Academic Year/course:
2022/23
613 - Degree in Psychology
31235 - Personality Disorders
Syllabus Information
Academic Year:
2022/23
Subject:
31235 - Personality Disorders
Faculty / School:
301 - Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas
Degree:
613 - Degree in Psychology
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
3
Semester:
First semester
Subject Type:
Optional
Module:
---
1.1. Aims of the course
If there is one area in which clinical psychology still has a long way to go, it is the effective treatment of personality disorders. This may be due to a poor understanding of the characteristics of personality disorders, that is, of their origin, or of the life paths that make them probable. The objective of this course is to familiarize the student with the problematic contexts that make the development of adapted personalities and maladapted personalities likely, in order to provide them with the knowledge and skills to recognize useful contributions and to consider the design of research/intervention programs aimed at a definition that would allow us to be more effective in the treatment of problematic personalities.
These approaches and objectives are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 United Nations (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), so that the acquisition of the learning outcomes of the subject provides training and competence to contribute to some extent to their achievement:
Objective 3: Health and well-being.
Objective 4: Quality education.
Objective 5: Gender equality.
Objective 10: Reduction of inequalities.
1.3. Recommendations to take this course
The student must have passed the basic subjects, especially Psychology of Personality, and must be initially familiar with the main basic psychological processes (such as attention, memory, motivation, etc.), as well as with the bases of psychobiological functioning and the methodology commonly used in experimental and basic psychological research.
2.1. Competences
(29) Be able to describe and measure psychological variables such as personality, intelligence, aptitudes, etc., cognitive, emotional, psychobiological and behavioral processes.
(30) To be able to plan and conduct an interview.
(32) Know, select and administer the techniques of assessment, diagnosis and psychological intervention in their possible areas of application.
2.2. Learning goals
The student, in order to pass this subject, must demonstrate the following results:
- Describe the fundamental characteristics of personality disorders.
- Identify pathological personalities based on their diagnostic characteristics.
- Identify the risk factors and specific vulnerabilities for each personality disorder according to the different conceptual approaches to them.
- To know the different approaches to the development of healthy or adapted personalities vs. pathological personalities.
- To know the different dimensions that are used to classify personality and its relationship with health and disease.
- To differentiate the different theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of the development of personality psychopathology.
2.3. Importance of learning goals
The study of personality constitutes the cornerstone of the understanding of the human being. Once formed, and apart from the processes of modulation and variation to which it is subjected, personality is the factor that filters and biases the processing of information and other basic processes. The psychology professional in general, and clinical psychology in particular, should be aware of the aspects that contribute to the adequate formation of the normal personality, and at what point and by means of what processes, the normal formation process can be altered.
3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)
3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)
The student must demonstrate that he/she has achieved the expected learning outcomes through the following evaluation activities:
Written test (grade from 0 to 10) at the end of the term: it could mean around 60% of the final grade (to be determined at the beginning of the course). The test may contain true/false, multiple choice, short answer or essay questions.
Continuous work (grade from 0 to 10): this may represent around 40% of the final grade (to be determined at the beginning of the course) and involves the performance of various activities and/or the preparation of reports and/or the discussion of a topic of particular interest, etc. In order for this mark to be taken into account in the final grade, the student must pass the written test with at least 5 out of 10 points. The student will be able to carry out the activities corresponding to the continuous work as long as the attendance to the classes is not less than 80% of the teaching hours of the subject.
Those who do not wish to take the continuous evaluation will be entitled to a final theoretical-practical exam. It will be necessary to notify the teacher at the beginning of the course.
Note: In the event that, for health safety reasons, a change in the teaching from face-to-face to blended or non-face-to-face, the following modifications may be made in the evaluation of the course:
1. The written test will be carried out by telematic means with a determined time (e.g. through Moodle). The control of the students during the test will be done through the Google Meet application or other platforms approved by the university.
2. Work that is done continuously during the course will be delivered individually through the Moodle tool.
In any case, students will have the right to a global evaluation of all the contents of the course in which they will be able to opt for the maximum grade.
For more information, please consult the Regulations of the Learning Assessment Standards of the University of Zaragoza at the following link: http://cud.unizar.es/docs/ReglamentodeNormasdeEvaluaciondelAprendizaje.pdf
4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources
4.1. Methodological overview
The subject of Personality Disorders will follow an eminently participatory methodology, using as a reference the problem-based learning methodology to stimulate critical thinking, analysis and discussion of the validity of different theoretical approaches, and ultimately, the development of the necessary strategies to define the model to be adopted in their professional practice. During the course, the following methodologies will be used:
- Lecture
- Readings
- Bibliographic search
- Group work
- Problem-based learning
- Problem solving learning
Note: In the event that for health safety reasons a change in the teaching from face-to-face to blended or non-face-to-face is proposed, the following modifications may be carried out:
1. Classes will be adapted to the telematic format.
2. Moodle will be used as the preferred means for the exchange of material and theoretical and practical explanations. Scientific articles, case studies, Power Point presentations and links to various contents of interest will be published.
3. In addition, videos of different theoretical topics will be recorded with visual support by means of Power Point presentations or online classes can be carried out through Google Meet or other tools approved by the University.
4. Tutorials will be conducted via email and/or meetings through Google Meet or other tools approved by the University.
4.2. Learning tasks
The program offered to the student to help him/her achieve the expected results includes the following activities:
- Lectures
- Oral presentations by the student
- Analysis of cases
- Design of experimental preparations (real and/or virtual) to study some aspect of personality.
- Viewing of audiovisual material
- Attendance to conferences and lectures related to personality (if given during the teaching period).
- Participation in scientific experiments (if given during the teaching period).
Theoretical classes: 2 hours/week
Practical classes: 2 hours/week/group
4.3. Syllabus
BLOCK I. Personality Disorders
Topic 1. Normal and pathological personality: General considerations.
Topic 2: Personality Disorders of Cluster A: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal
Theme 3: Cluster B Personality Disorders: antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic
Topic 4: Personality Disorders of Cluster C: avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive
BLOCK II. Other processes related to personality disorders
Topic 5: Personality and Psychological Vulnerability
Topic 6: The role of emotional regulation
Topic 7: Assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders
Topic 8: Interventions in personality disorders
4.4. Course planning and calendar
Schedule of face-to-face sessions and presentation of papers:
The schedule will be specified at the beginning of the course, as well as the program of contents and the recommended bibliography.
- Theoretical classes with the whole group: 2h/week in the 1st four-month period.
- Compulsory practical classes: 2h/week in the 1st four-month period.
- Theory exam: at the end of the 1st term.
The timetables and key dates of the course can be consulted on the website of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (http://fcsh.unizar.es/).