a school or institute, being able to identify the signs of psychological abnormality and being able to scientifically explain its origin are indispensable skills in any of the professional contexts of psychology, both those focused on 'healthy' people - the main part of the general population - and those focused at helping people who already have a 'disorder' (clinical and health psychology).
This subject is the first contact with psychopathology for the student of the degree in psychology at the UAB. The subject aims to be an introduction to psychological abnormality and provide the fundamental knowledge both to those who are aiming for the clinical or health specialty, and to those who will continue with other specialties and this will possibly be the only contact they will have with psychopathology throughout the degree.
The basic training that begins with this 6 ECTS (150h) subject can be complemented with the following elective subjects, with 6 additional ECTS each:
- Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
- Adult Psychopathology
- Intellectual Disability and Development Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Clinical Neuropsychology
The subject aims to adopt a continuum vision of mental health, multidimensional and dynamic, i.e., which conceives mental health not only as the absence of disorders but... as something else.
Formative objectives of the subject
Upon passing the course, the student will be able to identify the most common signs of psychological abnormality (symptoms, syndromes and disorders) as well as to identify the predisposing, precipitating and maintenance factors that interact in the origin of the alteration.
The main objective of this subject is to know the main characteristics of the psychological symptoms and disorders that, in a more representative but not exclusive way, can occur in each evolutionary period.
In the achievement of these objectives, another purpose is included: to offer a panoramic view of the main disorders that affect people throughout the life cycle. Specifically, the disorders that most affect people in the different stages of the life cycle (preschool, school, adolescence, adulthood and old age) are presented and it is shown how the characteristics of a disorder may vary at each stage of the life cycle.
In summary, the main objectives of the course are that the student:
1) Learn to identify signs of psychological abnormality.
2) Be able to explain the etiology of some disorders.
3) Know some of the main disorders that affect people's mental health...
4) ...and know how to distinguish their characteristics according to the stage of the life cycle.
Competences
- Analyse the demands and needs of people, groups and organisations in different contexts.
- Apply knowledge, skills and acquired values critically, reflexively and creatively.
- Criticise the effects of personal practice on people, taking into account the complexity of human diversity.
- Formulate hypotheses about the demands and needs of the recipients.
- Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
- Recognise the determinants and risk factors for health and also the interaction between people and their physical and social environment.
- Recognise the diversity of human behaviour and the nature of differences in it in terms of normality abnormality and pathology.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Apply knowledge, skills and acquired values critically, reflexively and creatively.
- Classify psychological disorders.
- Communicate in an inclusive manner avoiding the use of sexist or discriminatory language.
- Criticise the effects of personal practice on people, taking into account the complexity of human diversity.
- Distinguish between the different signs and clinical symptoms of different psychopathological disorders.
- Formulate problems of people in diagnostic terms.
- Identify factors of risk for mental health.
- Identify functional variables of acquisition and maintenance of problems in examples of clinical cases.
- Identify normal and abnormal development and behaviour patterns.
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Identify the social, economic and/or environmental implications of academic and professional activities in the area of your knowledge.
- Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
- Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
- Recognise the most characteristic psychopathology of each life cycle, its genesis, clinical, epidemiology and course.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
Content
The syllabus of the course is structured in 4 blocks divided in 2 parts:
PART 1: FUNDAMENTALS
Block 1. Concepts
1. Introduction
2. Fundamentals
3. Causality
Block 2. Alterations of psychological functions
4. Alterations in Consciousness and Attention
5. Memory disorders
6. Perceptual disturbances
7. Alterations in language and thought.
Block 3. Organization of psychopathology in diagnostic classifications
8. Psychopathological classification models (DC-05, DSM5TR, ICD 11, ASEBA, HiToP).
PART 2: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Block 4. Psychopathology
9. Psychopathology in early childhood (Relational disorders (DC 05) and neurodevelopmental I: DI and TEA).
10. Neurodevelopmental alterations II (Tics and ADHD)
11. Alterations of physiological functions I: Sphincter control disorders and Feeding disorders.
12. Alterations of physiological functions II: Sleep disorders
13. Disruptive behavior disorders, impulse control disorders and psychopathy.
14. Anxiety disorders
15. Mood disorders and disorders related to trauma, stress and adjustment.
16. Personality disorders
17. Psychosisand Dementias
Methodology
The learning environment of the course consists of a set of resources that the student can combine to cover the agenda and pass the continuous assessment. The course is designed thinking in a continuous work, based on assimilating each week the agenda planned for that week of the calendar. In order to correctly follow the course and avoid an unattainable accumulation of work, it is highly recommended to study continuously according to the calendar. Trying to achieve in one week what was planned to be achieved in several weeks can easily lead to insurmountable difficulties to pass the subject.
In summary, the methodology involves preparing to attend each classroom class, especially the theoretical ones, by carrying out activities or readings planned for BEFORE each session. The knowledge and competencies achieved in this previous work are evaluated at the beginning of each session. Then, the session will not present what is assumed to have already been worked at home, but will be intended to apply, reflect or practice what is given for learned to the activities to be performed between sessions.
The 2/3 formula and the continuous learning
This subject involves 6 ECTS and this is equivalent to about 150 hours of learning. 44 of those hours (1/3) are face-to-face and 95 of those hours (2/3) involve autonomous learning including all the work between sessions (see the table: at least half of the time is for readings and activities to prepare each session while the other half, at most, is for study and evidence preparation).
The active class
The face-to-face sessions will not be invested to impart, once more, what the student has already studied before attending the session. In class, the student will be induced to use the knowledge acquired between sessions.
The virtual classroom(moodle)
It is the most important resource because it is the meeting point for all students and all groups. All the important documents and links of the course are posted in it.
Assignment to internship groups
It is centralized from the academic management (Gestió Acadèmica). The change of internship group is not allowed unless previously and officially requested and approved by the academic management.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Seminars: it is necessary to prepare the attendance with the previous readings or activities that will be presented in Moodle. | 20 | 0.8 | 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 10, 14, 17, 18, 16 |
| Theoretical sessions: it is necessary to attend having done the previous readings or activities presented in Moodle. | 24 | 0.96 | 4, 9, 11, 17, 15 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Optional meetings with tutor which can be virtual or face-to-face, individual or in group. | 7.5 | 0.3 | 3, 14, 17, 18 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Preparation of evidence: They recognize the preparation time of evidence 1, 2 and 3 through the study and elaboration of cases or problems. They should cover a maximum of 1/3 of the course. | 47.5 | 1.9 | 3, 4, 9, 11, 10, 14, 17, 18 |
| Work between sessions: Readings and other activities to be done between sessions and to prepare the attendance to each theory session or seminar. The minimum proportion is 1h of intersessional work for every 1h of face-to-face work. | 48 | 1.92 | 4, 9, 11, 14 |
Assessment
If you have any doubts, please consult the link to the Guidelines for the evaluation of the degrees of the Faculty of Psychology approved by the Permanent Board:
https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html
The evaluation of the subject consists of 3 learning evidences and an fourth optional evidence that adds points if the continuous evaluation is approved.
Learning evidence
Ev1 (Exam 1): Multiple-choice exam with 50-60 multiple-choice questions that will cover approximately the first half of the syllabus. It is an Individual, Written, Presential evidence and corresponds to the First evaluation period (see evaluation calendar). It has a weight of 40% in the weighted average of the subject.
Ev2 (Cas): Construction of a case. It is a collective evidence (in group), written (with the possibility of audiovisual components), and virtually delivered (Moodle) across the 2 weeks before Christmas holidays. It has a weight of 20% in the weighted average.
Ev3 (Exam 2): Multiple-choice exam with 50-60 multiple-choice questions that will cover approximately the second half of the syllabus. It is an Individual, Written, Presential evidence (see evaluation calendar), and corresponds to the second evaluation period (see evaluation calendar). It has a weight of 40% in the weighted average.
The evidences 1, 2 and 3 allow to achieve a grade between 0 and 10 points in continuous evaluation. The weighted average obtained can be complemented with additional points from the optional evidences, as long as the weighted average of the continuousevaluation is equal to or higher than 5. Even if the total of the points obtained exceeds 10 points, the grade that will be recorded in the minutes has a range from 0 to 10, being therefore a 10 the maximum grade that can be achieved. The optional evidences offer additional points to approach this maximum.
In case that the number of students who achieve the score of 10 is higher than the number of honors that can be awarded by UAB-Normativa acadèmica, they will be assigned in order from highest to lowest grade.
Optional evidence of continued work.
EO-A (Evaluation of readings): Reading and study between sessions are evaluated at the beginning of each of the 16 face-to-face sessions with the whole group and in 1 of the seminars by means of 17 short multiple-choice exams, with 5-7 multiple-choice questions which the student can access through a device connected to the internet. Each test is scored out of 10 and allows to add up to 0.1 points in the weighted average once the course has been passed. The sum of the 17 test would allow to add up to 1.7 additional points if the weighted average of the subject, derived from the pieces of evidence 1-2-3, is equal or higher than 5. In no case the EO-A can be added to the weighted average if the subject is not passed. An electronic device with internet access (cell phone, tablet, laptop) is required to access the internet in the classroom during the short period of time when the tests will be opened (at the beginning of each class).
Status as 'submitted' or 'evaluable'.
A student who has submitted evidence of learning with a weight equal to or higher than 4 points (40%) will be considered as "evaluable" (see evaluation regulations linked at the beginning).
Passed subject
The subject will be passed when the weightedaverage involving all the obligatory evidences (Ev1, Ev2, Ev3) is≥ 5.
Final score (weighted average) = (Ev1*0.40) + (Ev2*0.20) + (Ev3*0.40)
When does the elective evidence increase the grade? When the subject is passed in continuous evaluation, that is, if the weighted average described above is ≥ 5.
Resit
Who is eligible for the resit exam? A student who fulfills 2 conditions (see regulations):
1) have a continuous evaluation grade (weighted average of Ev1-2-3) lower than 5 and equal or higher than 3.5.
2) have been evaluated in activities worth 2/3 of the total grade (i.e. to have done at least the two exams Ev1 and Ev3).
The recovery is focused on ALL SYLLABUS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE SUBJECT. It consists of a written test exam which can involve any of the teaching resources of the subject, but especially the readings, the study and the learning activities encompassed by the autonomous work. The recovery will be done in the week assigned by the faculty. If the recovery is eligible, the maximum numeric score possible in the subject will be 6.5.
Students taking the exam for the second or more exams
It is not foreseen that students of 2nd or later enrollment will be evaluated by means of a single non-recoverable synthesis test.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EO-A (Optional Evidence A - Between-sessions work assessment) | Adds till 1.7 points to weighted-mean once the subject is approved in continuous assessment | 0 | 0 | 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 11, 12, 10, 14, 17, 18, 15, 16 |
| Ev1. Exam 1 (First part) | 4 points | 1.5 | 0.06 | 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 10, 14, 17, 18 |
| Ev2. Case creation | 2 points | 0 | 0 | 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 10, 17, 18, 15 |
| Ev3. Exam 2 (Second part) | 4 points | 1.5 | 0.06 | 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 10, 14, 17, 18, 15 |
Bibliography
Specific bibliography and other resources will be provided to prepare each topic. At a broad level, some interesting resources are the following:
Ezpeleta, L.y Toro, J. (2014). Psicopatología del desarrollo. Madrid: Pirámide.
Vallejo, J. (1015). Introducción a la Psicopatología y la psiquiatría 8a Edición. Madrid: Elsevier.
Obiols, J. (Ed.) (2008). Manual de psicopatología general. Madrid: Biblioteca nueva.
Asociación Americana de Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo (2011). Discapacidad intelectual. Definición, clasificación y sistemas de apoyo. Madrid: Alianza. [American Association of Mental Retardation. (2006). El retard mental. Definició, classificació i sistemes de suport. Vic: Eumo].
American Psychiatric Association (2013). DSM-5 Manual de diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales. Washington: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Barlow, D. H., & Durand, V. M. (2003). Psicopatología (3ª ed.). Madrid: Thomson.
Caballo, V.E., Salazar, I.C. y Carrobles, J.A. (Dirs). (2015). Manual de psicopatología y trastornos psicológicos. Madrid: Pirámide.
Belloch, A., Sandin, B., y Ramos, F. (1994). Manual de psicopatología. Vol I. Madrid: McGraw Hill. Interamericana.
Durand, V.M. y Barlow, D. H. ( 2007). Psicopatologia: Un enfoque integral de la psicologia anormal. Thomson Paraninfo .
Ezpeleta, L. (Ed.). (2005). Factores de riesgo en psicopatología del desarrollo. Barcelona: Masson.
Kaplan, H. y Sadock, B. (2008). Manual bolsillo psiquiatria clinica.Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Wolters Kluwer Health.
Software
No special software is required for this course. The access to the Moodle virtual classroom and the digital bibliography is necessary. Further, it is necessary a device to access to Internet for the realization of the tests forming the optional evidence EO-A, which involves the possibility of answering a virtual test (Microsoft Forms) at the beginning of each theoretical classroom session. It is recommended to attend sessions with a device (mobile, tablet, computer) properly configured for access to the UAB WIFI network and Eduroam.