Overview

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Discover the fascinating connection between the human mind and body in Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders, offered by the American Psychological Association. This foundational course is designed for curious learners who want to understand how psychological distress can manifest as real, physical symptoms. By completing this course, you will gain a compassionate, well-rounded perspective on these frequently misunderstood conditions to improve your overall mental health awareness. This course will empower you to recognize the impact of somatic disorders, navigate conversations with empathy, and advocate for better psychological well-being in your community. You will first learn to explain how psychological disorders are diagnosed and discuss the unique challenges that arise during the diagnostic process. From there, you will learn the diagnostic criteria that define somatic symptom and related disorders. You will also explore the prevalence, demographics, risk factors, and correlates that help explain how these disorders develop, before concluding with a comprehensive look at how to describe the standard, evidence-based treatments used by medical professionals to manage somatic conditions.

Syllabus

Learn with PsycLearn Essentials

This module introduces you to your PsycLearn Essentials course. Find out what’s included in this course and how to navigate the modules and lessons. You’ll also learn valuable study tips for successful learning.

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

This module provides an introduction to psychological disorders. Key terms, such as psychopathology and psychological disorder, are defined. The process of diagnosis is discussed and the two dominant diagnostic schemes in mental health are explained. Finally, cultural issues in diagnosis are identified.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

This module provides an introduction to the general category of somatic symptom and related disorders, followed by a more detailed examination of somatic symptom disorder itself.

Related Disorders

This module explores the conditions included as related disorders in the DSM category, Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders.

Course Summary

This module will help you review the important concepts of the course and prepare you for the cumulative quiz. The module is broken down by learning objective, with each lesson containing key takeaways and key terms relevant to that learning objective.

Cumulative Quiz

This module contains a quiz covering all of the material in this course. It will count for 30% of your total course grade, so make sure you’ve reviewed the material well. Good luck!