This course introduces the concepts related to the classification of psychopathologies across the lifespan, emphasizing the DSM-5 and other classification systems. Students gain an in-depth familiarity with how psychological disorders are conceptualized and diagnosed and develop a strong understanding of the essential features of psychopathologies which occur across the lifespan. Significant emphasis is placed on a thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of diagnostic systems, examination of categorical versus dimensional understandings of psychological functioning, and exploration of the historical and societal factors that have influenced, and continue to influence, how clinical psychologists conceptualize psychopathology. Students are also introduced to the rapidly growing field of developmental psychopathology, a theoretically and empirically-based framework that provides a unifying perspective for understanding the onset and development of both health and clinical disorder across life.
Sept 10, Introducing Developmental Psychopathology: A framework for understanding health and disorder across the lifespan
Required readings:
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Part 1: Understanding Child Psychopathology. Chapter 1: Introduction to Child Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents. Pp. 1-31; Chapter 2: Theories and Causes: pp. 32-63.
Optional:
Iruka, I. U., Gardner-Neblett, N., Telfer, N. A., Ibekwe-Okafor, N., Curenton, S. M., Sims, J., ... & Neblett, E. W. (2022). Effects of racism on child development: Advancing antiracist developmental science. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 4(1), 109-132.
Masten, A. S., Lucke, C. M., Nelson, K. M., & Stallworthy, I. C. (2021). Resilience in development and psychopathology: Multisystem perspectives. Annual review of clinical psychology, 17(1), 521-549.
Causadias, J. M., & Cicchetti, D. (2018). Cultural development and psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 30(5), 1549-1555.
Chen, X., Fu, R., & Leng, (2014). Culture and Developmental Psychopathology. In M. Lewis & K. D. Rudolph (eds.) Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology, Springer Science, New York: NY. pp. 225-241.
Lewis, M. (2014). Toward the development of the science of developmental psychopathology. In M. Lewis & K. D. Rudolph (eds) Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology, Springer Science, New York, pp. 3-23.
Toth, S. L., & Cicchetti, D. (2013). A developmental psychopathology perspective on child maltreatment. Child maltreatment, 18(3), 135-139
Sept 17, Introducing Diagnosis: Contributions and Controversies
Required readings:
Oltmans & Castonguay. Psychopathology: From Science to Clinical Practice. Chapter 1: General Issues in understanding and treating psychopathology pp. 1-16.
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 1: Mental disorders as discrete clinical conditions: Dimensional versus categorical classification.
Kendler, K. S., Zachar, P., & Craver, C. (2011). What kinds of things are psychiatric disorders?. Psychological Medicine, 41(6), 1143-1150.
Optional:
David, A. S., & Deeley, Q. (2024). Dangers of self-diagnosis in neuropsychiatry. Psychological Medicine, 54(6), 1057-1060.
Huang, D., Susser, E., Rudolph, K. E., & Keyes, K. M. (2023). Depression networks: A systematic review of the network paradigm causal assumptions. Psychological Medicine, 53(5), 1665-1680.
de Haan, S. (2023). What do my problems say about me? Philosophical Explorations, 26(2), 159-164.
Craddock, N., & Mynors-Wallis, L. (2014). Psychiatric diagnosis: impersonal, imperfect and important. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 204(2), 93-95.
Krueger, R. F., Kotov, R., Watson, D., Forbes, M. K., Eaton, N. R., Ruggero, C. J., ... & Bagby, R. M. (2018). Progress in achieving quantitative classification of psychopathology. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 282-293.
Sept 24, Diagnosis and Formulation
Required readings:
Diagnosis and Formulation:
Johnstone, L. (2018) Psychological formulation as an alternative to psychiatric diagnosis. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 58(1) pp. 30-46.
Good Practice Guidelines on the use of psychological formulation (2011). BPS Division of Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsrep.2011.rep100 [2005 ed.]
Specifically on the 5 P model of formulation:
Macneil, C. A., Hasty, M. K., Conus, P., & Berk, M. (2012). Is diagnosis enough to guide interventions in mental health? Using case formulation in clinical practice. BMC Medicine, 10(1), 1-3.
Peters, S. W. (2020). Case Formulation and Intervention: Application of the Five Ps Framework in Substance Use Counseling. Professional Counselor, 10(3), 327-336.
Optional:
Ludlow, C. Investigating the Capability of Large Language Models to Identify Causal Relations in Psychiatric Case Studies: A Methodological Proof of Concept for the Analysis of Psychological Case Formulations. 2025. Available online: https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/wfmv8_v1
Thrower, N. E., Bucci, S., Morris, L., & Berry, K. (2024). The key components of a clinical psychology formulation: A consensus study. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63(2), 213-226.
Thrower, N. E., Berry, K., Johnston, I., & Morris, L. (2024). Understanding the factors that contribute to creating a collaborative psychological formulation: A qualitative systematic review. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 31(3), e2998.
Baird, J., Hyslop, A., Macfie, M., Stocks, R., & Van der Kleij, T. (2017). Clinical formulation: Where it came from, what it is and why it matters. BJPsych Advances, 23(2), 95-103.
Oct. 1, Diagnosis and Culture: The case of ADHD?
Diagnosis and Culture in general:
Canino, G., & Alegría, M. (2008). Psychiatric diagnosis–is it universal or relative to culture? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(3), 237-250.
Fried EI, van Borkulo CD, Cramer AO, Boschloo L, Schoevers RA, Borsboom D. Mental disorders as networks of problems: a review of recent insights. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2017; 52:1-10.
McCann, J. J. (2016). Is mental illness socially constructed? Journal of Applied Psychology and Social Science, 2(1), 1-11.
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 5: Impact of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture on the Expression and Assessment of Psychopathology pp. 131-156.
Optional:
Lazaridou, F., & Fernando, S. (2022). Deconstructing institutional racism and the social construction of whiteness: A strategy for professional competence training in culture and migration mental health. Transcultural psychiatry, 59(2), 175-187.
Jimenez, D. E., Park, M., Rosen, D., hui Joo, J., Garza, D. M., Weinstein, E. R., ... & Okereke, O. (2022). Centering culture in mental health: differences in diagnosis, treatment, and access to care among older people of color. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30(11), 1234-1251.
Kirmayer, L. J., Mezzich, J. E., & Van Staden, C. W. (2016). Health experience and values in person-centered assessment and diagnosis. In Person centered psychiatry, Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing/Springer Nature, pp. 179-199.
The Case of ADHD in particular:
Required readings:
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Chapter 8. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Pp. 263-309.
Brault, M.-C., Degroote, E., & Van Houtte, M. (2023). Disparities in the prevalence of ADHD diagnoses, suspicion, and medication use between Flanders and Québec from the lens of the medicalization process. Health, 27(6), 958–979. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634593221093492
Filipe, A. M., & Holroyd, D. (2026). Mapping the social studies of ADHD: From medicalization theory to neurodiversity in the digital age, and future directions. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634593261449197
Optional:
Barkley, R. et al. (2002). International Consensus Statement on ADHD. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 5, 89–111
Timimi, S., Moncrieff, J., Jureidini, J., Leo, J., Cohen, D., Whitfield, C., ... & Parry, S. (2004). A critique of the international consensus statement on ADHD. Clinical child and family psychology review, 7(1), 59-63.
Barkley, R. A. (2004). Critique or Misrepresentation? A Reply to Timimi et al. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 7(1), 65-69.
Martin, J. (2024). Why are females less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD in childhood than males? The Lancet Psychiatry, 11(4), 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00010-5
NICE Guidelines:
Nice Guideline for ADHD: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/resources/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-1837699732933
Optional:
Bauermeister, J. J., Canino, G., Polanczyk, G., & Rohde, L. A. (2010). ADHD across cultures: is there evidence for a bidimensional organization of symptoms? Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 39(3), 362-372.
Atkinson, M., & Hollis, C. (2010). NICE guideline: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Archives of Disease in Childhood-Education and Practice, 95(1), 24-27.
Tannock, R. (2013). Rethinking ADHD and LD in DSM-5: Proposed Changes in Diagnostic Criteria. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 46(1), 5–25. doi: 10.1177/0022219412464341
Moncrieff, J., & Timimi, S. (2013). The social and cultural construction of psychiatric knowledge: an analysis of NICE guidelines on depression and ADHD. Anthropology & Medicine, 20(1), 59-71.
Augner, C., Vlasak, T., & Barth, A. (2023). The relationship between problematic internet use and attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 168, 1-12.
Oct 8, Conduct Disorder and developmental psychopathology
Required readings:
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Ch. 9. Conduct Problems. Pp. 310-360.
Fairchild, G., Hawes, D. J., Frick, P. J., Copeland, W. E., Odgers, C. L., Franke, B., ... & De Brito, S. A. (2019). Conduct disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 5(1), 1-25.
De Brito, S. A., Forth, A. E., Baskin-Sommers, A. R., Brazil, I. A., Kimonis, E. R., Pardini, D., ... & Viding, E. (2021). Psychopathy. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 7(1), 49
Patrick, C. J. (2022). Psychopathy: Current knowledge and future directions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 18(1), 387-415.
Frick, P. J., Ray, J. V., Thornton, L. C., & Kahn, R. E. (2014). Can callous-unemotional traits enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of serious conduct problems in children and adolescents? A comprehensive review. Psychological Bulletin, 140(1), 1-57.
Squillaci, M., & Benoit, V. (2021). Role of callous and unemotional (CU) traits on the development of youth with behavioral disorders: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4712.
Optional NICE:
Nice Guideline for Conduct Disorders: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg158/resources/antisocial-behaviour-and-conduct-disorders-in-children-and-young-people-recognition-and-management-pdf-35109638019781
Colins, O. F., Fanti, K. A., & Andershed, H. (2021). The DSM-5 limited prosocial emotions specifier for conduct disorder: Comorbid problems, prognosis, and antecedents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(8), 1020-1029.
Yockey, R. A., King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A. (2021). Family factors and parental correlates to adolescent conduct disorder. Journal of Family Studies, 27(3), 356-365.
Retz, W., Ginsberg, Y., Turner, D., Barra, S., Retz-Junginger, P., Larsson, H., & Asherson, P. (2021). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), antisociality and delinquent behavior over the lifespan. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 120, 236-248.
Cherkasova, M. V., Roy, A., Molina, B. S., Scott, G., Weiss, G., Barkley, R. A., ... & Hechtman, L. (2022). Adult outcome as seen through controlled prospective follow-up studies of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder followed into adulthood. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 61(3), 378-391.
Frick, P. J. (2024). The influence of parenting on callous-unemotional traits and the implications for the causes and treatment of conduct disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 181(4), 265-268.
Oct 22, Part 1: OCD and related Disorders in DSM-V
Required readings:
Stiede, J. T., et al. (2024). Obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 20, 341–368. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-080822-043910
Abramowitz, J. S., et al. (2026). Management of obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults. The BMJ, 392, e083443. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-083443
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Chapter 11: Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive disorders. Pp. 416-471
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 9, Anxiety Disorders
Optional:
Sloover, M., van Est, L. A., Janssen, P. G., Hilbink, M., & van Ee, E. (2022). A meta-analysis of mentalizing in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and trauma and stressor related disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 92, 102641.
Part 2: Diagnosis and Culture: The case of eating disorders?
Required readings:
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Ch14: Feeding and Eating Disorders pp. 561-596.
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 14, Feeding and Eating Disorders, pp. 497-548.
Optional:
Closer look at culture and eating disorders:
Attia, E., & Walsh, B. T. (2025). Eating disorders: A review. JAMA, 333(14), 1242–1252. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.0132
Grilo, C. M. (2024). Treatment of eating disorders: Current status, challenges, and future directions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 20, 97–123. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-080822-043256
Culture:
Vartanian, L. R., Hayward, L. E., Smyth, J. M., Paxton, S. J., & Touyz, S. W. (2018). Risk and resiliency factors related to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating: The identity disruption model. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 51(4), 322-330. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eat.22835
Song, S., Stern, C. M., Deitsch, T., & Sala, M. (2023). Acculturation and eating disorders: A systematic review. Eating and Weight Disorders, 28, 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-023-01563-2
Alfalahi, M., Mahadevan, S., Balushi, R. A., Chan, M. F., Saadon, M. A., Al-Adawi, S., & Qoronfleh, M. W. (2022). Prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating in Western Asia: a systematic review and meta-Analysis. Eating Disorders, 30(5), 556-585.
Kim, Y. R., Nakai, Y., & Thomas, J. J. (2021). Introduction to a special issue on eating disorders in Asia. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(1), 3-6.
Brown, Z., & Tiggemann, M. (2022). Celebrity influence on body image and eating disorders: A review. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(5), 1233-1251.
Vartanian, L. R., and Hayward, L. E. (2018). Ch.11, Self-concept clarity and body dissatisfaction. In Self-Concept Clarity: Perspectives on Assessment, Research, and Application, eds J. Lodi-Smith and K. DeMarree (Berlin: Springer Press), 195–218.
Striegel-Moore, R. H., & Bulik, C. M. (2007). Risk factors for eating disorders. American Psychologist, 62(3), 181-198.
Oct 29, Current Developments in Diagnosis
Required readings:
Brief summary of Kris Nielson’s conceptualization of mental disorders 3E (embodied, embedded and enactive psychopathology): https://aeon.co/ideas/think-of-mental-disorders-as-the-minds-sticky-tendencies; https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/three-approach-psychopathology-kristopher-nielsen-phd
Transdiagnostic:
Dalgleish, T., Black, M., Johnston, D., & Bevan, A. (2020). Transdiagnostic approaches to mental health problems: Current status and future directions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 88(3), 179.
Payne et al. (2014). Ch. 6, Emotional Disorders: A Unified Transdiagnostic Protocol. In Clinical Handbook of Psychological Disorders, fifth edition. Ed. David H. Barlow.
RDOC:
Morris, S. E., Sanislow, C. A., Pacheco, J., Vaidyanathan, U., Gordon, J. A., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2022). Revisiting the seven pillars of RDoC. BMC Medicine, 20(1), 220.
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 2, Promises and Challenges with the Research Domain Criteria Framework
Fonagy, P., & Luyten, P. (2018). Conduct problems in youth and the RDoC approach: A developmental, evolutionary-based view. Clinical Psychology Review, 64, 57-76.
P Factor:
Watts, A. L., Greene, A. L., Bonifay, W., & Fried, E. I. (2024). A critical evaluation of the p-factor literature. Nature Reviews Psychology, 3(2), 108-122.
Constantinou, M. P., Goodyer, I. M., Eisler, I., Butler, S., Kraam, A., Scott, S., ... & Fonagy, P. (2019). Changes in General and Specific Psychopathology Factors Over a Psychosocial Intervention. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(8):776–786
Commentary on Constanitou et al. and the “P” factor:
Haltigan, J. D. (2019). Putting Practicality Into "P": Leveraging General Factor Models of Psychopathology in Clinical Intervention. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 58:751-753.
Ronald, A. (2019). The psychopathology P factor: Will it revolutionise the science and practice of child and adolescent psychiatry? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(5), 497-499.
3E:
Nielsen, K. (2025). Enactive approaches to conceptualising psychopathology. New Ideas in Psychology, 79, 101189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2025.101189
Nielsen, K. (2024). Chapter 14: 3E approach to psychopathology. In A. Aftab (Ed.), Conversations in critical psychiatry (pp. 153–160). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780192870322.003.0014
Nielsen, K., & Ward, T. (2020). Mental disorder as both natural and normative: Developing the normative dimension of the 3E conceptual framework for psychopathology. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 40(2), 107–123. DOI: 10.1037/teo0000118
Nov 5, Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Required readings:
Tafolla, M., Singer, H., & Lord, C. (2025). Autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 21, 193–220. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081423-031110
Mandy, W. (2025). What is autism, now? Proceedings of the Paris Institute for Advanced Study, 21.
Optional:
Mash, Wolfe, and Williams (2023). Child psychopathology, eighth edition. Cengage Learning Inc. Chapter 6: Autistic Spectrum and Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia. Pp. 180-225.
Lichtensztejn Tafla, T., Triguero Veloz Teixeira, M. C., Woodcock, K. A., Sowden-Carvalho, S., et al. (2024). Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis across cultures: Are diagnoses equivalent? Neurodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241226811
Coda: Discussion of November Assignment: Diagnosis as a Pharmakon
Nov 12, Substance-Abuse Disorders: An existential-phenomenological approach
Required readings:
R. Kemp. (2018). Transcending Addiction: An existential pathway to recovery. Routledge. Parts I and II
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 18, Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: Alcohol pp. 669-694; Chapter 19, Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: Drugs 695-724
Nov 20, Depressive Disorders
Required readings:
Stoltzner, P., & Duncan, C. (2025). Assessment and management of major depressive disorder in adults. The Nurse Practitioner, 50(12), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000385
Viduani, A., Arenas, D. L., Benetti, S., Wahid, S. S., Kohrt, B. A., & Kieling, C. (2024). Systematic review and meta-synthesis: How is depression experienced by adolescents? A synthesis of the qualitative literature. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(10), 970–990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2023.11.013
Ongoing resources:
Beidel, D. C. & Frueh, B. C. (2018). Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis– Eighth Edition. New York: Wiley. Chapter 8, Depressive Disorders, 247-298.
NICE Guidelines: Depression in children and young people (2019) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng134/resources/depression-in-children-and-young-people-identification-and-management-pdf-66141719350981
NICE Guidelines: Depression in adults: Recognition and management (2009 updated 2018) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg90