MAPSY4200 Mental Health, Trauma and Crisis in a Life Course Perspective Course description

Name history:

The course MAPSY4200 had the name Mental Health and Traumatic Stess in the academic year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.

Language of instruction: Norwegian

The purpose of this course is to develop the students’ skills and relational competence in mental health care. The course covers human reactions to traumatic stress, as well as key work methods and prevention strategies at an individual, group and society level. The student will acquire knowledge and skills in order to identify, evaluate and interact with people with psychological reactions as a consequence of trauma and crises.

The whole course is taken together with students from the Advanced Programme in Mental Health Care.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences - Specialisation in Mental Health Care.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can discuss the significance of trauma, crises and people’s reactions to these in a social and cultural context 
• can assess how attitudes affect relational and care work
• has insight into how communication can be used as a tool in relational and care work
• can describe key explanatory models on the connection between traumatic stress, mental health complaints and associated work methods
• can critically assess the significance of relationships when working with people with complaints related to traumatic stress

Skills

The student

• can apply research-based knowledge when working with people with traumatic stress and mental health complaints at individual, group and societal levels
• can discuss and apply relevant theories when working with people with traumatic stress and mental health complaints at individual, group and societal levels
• can apply relational knowledge in cooperation with users/patients with trauma experiences
• can identify and assess the risk of suicide and violence

General competence

The student

• can discuss the connection between professional understanding, perspective on human life and attitudes when interacting with people with traumatic stress and mental health complaints
• can use relevant knowledge on traumatic stress when interacting with users/patients, next of kin, professionals and the general public

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods include study groups, lectures, seminars, self-study, and simulation and relational skills training. The simulation is based on recognised therapeutic methods in the field of mental health care.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination:

• Participation in compulsory activities, 80% participation in seminars, and simulation and relational skills training
• A written assignment carried out individually or in groups. Scope: 750 words (+/-10%)

A project examination in the form of a written assignment in groups of up to three students. Scope: 2,500 words (+/-20%).

Resit examination: If the student is awarded the grade F (fails the written assignment), he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Pass/fail.

All examination papers are assessed by two examiners. At least 20% of the examination papers. will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all students.

The course overlaps 100% with VPSY6210, VPSYD6210 and MAPSD4210.