Module Code - Title:
PS6091
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CLINICAL MODELS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
Clinical psychology is the study of psychological disorders and distress. The aim of this module is to give an understanding of psychological disorders and distress, and how their occurrence and persistence can be explained with prominent clinical models of disorders.
Syllabus:
The module will provide a valuable introduction to key issues and concepts in clinical psychology. Students will be introduced to prominent psychological disorders (e.g., anxieties, dissociative and somatoform disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders).
The module will also focus on historical and recent approaches that explain the development and the persistence of these disorders. These perspectives will include, for example, psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive, and systemic approaches. The validity of these clinical models will be discussed by considering up-to-date research in clinical psychology. The lecture series will provide overviews to the topics and the tutorials will allow for in-depth discussions of clinical models of psychological disorders in class.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Describe the characteristics of commonly occurring psychological disorders
2. Debate clinical models of the development and persistence of psychological disorders and distress.
3. Critically evaluate the value of clinical models and psychological research in clinical psychology.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module, students should be / should be able to:
1. Value the contribution that clinical models make to the understanding of psychological disorders.
2. Appreciate the contibution of research in clinical psychology with regard to the increasing insights into the phenomenology, causes and persistence of psychological disorders.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module will be taught in lectures and tutorials. In lectures, there will be elements of didactic teaching, activities and interactive group work. Students will be confronted with specific cases studies, via reading materials, audio recordings, and videos. In addition, learning will take place through guided and independent reading, and formative assessment. Students will write reports about the phenomenology of particular clinical disorders. In tutorials, students will give presentations about psychological disorders and will discuss the merits of psychological research and clinical models with regard to the understanding of psychological disorders and distress.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
N/A
Prime Texts:
Kring, A., Johnson, S., Davison, G. C., & Neale, J. M. (2009)
Abnormal Psychology (11th ed.)
, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Other Relevant Texts:
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Module Leader:
aoife.whiston@ul.ie