HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
A Level Health & Social Care/Schemes of work/Version 1.0
Unit Title HSC09: Understanding Mental Disorders (Optional)
One in four people will experience at least one diagnosable mental disorder in the course of a year. This unit will introduce you to a range of these mental disorders, their causes, treatments and the impact of these on individuals and on their families, friends and carers. You will explore the role of services and professionals in supporting people with mental disorders and the impact of legislation on individuals and their treatment.
Method of assessment - Portfolio of evidence
Topic Learning objectives / understanding Key terms / definitions Suggested activities Resources 3.9.1 Understand key differences between Symptom Discussion – society’s www.mind.org.uk Definitions and mental disorders and other forms of attitudes towards physical concepts illness. Broadly, these differences Diagnosis and mental www.time-to- relating to include: illness/disorders. change.org.uk mental Evidence disorder Mental disorders cannot be Preliminary student www.rethink.org cured unlike bodily conditions, research into different although symptoms sometimes treatments available for www.nice.org.uk reduce or even disappear. mental disorders. The term ‘mental illness’ is “Complete Companion therefore rather misleading and Local provision for mental AQA A2 Student Book” by for this specification, therefore, disorders. Mike Cardwell ‘mental disorder’ is preferred. Treatments are usually based Research voluntary on managing or reducing organisations which exist to Psychology for A2 level for symptoms and/or helping the support individuals and AQA A by Cardwell, Clark, patient manage his/her own their families. and Meldrum condition. 1 The diagnosis of a mental Brief outline of what “DSM- disorder cannot easily be IV” is. A2 Psychology AQA supported by biological or specification by Holt and anatomical evidence, unlike Lewis cancers or infections which can be confirmed using scanning techniques, biopsies or the detection of disease organisms. The diagnosis of a mental disorder is, therefore, much more dependent on the patient’s reporting of otherwise undetectable symptoms, and so is less reliable than diagnoses of purely physical illnesses.
3.9.2 Learn about the major symptoms and Relevant YouTube clips, www.mind.org.uk Symptoms of causes of two of the following Schizophrenia BBC i-Player, 4 OD etc mental disorders: clips of documentaries www.time-to- disorders Depression pertaining to mental health. change.org.uk Schizophrenia (e.g. October 2012 “999 Depression Bipolar affective disorder What’s Your Emergency” www.rethink.org Bipolar affective disorder featured an individual Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive suffering from a www.nice.org.uk Generalised anxiety disorder disorder schizophrenic episode”). Specific phobias, e.g. social www.nhs.uk phobia Generalised anxiety Case studies of ‘everyday’ Alcoholism disorder people as well as Attention deficit hyperactivity celebrities who have talked “Complete Companion disorder Phobia about mental disorders in AQA A2 Student Book” by the past (e.g. Stephen Fry, Mike Cardwell Understand that mental disorders are Alcoholism David Beckham). to some extent disabling and that Psychology for A2 level for ‘feeling depressed’ is not the same as Attention deficit AQA A by Cardwell, Clark, suffering from depression as a mental hyperactivity disorder and Meldrum HSC09 Scheme of Work V2 disorder. Be aware that the term ‘clinical depression’ means A2 Psychology AQA ‘depression serious enough to have specification by Holt and been diagnosed as a mental disorder’. Lewis
Understand the difference between a phobia (which is likely to disrupt or curtail a person’s activities seriously) and a dislike or a justified fear. 3.9.3 Learn about the following possible Genetics Teacher led presentations www.mind.org.uk Causes contributing causes of mental disorder, on the different possible and the empirical evidence supporting Twin study contributing causes. www.time-to- them: Adoption study change.org.uk Genetics: the presence of Biochemistry www.rethink.org predisposing genes, with relevant evidence of twin Neurotransmitter www.nice.org.uk studies and adoption studies Life event Biochemical factors, including www.nhs.uk the activity of the Maladaptive behaviour neurotransmitters gamma “Complete Companion amino butyric acid, dopamine AQA A2 Student Book” by and serotonin, as well as Mike Cardwell nutrition and the use of drugs Life events, including Psychology for A2 level for separation in infancy, maternal AQA A by Cardwell, Clark, privation, drug-related and Meldrum disorders, unemployment, social deprivation A2 Psychology AQA The learning of maladaptive specification by Holt and behaviours, including avoiding Lewis situations. Understand that in practice it is impossible to determine the causes of 3 a particular case of a mental disorder. This is partly because such a disorder is unlikely to have a single cause. Understand that patients (and their families) often wish to attribute single causes to their symptoms, and can mistakenly assume cause on the basis of a coincidence (for example, assuming that depression occurring in a person at age 17 is caused by the stress of examinations). 3.9.4 Be able to distinguish between the Insight Re-examine case studies www.mind.org.uk Effects on effects of these disorders on behaviour looked at earlier to identify behaviour and and their effects on experience. The examples of where www.time-to- experience effects on behaviour are the individual sufferers do/do change.org.uk characteristic ways of acting shown by not have insight into their people with the disorder. The effects condition. www.rethink.org on experience are the sensations, feelings and beliefs that often www.nice.org.uk accompany the disorder. www.nhs.uk Be able to distinguish between conditions into which the sufferer has “Psychiatric Menial Health ‘insight’ (i.e. is aware that something is Case Studies and Care wrong with them) such as depression, Plans” by Kim Jakopac and conditions where the sufferer typically lacks insight, such as schizophrenia. HSC09 Scheme of Work V2 3.9.5 Learn about the aims and procedures Teacher led discussion on www.mind.org.uk Different of the following approaches and provision for those with treatments interventions that are used to help mental disorders. www.time-to- and people with mental disorders: change.org.uk interventions for mental Physical interventions, including Drug treatment Small group research into www.rethink.org disorders drug treatments (anti-anxiety, different approaches and anti-depressant, anti-bipolar ECT interventions available. www.nice.org.uk and anti-psychotic drugs), electro-convulsive therapy Video clips of approaches www.nhs.uk and interventions. Psychological interventions, Counselling “Understanding including counselling, If available, a talk from a Schizophrenia: psychotherapy, cognitive Psychotherapy practitioner practising one Signs and behavioural therapy of these approaches. Symptom s” by Cognitive behavioural National Institute of Complementary and alternative therapy Student research into roles Mental Health and approaches, including and responsibilities of other Sarah Erickson acupuncture, reflexology, arts Complementary therapy practitioners involved in (Kindle) therapies, nutritional theory, care. For example, local yoga and relaxation Alternative therapy Community Mental Health “Mind Over Mood: Change Team, social workers. How You Feel By Self-management approaches, Bibliotherapy Changing the Way including social prescribing (e.g. Research the provisions You Think” by bibliotherapy, green gyms) and Green gym afforded by legislation Christine A peer support including the Mental Health Padesky and Act, Mental Capacity Act Dennis Other approaches including: Supported living and NHS and Community Greenberger community-based provision, Care Act. employment projects, education, physical health promotion, supported living, coming off medication, skills development. 5 Know about the main strengths, Intervention weaknesses and problems associated with these interventions and Control group approaches. Be aware that some of these approaches have been found to Placebo be ineffective for some mental disorders. Learn to distinguish between therapies for which there is a rational and scientific explanation and therapies which rely on less rational assumptions. Learn about how the effectiveness of a therapy can be measured, including the use of clinical trials with control and placebo groups.
Know about the roles and responsibilities of some of the practitioners directly involved in care of those with mental disorders, including Statutory sector mental health nurses, support workers, GPs, social workers, care managers, Independent sector clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, independent advocates, occupational therapists, counsellors and therapists.
Know about the role and responsibilities of the different agencies involved in mental health care including the statutory and Mental Health Act independent (voluntary and private) sector, and how relevant services and Mental Capacity Act treatments/interventions are accessed. NHS and Community HSC09 Scheme of Work V2 This includes those which are provided Care Act by community mental health and those which are purchased by clients direct from private practitioners.
Be aware in outline of the provision of the Mental Health Acts of 1982 and 1983, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the impact of the NHS and Community Care Act (1990) on treatment. 3.9.6 Be aware of widespread public Stereotype Definition of a stereotype. www.mind.org.uk Attitudes ignorance of mental disorders and of negative stereotypes of people with Picture representations of www.time-to- mental disorders. stereotypes related to change.org.uk mental health. www.rethink.org www.nice.org.uk
3.9.7 Be aware of the consequences which Class discussions of the www.mind.org.uk Secondary often occur for individuals who have a impact of having a mental effects mental disorder. These can include disorder. www.time-to- low self-esteem, hostility from family change.org.uk members, work colleagues and the www.rethink.org general public, loss of employment, interruption of personal/career www.nice.org.uk development, and family breakdown. www.advocacy- A person with a mental health disorder Quality of life westlancs.org.uk (some is likely to experience a relatively poor useful case studies) quality of life. His or her relatives and friends are also likely to suffer because of the upset and stress 7 caused by the condition. Groups likely to experience social isolation and what Be aware that individuals with the Socially isolated this can mean – discussion most serious conditions are at risk of and research. becoming socially isolated, out of contact with families or health services. Such people make up a significant proportion of the populations sleeping rough or in prison.
3.9.8 Assessment
You need to produce a portfolio of evidence which gives information about two chosen disorders.
Your portfolio of evidence should not be a shared exercise or based on a whole group topic, but wholly your own work. Work which does not demonstrate independence cannot be awarded high marks.
Your work for assessment must contain the following sections:
Section A: Introduction
The first section should be an introduction about the concept of mental disorders. It should include the symptoms and causes of the two disorders selected and the similarities and differences between them.
Section B: Treatments and interventions, practitioners and access
The second section should describe the usual treatments, provision available, access routes, practitioners and their roles.
Section C: Analysis of treatments and interventions
This section should analyse the aims and procedures of the treatments/interventions for each mental disorder that has been used in Sections A and B. It should also include the availability and effectiveness of each treatment/intervention, supported by research from several sources.
Section D: Evaluating the experience of mental disorder HSC09 Scheme of Work V2 The fourth section should evaluate the main difficulties a client or patient might face, including secondary effects such as ignorance and prejudice of others and effects on relatives and dependents.
Section E: Appendix
An appendix to state references to the sources of information used.
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