Understand Abnormal Psychology through this online course and learn how to identify psychological disorders and their consequences.
How can you know whether a person’s behaviour is within the ‘normal’ range or abnormal (thus requiring the attention of a specialist). Counsellors and support workers will benefit from this course. Develop your ability to identify psychological disorders, and determine when to refer clients for treatment. The course will also be of interest to anyone who wants to understand more about common psychological disorders, their causes and treatment.
Want to learn about schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, mania, childhood disorders? Why not take this course? Understanding abnormal behaviour is the first step toward dealing with it, both for professionals as well as friends, relatives and aquaintancies.
This course can be of value to anyone who wants to understand more about common psychological disorders, their causes and treatment. It is particularly beneficial for counsellors or support workers, for it will develop their ability to distinguish different types of psychological disorder, and determine when to refer clients for treatment. It is also of interest to anyone who finds human nature fascinating. We cover why different conditions may occur, what happens in different conditions and how we can treat them.
Student Comments:
“I am thoroughly enjoying the course”Tuptim, Abnormal Psychology, Thailand.
Borderline Personality Disorder; symptoms, treatment, research, etc.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to ADL, marked by the ADL’stutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Learning Goals
Learning Goals: Abnormal Psychology BPS307
Identify disorders first prevalent under 18 years of age;
Describe how you would diagnose a case of suspected Autism in a child of 4 years of age;
Compare and contrast delirium and dementia;
Do an internet search for images of PET scans and MRI of brains affected by delirium or dementia include the images an essay discussing these disorders;
Distinguish between substance abuse disorders and substance dependence disorders;
Differentiate between psychotic disorders;
Describe briefly the subtypes of Schizophrenia;
Distinguish between Unipolar disorders and Bipolar disorders;
Outline a cognitive model of depression;
Describe different types of Anxiety Disorders;
Develop a treatment to overcome a client’s fear of spiders;
Distinguish between Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders;
Explain the primary criticisms of dissociative identity disorder;
Provide a diagnosis of a case study and justify your diagnosis;
Discuss Gender Identity Disorder, Paraphilias and Sexual Dysfunction;
Identify Eating Disorders and Sleep Disorders;
Explain how eating disorders develop;
Distinguish between Impulse Control Disorders and Adjustment disorders;
Develop a diagnostic table for impulse control disorders;
Distinguish between different types of Personality Disorder;
Differentiate between Narcissistic and Histrionic personality disorders.
More Information
Your learning experience with ADLwill not only depend on the quality of the course, but also the quality of the person teaching it. This course is taught by Iona Lister and your course fee includes unlimited tutorial support throughout. Here are Iona’s credentials:
Iona ListerLicentiate, Speech and Language Therapy, UK, Diploma in Advanced Counselling Skills.
Iona has been a clinician and manager of health services for fifteen years, and a trainer for UK-based medical charities, focusing on psychosocial issues, mental health disorders, and also the promotion of communication skills for people in helping roles. She tutors and facilitates groups via workshops and teleconferences, and now specialises in Sight Loss. As a freelance writer, she contributes regular feature articles for magazines, has written five published books, as well as published courses relating to personal development and counselling skills.
Iona has also written published books, courses and articles across a wide range of subjects, mostly in the areas of health, counselling, psychology, crafts and wildlife.
She has drawn experience from clinical and managerial experience within the NHS as well as medical and humanitarian subjects. She has been a regular feature writer and expert panel member of a national magazine for six years.
Books include:A Guide to Living with Alzheimer’s Disease (and associated dementias),The Psychology of Facial Disfigurement; a Guide for Health and Social Care Professionals,When a Medical Skin Condition Affects the Way you Look; A Guide to Managing Your Future,Facing Disfigurement with Confidence,Cross Stitch: A Guide to Creativity and Success for Beginners. Courses written include:Mental Health and Social Work, Counselling Skills, Understanding and Responding to Substance Misuse, Journalling for Personal Development, Guided Imagery, Stress Management.
Current work includes:Tutor: Courses associated with Creative Writing, Counselling Skills, Psychology, Holistic Therapy,Certified Hypnotherapist and Hypnotension Practitioner.
Facilitator of Teleconference Groups:Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
Trainer(Skills for Seeing): Macular Society
Reviewer of Books/Information:Macmillan Cancer Support
Fundraiser:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB),Embroidery/Art Groups Facilitator, Board Member
Website Manager:The Strathcarron Project,Coordinator (Delaware & Tennessee) Human Writes
Excerpt from the Course
The following criteria can be used to determine whether a persons behaviour is abnormal or not:Deviation from statistical norms – the word abnormal means ‘away from the norm’. Many population facts are measured such as height, weight and intelligence. Most of the people fall within the middle range of intelligence, but a few are abnormally stupid. But according to this definition, a person who is extremely intelligent would be classified as abnormal. Thus in defining abnormal behaviour we must consider more. Deviation from social norms; every vulture has certain standards for acceptable behaviour – behaviour that deviates from that standard is considered to be abnormal behaviour. But those standards can change with time and vary from one society to another. Maladaptiveness of behaviour; this third part is how the behaviour affects the well-being of the individual and/or social group. Examples are a man who attempts suicide, an alcoholic who drinks so heavily that he or she cannot keep a job or a paranoid individual who tries to assassinate national leaders. Personal distress; the fourth part considers abnormality in terms of the individual’s subjective feelings, personal distress, rather than his behaviour. Most people diagnosed as ‘mentally ill’ feel miserable, anxious, depressed and may suffer from insomnia. In the type of abnormality called neurosis, personal distress may be the only symptom, because the individual’s behaviour seems normal. Mental health professionals apply various criteria in making judgements on whether a clients behaviour is normal or not. They may use the above criteria or they may conduct their own criteria for the definition of the problem. They may also look at different elements such as biological or medical, behavioural, or cognitive. Cultural differences also need to be noted and looked as they can play a part in ones behaviour and the manifestation of that behaviour. What may be okay in one culture and seem normal can be seen as something quite different in another culture. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) The most commonly used tool for diagnosis of mental disorders is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States. It is also used by many other countries as a basis for a common understanding in the language of abnormal behaviours. It is intended to be applicable in a wide array of contexts and used by clinicians and researchers of many different orientations (e.g., biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, family/systems). The manual has been designed for use across settings, inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinic, private practice, and primary care, and with community populations and by psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational and rehabilitation therapists, counsellors, and other health and mental health professionals. It is also a necessary tool for collecting and communicating accurate public health statistics to have a common thread globally. The DSM consists of three major components: the diagnostic classification, the diagnostic criteria sets, and the descriptive text. The diagnostic classification is the list of the mental disorders that are officially part of the DSM system. “Making a DSM diagnosis” consists of selecting those disorders from the classification that best reflect the signs and symptoms that are afflicting the individual being evaluated. Associated with each diagnostic label is a diagnostic code, which is typically used by institutions and agencies for data collection and billing purposes. For each disorder included in the DSM, a set of diagnostic criteria that indicate what symptoms must be present (and for how long) in order to qualify for a diagnosis (called inclusion criteria) as well as those symptoms that must not be present (called exclusion criteria) in order for an individual to qualify for a particular diagnosis. However, it is important to remember that these criteria are meant to be used a guidelines to be informed by clinical judgment and are not meant to be used in a cookbook fashion. Finally, the third component of the DSM is the descriptive text that accompanies each disorder. The text of DSM systematically describes each disorder under the following headings: “Diagnostic Features”; “Subtypes and/or Specifiers”; “Recording Procedures”; “Associated Features and Disorders”; “Specific Culture, Age, and Gender Features”; “Prevalence”; “Course”; “Familial Pattern”; and “Differential Diagnosis.” DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision), published in June 2000 was the last major revision of the DSM. Much of the effort involved conducting a comprehensive review of the literature to establish a firm empirical basis for making modifications. Numerous changes were made to the classification (i.e., disorders were added, deleted, and reorganized), to the diagnostic criteria sets, and to the descriptive text based on a careful consideration of the available research about the various mental disorders. Childhood Disorders Childhood disorders differ from adult disorders in a very important way. Most adults identify themselves as having a problem, whilst children with problems are often identified by others. If an adult sees themselves as needing help, this has an effect on their desire to seek treatment, whereas with a child, someone is telling them that they need help or some form of treatment. There are a number of ways in which diagnosing disorders in children differs from diagnosis in adults. Children rarely initiate the consultation themselves The childs developmental stage has to be taken into consideration Children tend to have more difficulty expressing things in words Medication is usually a last resort A developmental approach is usually undertaken for the following reasons: The childs developmental stage determines whether the behaviour is normal or pathological The impact of life events alters as the child develops The childs psychopathology may alter as it gets older. The causes of psychological disorders in children are similar to that for adults, i.e. there are genetic and environmental factors. In addition there are developmental factors, i.e. children mature psychologically and socially as they get older and their disorders reflect such maturation. A child with a “major psychiatric disorder” has a very serious illness affecting several areas of the child’s life. These areas may include emotions, social or intellectual ability, or the use of language. When a child and adolescent psychiatrist examines a child to learn if he or she has a major psychiatric disorder, these are some of the signs they look for or ask parents about: …
Psychological Profiling eBook course online.Psychological profiling is used to assess anyone from potential new staff and school children to serial killers. It helps you to determine someones personality, neuroses, mental health and career suitability. This book provides an excellent overview of psychological profiling techniques and pitfalls. Aprofileof an individual at its most basic is an outline of what a person is really like in terms of their personality traits and characteristics. The most widely known form ofprofilingis that which is used to assess criminal behaviour. This is largely due to the popularity of TV shows and books which include criminalprofiling.
When we hear the term “psychologicalprofiling“, we often assume it is in relation to criminal behaviour, howeverprofilingcan be used for a wide range of reasons, such as:
Assessment
Assessment is based on a combination of completing all assignments and sitting for a final short one and a half hour exam, in your own location.
If you don’t cope well with exams then you may elect to undertake a project instead. This is a popular option.
In addition, most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson placed before the assignment. This is an opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge and skills and practical experience. This ADL feature is an added bonus not found at most online schools. Set Tasks are not required for assessment.Â
Some courses also have optional Self-Tests which are available on our online learning platform. These are not available by correspondence or by USB, and do not form part of your overall grade.
How our courses work
Choose Your Learning Method You choose how you would like to receive your course material, i.e., Online, USB or Correspondence. The choice is yours. You may also work on online or offline.
Tutor Allocation Every student is assigned their own dedicated tutor who is an expert in their subject area. They provide as much or as little individual contact as you require. You can contact your tutor whenever you need – your hours are not limited.
Feedback and Assignments Tutor Feedback is an essential component in helping you understand the subject matter. Tutor feedback is given in the form of notes written on the assignment. We encourage you to contact your Tutor where help with clarification and understanding of course material may be required.
Your assignments are located at the end of each lesson. You submit them for marking whenever you are ready. There is no time limit. Â
Set Tasks and Self-Tests Most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson before for the assignment. This is where you get the opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge, skills and practical experience. Many modules also have short Self-Tests.
Exams Once all assignments have been completed you may then elect to sit for a one and half hour exam in your own location. If you prefer not to take the exam you do have the option to undertake a project instead. Once the exam or project part of the course is completed, your Certificate is then processed. Please allow approximately 4 weeks for this.
Design Your Own Qualification ADL offers students the flexibility to self-design their own qualification – bundling together a combination of 100-hour modules into a qualification higher than a certificate.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning? A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books? A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc) A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit? A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date? A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy? A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students? A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start? A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world? A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course? A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take? A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work? A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do? A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work? A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module? A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done? A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript? A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they? A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time? A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done? A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
What's Included
What your tuition fees include
All Course Material via Online, USB or Correspondence
Assignments Marked
Professional Tutor Feedback
Set Tasks - Practical Exercises to help you develop skills
Self-Tests – multiple choice questions at the end of lessons in most modules
Unlimited Personal Tutor Support – via our student classroom
Committed and Friendly Admin Support – vital to your success
All ADL Exam or Project fees (exception RHS exams)
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By submitting this form, I provide my consent to ADL to contact me via email or telephone, regarding the course I selected. All information provided is protected in conformity with our Privacy Policy.
Outline a cognitive model of depression;
Iona Lister Licentiate, Speech and Language Therapy, UK, Diploma in Advanced Counselling Skills.