Abnormal psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with psychopathology and abnormal behavior, often in a clinical context. The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to personality disorders. Counselors, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

Abnormal psychology focuses on the patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior that can be signs of a mental health condition. Rather than the distinction between normal and abnormal, psychologists in this field focus on the level of distress that behaviors, thoughts, or emotions might cause.

If a behavior is creating problems in a person's life or is disruptive to other people, then this would be an "abnormal" behavior. In such cases, the behavior may require some type of mental health intervention.

Over the next few weeks, we will be learning about the following: Abnormal Psychology – Past and Present; Research in Abnormal Psychology; Models of Abnormality; Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment; Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders; Disorders of Trauma and Stress; Treatments for Depressive and Bipolar Disorders; Suicide; Eating Disorders; Substance Use and Addictive Disorders; Sexual Disorders and Gender Variation; Personality Disorders; Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents; Disorders of Aging and Cognition; and law, society, and the Mental Health Profession.

(Certificate of Completion)

This course offers an introduction to abnormal behavior and psychotherapy.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify the various roles that mental health professionals play within the mental health system.

2. Describe the theoretical foundations of therapeutic psychology to include: intake, problem identification and assessment, and the facilitation of therapeutic change.