Transcultural Mental Health

Subject PSYT90014 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

July, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 6 weeks x 3.5-hour seminars
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: .
Corequisites: .
Recommended Background Knowledge: .
Non Allowed Subjects: .
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website : http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Dr Prem Chopra

Contact

Ms Ros Hendy, roslynjh@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview:

Transcultural psychiatry concerns itself with the:

  1. nature of mental illness;
  2. causes and distribution of mental illness in different populations;
  3. culture and clinical practice, including the clinician-patient relationship; and the
  4. design of mental health services in multicultural societies.

Students will examine the role of culture in the development and the treatment of mental illness, and will be provided with a short introduction into the education of mental health professionals, and the construction and operations of health systems. They will integrate cultural with biological, psychological and social considerations in their thinking about clincial practice and briefly consider the design and operations of the mental health service settings in which they work. Students will consider the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Australian community and the implications of such diversity for clinical practice. They will examine the cultural construction of concepts of mental illness and the cultural assumptions and commitments of contemporary psychiatry. Prevalence of mental illness in immigrant, refugee and Aboriginal communities will be explored as will the patterns of mental health service utilisation. Students will develop knowledge and skills i ncultural assessment, cross-cultural diagnosis and treatment.

Objectives: .
Assessment: 1500-word written assignment.
Prescribed Texts:

Minas I H, Transcultural Psychiatry for Clinicians. (Unpublished Course Material)

Minas I H, Lambert T J, Boranga G & Kostov S (1996) Mental Health Services for Immigrants: Transforming Policy into Practice. Canberra, Australian Government Publishing Service.

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Related Course(s): Master of Psychiatry

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