Individual and Cultural Diversity (PSYC90009)

When people develop psychological disorders, whether in childhood, adulthood, or later life, they do not arise in a vacuum, but in a psychosocial context. Many individual and cultural factors contribute to this context, and the purpose of this subject is to explore some of these influences, and how they interact with each other. Such an understanding provides the context for relating to clients as a whole person, rather than merely focusing on symptoms and diagnosis of disorders. Consideration of these factors is also crucial to the processes of formulation and engaging clients in therapy.

Topics covered include diagnoses as psychosocial phenomena, and factors in help-seeking and accessing the mental health system. The course considers aspects of diversity, such as physical health, cultural identity, gender identity, aging and family issues, especially as they relate to the presentation and treatment of psychological disorders. Ethical issues, theoretical perspectives, current clinical practice and evidence from the clinical research literature are emphasised.