Introduction to Abnormal Psychology

Welcome to PSYC A232 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology! This is a five-credit DL undergraduate course within the Bachelor of Social Sciences, Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) and Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Psychology Studies programmes.

This course starts by introducing the essential concepts, theories and findings in abnormal psychology as well as their areas of application. After the first unit, the course delves into various types of psychological disorders falling under the psychiatric nomenclature such as anxiety-related and mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, personality disorders, and substance use and gambling disorders. Related theories and research concerning the origin, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders will also be discussed.

This course will be delivered in a custom textbook format, supplemented by a Study Guide, online multimedia components, and face-to-face sessions.

Course aims

PSYC A232 aims to provide you with:

• an introduction to various types of psychological disorders falling under the psychiatric nomenclature and other behavioural models; and
• a discussion of related theories and research concerning the origin, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.

Course learning outcomes

Upon the completion of PSYC A232 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology, you should be able to:

• describe and critique the major characteristics of abnormal psychology;
• critically evaluate the basic concepts and theoretical approaches of abnormal psychology;
• evaluate the major theoretical models of psychopathology and methods of diagnosis;
• critically discuss the symptoms and psychopathology of common psychological disorders; and
• critically discuss the cultural perspectives in abnormal psychology.

In this custom textbook approach, different learning modules have been carefully selected by the course team from a leading abnormal psychology textbook and organised into a custom volume specifically designed for PSYC A232 students. By incorporating selected chapters, case studies, discussion and summaries, the custom textbook will provide you with comprehensive coverage of the major concepts, key theories and perspectives, empirical findings and real-world applications in the field of abnormal psychology.

In addition to the custom textbook, you will be working through the course using an HKMU- produced Study Guide. The Study Guide leads you along your study pathway unit by unit, providing commentary on each textbook chapter and supplementary self-learning and self- assessment opportunities.

The third main point of reference for learning resources during the course is HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). There, you will have access to multimedia materials such as the introductory video, and you will be able to discuss topics with other students and your tutor on the course discussion board. This course is further supported by regular face-to-face meetings in the form of tutorials and day schools.

Introductory video

To start off, you should watch the introductory video for the course in the ePub version of this Course Guide or on the OLE. Then turn to the Study Guide for further guidance through the course.

The custom textbook

A custom textbook will be provided to you as an integral part of your course package. The title of the custom textbook is PSYC A232 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology. The chapters are selected from the following textbook:

• Jennings, H. (2023). Nolen-Hoeksema's abnormal psychology (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

The Study Guide will indicate at which point you should read each chapter of the custom textbook.

The Study Guide

The Study Guide sets out your study pathway through the custom textbook and other course learning resources. It serves as a guide to the textbook chapters, helping you to organise major ideas with tools like tables and diagrams. It also contains activities and self-tests to facilitate your learning. You will therefore need to keep it by your side as you work through the course.

The Study Guide is divided into five units. The titles of the units and the custom textbook chapters that they will cover are set out in the following table.

E-Library E-Reserve readings

In the Study Guide, you may be instructed to read articles in the E-Library E-Reserve. To read these items, go to the university E-Library homepage and click on 'E-Reserve'. Log in, click 'Accept/Agree' on the Copyright Restrictions page, fill in the 'Course Code' box, and click 'Search'. Alternatively, you may access the readings via a hyperlink in the online course materials.

The Online Learning Environment (OLE)

This course is supported by HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). You will find course materials and the latest course information on the OLE. You can also communicate with your tutor, the Course Coordinator and classmates through the OLE discussion board.

Learning support

You will be supported throughout the course by regular face-to-face meetings in the form of tutorials and day schools. Essentially, every unit will be covered by one tutorial while two day schools will be arranged throughout the presentation of the course. Details of the dates and times of these sessions can be found in the Course Schedules page of the OLE.

Assessment

This course is designed to enable you to move easily from the stated objectives, through the study units to the assignments. During the course, you will have your progress assessed both formally (through summative assessment) and informally (through formative assessment).

• Formative assessment includes various self-assessment activities (e.g. self-tests, activities, and online discussions) that you will undertake while working through the study units. These activities allow you to develop and monitor your own progress.
• Summative assessment consists of three assignments.

Assignments

Your performance is assessed by continuous assessment, taking up 100% of course grade.

There are three compulsory assignments for the course, each accounting for 33.33% of the course grade. You will be expected to apply concepts, principles and research findings acquired during the course when completing assignments.

• Assignment 1, worth 33.33%, evaluates materials covered in Unit 1.
• Assignment 2, worth 33.33%, evaluates materials covered in Units 2 and 3.
• Assignment 3, worth 33.33%, evaluates materials covered in Units 4 and 5.

How to submit assignments

You must use word processing software (such as Microsoft Word) to prepare the assignments. The Assignment File gives you details on how to present and submit your assignments. Please refer to the OLE Assignments → General Information section. Please also read the Student Handbook for HKMU's policy on late submission of assignments.

Assignments must reach your tutor by the due date shown on the presentation schedule (available on the OLE). If, for some good reason, you are unable to submit your assignment on time, you should, before the due date, ask your tutor or Course Coordinator for permission to submit it late. In general, you are expected to submit your assignments via the OLE. Assignments will be returned to you, marked and with commentary, as soon as possible.

Please note that there is no extension of the due date for the final assignment. For more information, please refer to your Student Handbook.

The following table gives a general overview of the course structure. It suggests the amount of time you should allow for completing units and provides a broad schedule for you to plan your work. This estimation includes time for reading the units and custom textbook, completing activities, self-tests and assignments, and attending tutorials and day schools.

PSYC A232 aims to introduce the scientific study of abnormal psychology, and establish a solid foundation for further exploration into psychopathology. Abnormal psychology is a scientific approach which aims to examine the features, causes, assessments, and treatment of various psychological disorders. After studying this course, you should have a more nuanced understanding of the continuum between normality and abnormality. In addition, you should be able to analyse various psychological disorders in terms of their symptoms, etiology and treatment plans. This knowledge can be useful in understanding how individuals’ mental dispositions and early-life experiences interact in the development of abnormal behaviours. Moreover, it can bring valuable insights to the community and to institutions for building a positive environment for people with psychological disorders.