COURSE OVERVIEW

The primary aim of this course is to introduce students to recent research on psycholopathology by specifically focusing on transdiagnostic factors that commonly exist in both anxiety and mood disorders. Transdiagnostic approaches, which emphasise the common features underlying multiple psychological disorders, have been suggested to be more cost-effective, and benefit the dissemination of interventions and training of clinicians. The topic will illustrate resent empirically supported common factors across emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety and depression) from the perspectives of both assessments and interventions. Theoretical framework and empirical evidence will be presented to help students understand the transition of perspectives from disorder-specific to transdiagnostic approaches. Finally, the effectiveness or efficacy of transdiagnostic approaches will be demonstrated. The course will also include practical components, which will consolidate the theoretical insights, through the study of case examples and group practice and understanding the applications of the scientist-practitioner model in real-world practice.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this course, students will have acquired

1.      Brief history of the development of transdiagnostic approaches for emotional disorders

2.      An understanding of the nature of a ranger of transdiagnostic processes, from a disorder-specific to a transdiagnostic approach

3.      The interventions for each of the transdiagnotic processes

4.      Effectiveness or efficacy of interventions for the transdiagnostic processes

5.      Cognitive behavioural techniques of the transdiagnostic interventions, from both treatment and prevention programs.

6.      An understanding of the applications of the scientist-practitioner model in real-world practice including cultural considerations and developments of evidence-based skills. 

ASSESSMENT

Assessment task	Value	Due date	Linked learning outcomes
1. Quizzes	20% (10% each)	Two quizzes (lectures 7 & 10)	1-5
2. Final exam	80%	Examination period, TBA	1-6

LECTURE TOPICS AND ASSESSMENTS

 

Date	Lectures	Labs	Assessment
9/10 (Wed) (8.00-9.30)	Lecture 1 Review of Abnormal Behaviours
10/10 (Thurs) (19.00-21.20)	Lecture 2 A review of anxiety and mood disorders
11/10 (Fri) (14.30-17.40)	Lecture 3 Transdiagnositic approach: the concepts and applications
12/10 (Sat) (10.40-12.10)	Lecture 4 Transdiagnostic features in anxiety and mood disorders: From disorder-specific to transdiagnostic function: Social Anxiety Disorder as an example
12/10 (Sat) (14.30-17.40)	Lecture 5 Transdiagnostic features & their treatments: Perfectionism & Attentional bias
12/10 (Sat) (19.00-21.20)		Lab 1 Cognitive behavioural techniques for Social Anxiety Disorder: Experiential exercise, Attentional Training & Behavioural Experiment
13/10 (Sun) (8.00-12.10)	Lecture 6 Transdiagnostic features & their treatments: Interpretation bias & negative self-imagery
13/10 (Sun) (14.30-17.40)	Lecture 7 Transdiagnostic features & their treatments: Rumination & Worry		Quiz 1
13/10 (Sun) (19.00-21.20)		Lab 2 Learning Emotion Regulation skills as a preventive strategy for anxiety and depression
16/10 (Wed) (8.00-9.30)	Lecture 8 Understanding the applications of the scientist-practitioner model in real-word practice: Cultural impacts
17/10 (Thurs) (19.00-21.20)	Lecture 9 Understanding the applications of the scientist-practitioner model in real-word practice: Clinical Research Methodology
18/10 (Fri) (14.30-17.40)	Lecture 10 Understanding the applications of the scientist-practitioner model in real-word practice: Research and Practice		Quiz 2

ATTENDENCE

All students are expected to attend the lectures and lab sessions. Attendance of lectures and lab sessions is compulsory. Absence must be notified (in advance, if possible) to Dr Wu Bo (wubo@swu.edu.cn).

 

ADDITIONAL READINGS

Additional readings will help you to better understand the lecture content. Students are expected to read the readings assigned to the relevant lectures before they come to the lectures. All readings will be uploaded on Cloudcampus.

Reading list

1.       Lecture 3:

Barlow, D. H., Allen, L. B., & Choate, M. L. (2016). Toward a unified treatment for emotional disorders–republished article. Behavior therapy, 47(6), 838-853.

2.       Lecture 5:

McNally, R. J. (2019). Attentional bias for threat: Crisis or opportunity? Clinical psychology review, 69, 4-13.

Limburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S., & Egan, S. J. (2017). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301-1326.

 

3.       Lecture 6:

Jones, E. B., & Sharpe, L. (2017). Cognitive bias modification: A review of meta-analyses. Journal of Affective Disorders, 223, 175-183.

Ji, J. L., Kavanagh, D. J., Holmes, E. A., MacLeod, C., & Di Simplicio, M. (2019). Mental imagery in psychiatry: conceptual & clinical implications. CNS spectrums, 24(1), 114-126.

4.       Lecture 7:

McLaughlin, K. A., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2011). Rumination as a transdiagnostic factor in depression and anxiety. Behaviour research and therapy, 49(3), 186-193.

5.       Lecture 10: Lilienfeld, S. O., Ritschel, L. A., Lynn, S. J., Cautin, R. L., & Latzman, R. D. (2014). Why ineffective psychotherapies appear to work: A taxonomy of causes of spurious therapeutic effectiveness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 9(4), 355-387.

 

ASSESSMENT TASK 1: QUIZZES

Two short quizzes (approx. 20 min each) will be administered during the lecture 7 and 10 to assess your understanding of the lecture content. The quizzes will include both short-answer to an essay and multiple-choice questions in a closed book examination format.

Each quiz will be marked after the lecture and the grades will be shown on Cloudcampus.

 

ASSESSMENT TASK 2: FINAL EXAM

The final exam will be scheduled after the course (date TBA). The final exam will assess content covered in lectures, lab sessions and readings. The exam format will include a combination of multiple-choice, fill in the blank and, and short answer questions.

 

RETURNING PART OF THE LECTURE MATERIALS

Students are expected to return part of the lecture materials that contain confidential or unpublished information or data. Students will be informed via lectures regarding the materials to be returned.