Psychopathology and Diagnosis

This course provides students with information relevant to the diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of mental illness. Psychopharmacological interventions are addressed. The epistemological assumptions that ground traditional theories of psychopathology and diagnostic systems such as the DSM are discussed, and avoiding bias in psychiatric diagnosis is a major focus of the course. The following DSM categories are covered: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders including schizophrenias, disorders usually first evident in childhood, and personality disorders.