Details for Mental Health

This subject will help students recognise signs of mental health conditions and how to provide appropriate support, help, or referral for individuals with these issues. Students will explore causality and identify the role of the community in supporting people with mental health conditions.

Awards offering Mental Health

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
• Bachelor of Business
• Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Ministry
• Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Theology
• Bachelor of Ministry
• Bachelor of Theology
• Diploma of Arts
• Diploma of Chaplaincy
• Undergraduate Certificate in Arts

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Develop a basic understanding of the nature, effects and management of many common mental health conditions within a cultural context;
2. Define the types of interventions that may help persons with these problems and recognise the impact of mental health on those close to the client and provide support/referral for them as appropriate;
3. Display respect, empathy, compassion towards people with mental health conditions & develop strategies to help others to do the same; recognising the importance of conveying hope and confidence;
4. Begin to understand patterns of thinking, feeling and action indicative of emerging mental health conditions, and of the context in which they may arise.

Subject Content

• The effects of long term conditions on individuals, families and communities
• Normality & abnormality as it relates to mental health
• Exploring common conditions such as: physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these; occurring from birth or acquired later.
• Exploring common mental health conditions such as: anxiety disorders, somatoform & dissociative disorders, mood disorders, suicide, eating & sleep disorders, sexual & gender identity disorders, substance-related & impulse-control disorders, personality disorders, developmental disorders & cognitive disorders
• Desensitising the myths of mental health
• Discovering local resources
• Referral protocols

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Onsite (face-to-face)
• Online (eLearning)
• Intensives
• Extensives

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

• Personal Record of Relaxation Technique (25%)
• Major Essay (50%)
• Individual Presentation & Handout (25%)

Prescribed Text

• Barlow, D.H., Durand, V.M., & Hofmann, S.G. (2017) Abnormal Psychology (8th ed.) or (2015 – 7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Please consult your instructor prior to purchasing any textbooks.