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Essential Abnormal and Clinical Psychology
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Essential Abnormal and Clinical Psychology

First Edition
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September 2015 | 360 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
This essential introduction to abnormal and clinical psychology explores the key areas, controversies and debates in the field and encourages students to think critically.

Key features of this textbook include:

  • The latest updates from DSM-5 and ICD-10 and a balanced critique of the diagnostic approach, keeping students at the forefront of the developments and debates in the field
  • "Essential Debate" and "Essential Experience" boxes that encourage critical thinking and provide case study examples to help students critique the findings and apply them in practice
  • Concise chapters providing students with the essentials they need to get a good grade in their module in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology
  • Additional student resources available on the companion website.

Suitable for all students taking Abnormal and Clinical Psychology modules.

 
Chapter 1: The Big Issues in classification, diagnosis, and research into psychological disorders
What is Abnormal?

 
How are Psychological Disorders Classified?

 
What are the Problems with the Diagnostic Approach?

 
How do we Conduct Research into Psychological Disorders?

 
What are the Main Approaches to Understanding Psychological Disorders?

 
 
Chapter 2: How are psychological disorders treated?
Medication versus Psychological Approaches

 
Researching and Evaluating Treatments for Psychological Disorders

 
The Range and Scope of the Psychologist’s Work

 
How CBT Works

 
The Ethics of Psychological Therapy

 
 
Chapter 3: Childhood disorders
Anxiety Disorders of Childhood

 
Childhood Depression

 
Childhood Behaviour Problems

 
 
Chapter 4: Schizophrenia
What is schizophrenia?

 
How does schizophrenia develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in schizophrenia

 
How is schizophrenia treated?

 
 
Chapter 5: Mood disorders
What are depression and mania?

 
How do mood disorders develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in mood disorders

 
How are mood disorders treated?

 
 
Chapter 6: Generalized anxiety disorder
What is generalized anxiety disorder?

 
How does GAD develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in GAD

 
How is GAD treated?

 
 
Chapter 7: Specific phobias
What is a specific phobia?

 
How do we acquire phobias?

 
Do we think ourselves into being scared?

 
How are specific phobias treated?

 
 
Chapter 8: Panic disorder and social anxiety disorder
How are panic disorder and social anxiety disorder diagnosed and how do they differ from each other?

 
Can we explain panic disorder?

 
Can we explain social anxiety disorder?

 
How are panic disorder and social anxiety disorder treated?

 
 
Chapter 9: Substance use disorders
What is substance use disorder?

 
How does substance use disorder develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in SUD

 
How are substance use disorders treated?

 
 
Chapter 10: Eating disorders
What are eating disorders?

 
How do eating disorders develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in eating disorders

 
How are eating disorders treated?

 
 
Chapter 11: Personality disorders
What are personality disorders?

 
How do personality disorders develop?

 
Brain and cognitive mechanisms in personality disorders

 
How are personality disorders managed and treated?

 

Supplements

Click for online resources
For Students
  • Watch author-selected videos to give you insight into how an understanding of abnormal and clinical psychology is applied in practice.
  • Interactive quizzes allow you to test your knowledge and give you feedback to help you prepare for assignments and exams.
  • Weblinks direct you to relevant resources to deepen your understanding of chapter topics and expand your knowledge of abnormal and clinical psychology.
  • Selected journal articles give you free access to scholarly articles chosen for each chapter to reinforce your learning of key topics.
For Lecturers
  • PowerPoint slides featuring figures and tables from the book which can be downloaded and customised for use in your own presentations.
  • Test banks that provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert personalised questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.

An excellent guide to how mental health problems are understood and treated; accessible, wide-ranging, and full of fascinating information on this important topic.

Daniel Freeman
University of Oxford

This excellent textbook provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to clinical and abnormal psychology. I will be recommending it as essential reading for both psychology and medical students.

Rebecca Elliott
University of Manchester

I like the acknowledgment of the limitations of the categorical approach to diagnosis, as well as the built-in comparison between DSM and ICD criteria. I also like that this text does not attempt to address every category or every diagnosis, but rather selects some of the most common to discuss in greater detail.

Dr Suzanne Stambaugh
Psychology Dept, Austin Cmty College-Northridge
September 22, 2023

This book covers a number of subjects at a very introductory level, making it ideal for foundation degrees and first year nursing programmes.

Mr DAvid Rawcliffe
Pre-Registration Nursing, Bucks New University
December 5, 2017

As a RMN I really enjoyed reading this book and using it in our modules relating to mental health and introduction to psychology. Most of the chapters aligned with the summative assessment required and allowed students to be aware of the debates around historical and current concepts.

Mrs Janet Macfarlane
health, University of Bolton
July 1, 2016

The style, of this book is in my view now outdated. It offers some critical comment, and a broad overview of the subject from a relatively traditional standpoint. The text by Cromby, Harper and Reavey; "Psychology Mental Health and distress" (2013) provides a model of what texts, which have hitherto been entitled "abnormal psychology", should be offering.

Mr Simon Easton
Department of Psychology, Portsmouth University
July 1, 2016

This comprehensive textbook covers essential and complex subjects in abnormal psychology, written in an easily accessible manner.

Dr JUDITH HASSAN
Nursing , Manchester College of Arts & Techn.
April 29, 2016

This book is written in a very accessible manner for undergraduate students. I suspect a few will purchase as it covers both adult and child psychopathology.

Mrs Narissa Philander
Psychology , Cornerstone Institute
February 1, 2016

An excellent text which discusses the issues regarding classification, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and provides the reader with an accessible introduction to some of the most prevalent of these. I would recommend this text to A level students who wish to explore this fascinating topic in more depth. I particularly liked the 'feel' of the book - light and easy to hold which makes it a pleasure to read!

Mrs Suzi Smale
Psychology , Petroc
February 6, 2016

This is a very up to date and comprehensive account of mental health difficulties and treatment. It is a good overview for undergraduate students.

Mrs Jade Mullen
Counselling and Psychotherapy, PCI College
October 1, 2015

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 5: Mood Disorders


For instructors

Purchasing options

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ISBN: 9780761941897
£44.99
ISBN: 9780761941880
£124.00

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