PSYC10004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Mental Disorder
28 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
LECTURE 28 – INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own
abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, and is able to make a contribution
to his or her community
oNOT just the absence of psychological problems
oThings can happen but we can navigate it due to coping mechanisms
Mental disorders increase risk for physical disorders
oAnd physical disorders can increase vulnerability = mental disorder
oi.e. having cancer
Many health conditions increase risk for mental disorders
Stigma prevents many people for seeking mental health care
There are great inequities in the availability of mental health professionals across the
world
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate
maladjustment, and to support personal development
Focuses on the intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological, social and
behavioural aspects of human functioning across the lifespan, in varying cultures,
and at all economic levels
Evidence based discipline – interpretations vary
Psychological services should not be administered until:
oExact nature of service (treatment) is described clearly
i.e. ethically offer info of potential therapeutic choice
oClaimed benefits are stated explicitly
i.e. this therapy is intended tp reduce depression
oBenefits are validated scientifically
Who it works for, whom it doesn’t for?
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Mental disorders increase risk for physical disorders: and physical disorders can increase vulnerability = mental disorder, i. e. having cancer. Many health conditions increase risk for mental disorders. Stigma prevents many people for seeking mental health care. There are great inequities in the availability of mental health professionals across the world. Integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate maladjustment, and to support personal development. Focuses on the intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological, social and behavioural aspects of human functioning across the lifespan, in varying cultures, and at all economic levels. Who it works for, whom it doesn"t for: possible negative side effect that might outweigh any benefits must be ruled out empirically. Quantitative studies measure something on a scale, precise numbers etc. More recently: environmental context, practitioner expertise, population characteristics, consumer needs and treatment preferences. We are still exploring disorders, developing/testing new therapies, mediate response (why different people response to therapy)
