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An Introduction to Mental Health - PSY00115M

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  • Department: Psychology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Rob Dudley
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module will cover:

  • Mental health, wellbeing, and recovery.
  • The key features of each disorder/presenting issue and how they impact on people’s lives
  • The key ways that each disorder is understood (formulation, diagnosis)
  • The key ways to assess for different issues and disorders
  • The key evidence based interventions and their main features (with a focus on Cognitive Behavioural therapy).
  • The links between disorders, other co-morbid issues such as physical health and broader societal, political, cultural and personal factors impacting on mental health.
  • Pathways to care and organisation of services

Any of us can experience better or worse mental health. It is relevant for everyone, as it can affect our lives, those of our families and friends, or of society as a whole. Mental health issues are varied, and show themselves in different ways in different people but around 1 in 4 people will be affected in any given year. Sometimes, we may need to seek help, support and treatment.

This module will introduce key mental health issues like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorders. It will define the key features of each issue, how it impacts on people, it will explore important issues in assessment, management and treatment. This will provide a core understanding of mental health issues which will allow students working in a clinical or research setting to better understand the issues faced by people with differing mental health presentations. They will understand how to use and interpret standardised assessment tools and what treatments are recommended and for whom they may or may not work. Students will acquire a critical understanding of the strengths and limitations of the diagnostic approach to mental health and an awareness of the role of formulation of mental health issues. There will be an emphasis on marrying the knowledge from academic research with the lived experience of people with these conditions.

This module will be relevant to all students interested in understanding mental health from a psychological perspective, and to all those interested in further clinical work or research. It will provide a core foundation to support further specialisation and study.

Module learning outcomes

  • Identify the key features of different mental health presentations
  • Critically evaluate research on the biological, psychological and social understanding and treatment of mental health issues.
  • Synthesise evidence on the role of diagnosis and formulation in mental health
  • Interpret common standardised assessment tools used in relation to mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
  • Clearly describe relevant constructs and their relationships to disorders, such as the role of loss in depression, or threat in anxiety.
  • To describe evidence-based treatments/strategies for managing issues like depression and anxiety disorders
  • Demonstrate understanding of the organisation of services designed to treat these presenting issues.

Module content

  • Models of mental health
  • Depression: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment
  • Anxiety disorders: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment including Phobias, Worry, Panic, Social Anxiety, Health anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Trauma and PTSD: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment
  • Psychosis and Bipolar disorder: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment
  • Personality issues: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment
  • Eating Disorders: core features, assessment, understanding and treatment
  • Comorbidity, and relationship with developmental issues

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay (self cert) : An Introduction to Mental Health Essay		 N/A 60
Essay/coursework
Essay (self cert) : Case Summary Report		 N/A 40

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

Marks will be released via e:vision.

Indicative reading

Pilgrim, D. (2023). Key concepts in Mental Health. Sage.

Whitaker, R. (2019). Mad in America. Basic Books.

Recommended resources

https://oxcadatresources.com provides access to videos of understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders.

https://psychosisresearch.com/cbt/ provides access to videos of understanding and treatment of psychosis and its symptoms.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.