Psychopathology and mental health

Course Contents

• Introduction: Concept of mental health; keywords in psychopathology; historical and contemporary viewpoints on psychopathology such as abnormality versus normality
• Broad aetiology: Biological, psychodynamic, sociocultural, and cognitive perspectives
• Criteria for diagnosis and assessment: Uses, limitations, misuses of assigning psychiatric diagnoses such as stigma, discrimination and labelling; overview of treatment options
• Discussion of (selected) symptoms/disorders as per DSM criteria: Example – depression, bipolar, addiction, anxiety-related disorders
• Conclusion: Prevalent practices towards mental health including treatment and prevention; maintaining well-being despite symptoms; mental health scenario in India

What you'll learn

This course will introduce relevant concepts, theories, and research findings in the area of psychopathology and mental health. This is expected to contribute towards the general understanding of mental health.

About the Instructor

Dr. Amrita Deb is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Liberal Arts at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. Amrita’s research in the area of psychological resilience covers risk and protective factors that stem from individual, social, and cultural components. Her work attempts to identify the wide range of favorable outcomes in the aftermath of adversities including childhood trauma and mental illness. She teaches courses on positive psychology and clinical psychology.

Link for Research Profile: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=Bo02hOIAAAAJ&hl=en

Instructor Profile Google Scholar

Course Assessment

Assessment may consist of assignments &/or quizzes &/viva &/or exams.