AZA3135 Abnormal behaviour
Faculty of Arts
AZA3135 Abnormal behaviour is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2021 in Semester 2 at South Africa. It needs AZA2455, AZA2490, AZA2495 and AZA2015 and unlocks 4 units.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2021
- Semester 2
- South Africa
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 4 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2022 entry.
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Requisites
Before AZA3135
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
Corequisites
Pass these before, or take them in the same semester.
After AZA3135
4 units list AZA3135 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Prohibitions: PSY2011, PSY2031, PSY3032
Overview
This unit aims to give you a broad view of psychopathology (abnormal behaviour) by studying different theoretical perspectives in different cultural contexts. Topics to be covered include: theory; historical influences; specific psychopathologies; assessment, treatment methods, and legal issues. The unit will critically explore dominant taxonomies of mental and psychiatric illness notably the DSM system of classification. The knowledge acquired in this field is used by clinical practitioners to detect, assess, and treat abnormal patterns of functioning.
Offerings in 2021
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester - South Africa | South Africa | On campus |
Assessment
- AT 1: Essay15%
- AT 2: Case Study Essay15%
- Class Participation Activity10%
- Lecture Topic Quizzes - (2 x 5)10%
- Examination50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Relate their knowledge of personality, biological processes and human development to psychopathology.
- 2
Contrast historical and current major theoretical perspectives of psychopathology.
- 3
Compare methods of assessing psychological disorders.
- 4
Describe the main systems of classifying disorders.
- 5
Explain the way the theoretical perspective adopted by a clinician can influence the manner of interpreting the development and treatment of a psychological disorder.
- 6
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of classifying abnormal behaviour.
- 7
Discuss the major types of psychological disorders and the major therapeutic approaches to psychopathology.
- 8
Critically evaluate previous research and psychological report writing.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures36 hours
- Tutorials-
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Students will engage in class discussions and presentations
Learning resources
Required resources
Barlow , D. H., Durand, M. V., du Plessis L. M., & Visser, C. (2017). Abnormal Psychology: An integrative approach (1 ed South Africa.). UK: Cengage Learning EMEA.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Rika Swanzen
- Unit Coordinators
- Ms Elize Van Zyl
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for AZA3135?
You need AZA2455, AZA2490, AZA2495 and AZA2015 before you enrol; and AZA3462, AZA3465 and AZA3360 before or alongside it. Enrolment rules also apply.
What can I take after AZA3135?
AZA3135 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 4 units, including AZA3018, AZA3360, AZA3462 and AZA3465.
When is AZA3135 offered?
In 2021, AZA3135 runs in Semester 2 at South Africa.
How much work is AZA3135?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does AZA3135 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 4 other tasks.