050 Mad, Bad and Sad: Mental Disorders in Children
Offered:Previous Semesters
Mandell TR 3-4:30
Freshman Seminar
The idea that mental disorders affect children is relatively new. Over the last 100 years, public and professional groups have taken very different approaches to determining what constitutes psychopathology in children and what to do about it. By current thinking, as many as 1 in ten children experiences psychopathology impairing enough to require treatment. This class attempts to impart an understanding of the epidemiology, presentation and treatment of common mental disorders affecting children and the systems in which these children receive care. By the end of this course, students will: 1) Be familiar with the epidemiology, presentation and treatment of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and substance abuse; 2) Understand the organization, financing and delivery of mental health services to children in the United States; 3) Be able to critically evaluate related research, and; 4) Make specific, practical suggestions for ways to improve care to children with mental disorders.
