College Board Objectives: Abnormal Behavior & Treatment
8.1 Introduction to Psychological Disorders
8.A Recognize the use of the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association as the primary reference for making diagnostic judgments.
8.B Describe contemporary and historical conceptions of what constitutes psychological disorders.
8.C Discuss the intersection between psychology and the legal system.
Examples: Confidentiality, Insanity Defense
8.2 Psychological Perspectives and Etiology of Disorders
8.DEvaluate the strengths and limitations of various approaches to explaining psychological disorders.
8.E Identify the positive and negative consequences of diagnostic labels.
Examples: The Rosenhan Study
8.3 Neurodevelopmental and Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders
8.F Discuss the major diagnostic categories, including neurodevelopmental disorders, neurocognitive disorders, schizophrenia spectrum, and other psychotic disorders, and their corresponding symptoms.
8.4 Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders
8.G Discuss the major diagnostic categories, including anxiety disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and their corresponding symptoms.
8.6 Feeding and Eating, Substance and Addictive, and Personality Disorders
8.I Discuss the major diagnostic categories, including feeding and eating disorders, personality disorders, and their corresponding symptoms.
8.7 Introduction to Treatment of Psychological Disorders
8.J Describe the central characteristics of psychotherapeutic intervention.
8.K Identify the contributions of major figures in psychological treatment.
Examples: Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, Sigmund Freud, Mary Cover Jones, Carl Rogers, B.F. Skinner, Joseph Wolpe
8.8 Psychological Perspectives and Treatments of Disorders
8.L Describe major treatment orientations used in therapy and how those orientations influence therapeutic planning. Examples: behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, sociocultural
8.M Summarize effectiveness of specific treatments used to address specific problems.
8.N Discuss how cultural and ethnic context influence choice and success of treatment (e.g., factors that lead to premature termination of treatment).
8.O Describe prevention strategies that build resilience and promote competence.
8.9 Treatment of Disorders from the Biological Perspective
8.P Summarize effectiveness of specific treatments used to address specific problems from a biological perspective.
8.10 Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, and Empirical Support for Treatments of Disorders
8.Q Compare and contrast different treatment methods. Examples: Individual, Group, Rational Emotive method, Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic method, client centered method, cognitive, behavioral, sociocultural, biopsychosocial, cognitive behavioral