Abnormal Pyschology

What is normal? When asking ourselves this question, we often look to what is beyond the typical to contextualize what we consider normal. From the perspective of psychology, we all exhibit behavior at times that is not considered typical; but what is the line in which the behavior goes from quirky to clinical? This course aims to look deeper into the disordered personality to better understand the topics associated with abnormal psychology, with an emphasis on the classification, assessment and etiology of disorders, as well as analysis of the historical, cultural and sociological aspects as they relate to diagnosis. Examination of mood, personality, dissociative, and psychotic disorders, as well as fear and anxiety and the effects of stress will all be addressed in this course to allow students to gain a critical understanding of the factors that contribute to their causes and clinical approaches. As this course takes place in Italy, the Italian perspective of mental health will be a fundamental aspect of cultural analysis to develop a global sensitivity towards the topics the addressed. Prerequisites: Introductory course on research methods in psychology or equivalent.