Abnormal Psychology Course

Course overview

The study of abnormal psychology looks at why people come to act in an unusual or disturbing manner, and what kinds of therapies have been developed to help them return to normal living. The range of what may be termed abnormal behaviours includes stress, depression, anxiety, phobia, neurosis, psychosis and schizophrenia. This course is designed as a foundation or addition for anyone interested in making a career in counselling, social work, nursing, caring or therapy.

Syllabus

Lesson One
- Introduction
- Defining Abnormal
  - Abnormal Behaviour
  - The Statistical Approach
  - Social Judgements
  - The Medical Model
- Phobia
  - The Causes of Phobia
  - Social Phobia
Lesson Two
- Phobias (Continued)
  - Sexual Phobias
  - Causes of Sexual Phobias
  - The Symptoms of Phobias
  - Agoraphobia
- Fears of Illness and Death
  - Fear of Insanity
  - Fear of Illness
  - Fear of Dying and Death
  - Fear of Cancer
- Stress
  - Living with Stress
  - The Holmes-Rahe Scale
  - Having a Baby
  - Getting Divorced
  - The Symptoms of Stress
  - Illnesses Linked to Stress
Lesson Three
- Stress (Continued)
  - Causes of stress
  - Stress and Burnout
  - High Risk Occupations
- Abnormal Moods
  - Shame
  - Jealousy
  - Greed
  - Fear
  - Loneliness
  - Guilt
Lesson Four
- Panic Attacks
  - Symptoms of a Panic Attack
  - Who has Panic Attacks?
  - Types of Panic Attack
  - The Causes of Panic Attacks
  - Physical Causes
  - Emotional Causes
- Anxiety
  - The Symptoms of Anxiety
  - How Anxiety Helps
- Problems and Disorders
  - Abnormal Sex
- Sexual Disorders
  - Paraphilias
  - Fetishism
  - Paedophilia
- Other Forms of Sexual Dysfunction
  - Stress and Sex
  - Infidelity
Lesson Five
- Disorders
  - Classifying Disorders
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)
  - Common Disorders
  - Eating Disorders
- Depression
  - Types of Depression
  - Symptoms of Mild Depression
Lesson Six
- Symptoms of Major Depression
  - Suicide and Depression
  - Myths about Suicide
- Treatment for Abnormal Psychology
  - Cognitive Therapies
  - Counselling
  - Psychotherapy
  - Humanistic Psychotherapy
  - Hypnosis
  - Family Therapy
  - Behaviour Therapy
  - Psychoanalysis

Practical training

No practical training is required to complete this course.

Prerequisites

You do not need to have any additional qualifications before studying this course.

Level

On successful completion of this course, you have received training designed as either a foundation qualification leading to further studies to attain a practitioner level, or professional development to gain additional skills and knowledge to expand the practice of the existing therapist. It has also been endorsed by the Quality Licence Scheme and graduates will receive the QLS Certificate of Achievement as above. This course has been designed by BSY to meet specific learners’ and/or employers’ requirements which cannot be satisfied through current regulated qualifications. The Quality Licence Scheme, endorses high-quality, non-regulated provision and training programmes.

Certification

On successful completion students will receive dual awards: Award 1- The BSY Professional Certificate of Merit in Abnormal Psychology.

Award 2- Certificate of achievement at QLS Level 3 from Quality Licence Scheme. Registration through BSY is essential with this course.

How the course works

Upon enrolment you receive your first course lessons.

You can study in your own time, at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. If you have any questions, or would like feedback or encouragement about your course or your studies then you can contact our friendly tutors by phone, email or post.

At the end of each lesson are a set of questions. Completing these can aid your learning and help you master each step before moving on to the next. Your next lesson will then arrive for you to continue when it suits you. This allows us to continually assess understanding and competence of the subject.

Having progressed through each lesson you can take your final examination at home, and at a date and time that suits you. Then, on successful completion you will be awarded your BSY certificate.

Support

Your tutor will mark your lessons, giving valuable, constructive feedback - helping you to master each step before moving on to the next. You can contact them for support or advice throughout your studies.

You can also contact the support team who are here to help you Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

We are proud of our friendly, caring ethos and aim to do all we can to help you succeed.