PSMB028 Psychopathology: approaching an understanding (level 1)

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Michael Friedrich, MSc (lecturer), PhDr. Zuzana Slováčková, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jarmila Valchářová
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
The course will be taught in English. The course will be only offered to students of psychology. The maximum number of students is 30.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course explores factors which contribute to the development of psychopathology. This includes: genetics, loss, abuse, dysfunctional socialisation and choice of dysfunctional coping strategies. Knowledge of these factors can help in formulating an understanding of the patient/client during the process of clinical work.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes for the course are that the students acquire a concrete, specialist knowledge, skills and ability in understanding psychopathological phenomena. At the end of the course the students will be able to:
- be aware of the factors which contribute to the formation of psychopathology
- apply a biopsychosocial model of understanding human personality
- analyse their own psychological functioning using a biopsychosocial model
- analyse other people’s psychological functioning using a biopsychosocial model
- identify the biopsychosocial factors which typically contribute to a range of psychopathological phenomena.
Syllabus
  • 1. Factors which contribute to the development of psychopathology
  • We will try to understand the factors which might contribute towards the development of psychopathology.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Bateman, A. & Holmes, J. (1985). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. Chapter 2: Models of the Mind, pp. 27-48 and Chapter 3: Origins of the internal world, pp. 49-75. London and New York: Routledge.
  • 2. The Banality of Evil in the Psychotic, Borderline, Neurotic Continuum.
  • We will explore psychotic states of mind and their impact on the patient and their world.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Steiner, J. (1993). Psychic Retreats – Pathological Organisations in Psychotic, Neurotic and Borderline Patients. Chapter 8: The relationship to reality in psychic retreats, pp. 82-102. London & New York: Routledge.
  • Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. Chapter 10: Psychoanalytic contributions to psychiatry, pp. 212-242. London and New York: Routledge.
  • 3. The Abused and the Abuser: an intra and inter personal field
  • In this seminar we will look at the dynamics of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Cahill, C., Llewelyn, S. P. & Pearson, C. (1991). Long term effects of sexual abuse in childhood: A review. British Journal of Psychology, 117-130.
  • Channing, L. Bete Co., Inc. (1987). About Adults Abused as Children.
  • Hirigoyen, M. F. (1998). Stalking the Soul: Emotional Abuse and the Erosion of Identity. Chapter 1: Emotional Abuse in Private Life, pp. 13-50. New York: Helen Marx Books.
  • 4. The Nerd
  • In this seminar we will explore the defensive dynamics of grandiosity, avoidance, obsession and control.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Storr, A. (1979, 1990 paperback ed). The Art of Psychotherapy. Chapter 11: The Obsessional Personality, pp. 113-124. London: Secker & Warburg.
  • Storr, A. (1979, 1990 paperback ed). The Art of Psychotherapy. Chapter 12: The Schizoid Personality, pp. 125-141. London: Secker & Warburg.
  • 5. Being Hysterical
  • We will explore the underlying dynamics of feeling affronted, hurt, indignant and accusing.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Bollas, C. (2000). Hysteria. Chapter 11: The Malignant Hysteric, pp. 127-145. London: Routledge.
  • Storr, A. (1979, 1990 paperback ed). The Art of Psychotherapy. Chapter 9: The Hysterical Personality, pp. 82-92. London: Secker & Warburg.
  • 6. Sadness
  • We will attempt to understand the ways in which loss, abuse, repudiation and neglect may contribute to depression and what defences people sometime use in response to feelings of sadness.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Freud, S. (1955 ed). On Metapsychology. Mourning and Melancholia (1917), pp. 245-268. London: Penguin.
  • Storr, A. (1979, 1990 paperback ed). The Art of Psychotherapy. Chapter 10: The Depressive Personality, pp. 93-113. London: Secker & Warburg.
  • 7. The Abandoned Child
  • In this seminar we will explore how the loss in childhood of the significant (m)other affects that person as an adult. This loss may be through bereavement, adoption or fostering.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Klein, J. (1987). Our Need for Others and its Roots in Infancy. Chapter 16: Inadequate environment and fragile self, pp. 304-319. Chapter 17: Basic faults as the cause of splits, pp. 320-342. London: Routledge.
  • 8. The Forces of Destiny
  • We will explore the way in which various factors and forces interplay in a continual way in our inter and intra psychic worlds forming decisions, feelings, thoughts, acts, words and attitudes.
  • Recommended reading:
  • Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. Chapter 4: Mechanisms of Defence, pp. 76-94. London and New York: Routledge.
  • Bollas, C. (1991). Forces of Destiny. Chapter 2: The Destiny Drive.
Literature
  • Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. London and New York: Routledge.
  • Storr, A. (1979). The Art of Psychotherapy. London: Secker and Warburg.
  • Copies of individual papers relating to specific topics will be given to the students during the course.
  • Copies of the articles for recommended reading for each of the 8 classes are available from IS. If you can’t find them, please let the lecturer, Michael Friedrich, know.
Teaching methods
Lecture/ seminar/ class discussion

The knowledge, skills and abilities contained within the objectives of this course will be taught using direct teaching of theory, seminar discussion of this theory, discussion of clinical presentations, role play as therapist in relation to verbatim accounts of therapy sessions and discussion of DVD and video material.
Assessment methods
Assessment Methods
The course will be assessed by a written essay in English. 100% attendance at lectures is required.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
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