Course: Management of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care

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Management of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care Homepage
Welcome to the Management of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care course. This course will reinforce your foundational, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders. In addition, students will learn how to improve referral protocols and respond to psychiatric emergencies according to the Mental Health Act (MHA) while also learning about mental health promotion strategies for common mental health disorders in primary care settings. This course also gives insight into mental health disturbances related to substance use disorders, including diagnostic criteria and available treatment options. It provides students with the basic skills needed to effectively contribute to the delivery and quality of healthcare for individuals and populations worldwide regarding the management and treatment of common mental health disorders in primary care settings.
This Management of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care course uses learning resources from accredited, world-class organizations and governmental organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM -5, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
This course was originally developed by the FDP - School of Health Sciences. The course was redesigned by Genikka Camille Gabral, B.ED, MSc; Hugo Andres Rojas Aldieri, MD, MSc; Jean Pierre Musabyimana, MSc, MGHD; Magali Collonnaz, MD, MPH, MSc; Pablo Baldiviezo Rodriguez, MD; Reisha Narine, M.Sc., B.Sc.; Sherian Bachan, M.Sc., B.Sc; Seema Persaud, M.Sc., B.Sc.; Sara Wildman, B.Sc.; and Rhonda Prudent, B.Sc.
For publications on NextGenU.org’s courses’ efficacy, see NextGenU.org’s publication page. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of future updates and new courses and to be part of our community.
There are 11 modules to complete, which provide an introduction to:
1. Introduction to Psychiatry: Interviews, Symptoms, Classification of Diseases, and Common Medication
2. Ethical Considerations
3. Mood Disorders
4. Anxiety Disorders, Conduct Disorders and Eating Disorders
5. Somatic Symptom Disorders
6. Psychotic Disorders and Personality Disorder
7. Neuropsychiatric and Neurocognitive Disorders
8. Addiction-Related Disorders
9. Psychiatric Disorders in Elderly and Children
10. Emergencies in Psychiatric
11. Mental Health Promotion
The completion time for this course is estimated at 97 hours, comprising 18 hours of learning resources, 36 hours to study content and assimilation, and 43 hours of participating in learning activities and quizzes, to assist the learners in the synthesis of learning materials. This course is equivalent to 2 credit hours.
This course requires the completion of all peer activities. At the end of each module, there is a practice quiz of 10 multiple-choice questions. After you’ve completed each lesson, quiz, and learning activity, at the end of the course, you’ll have access to a final exam consisting of 40 multiple-choice questions and a chance to evaluate this course. Participants have up to three opportunities to take the final exam and achieve the required score of >=70%. Once you’ve passed that last test, you will be able to download a certificate of completion from NextGenU.org and our course’s co-sponsoring organizations. We keep your personal information confidential, never sell any of your information, and only use anonymized data for research purposes. Also, we are happy to report your testing information and share your work with anyone (your school, employer, etc.) at your request.
Engaging with this course:
This free course is intended for primary health workers, nurses, medical students, and other health professionals who would like to learn the diagnosis, management, and treatment of mental health disorders in primary care settings.
To obtain a certificate, a learner must first register for the course and then successfully complete:
- all the reading requirements;
- all quizzes and pass with a 70% with unlimited attempts;
- all peer activities;
- all discussion forums;
- the final exam with a minimum of 70% and a maximum of 3 attempts;
- the self and course evaluation forms.
To obtain credit:
- Complete all requirements listed above for the certificate, and
- Your learning institution or workplace should approve the partner-university-sponsored NextGenU.org course for educational credit, as they would for their learner taking a course anywhere.
NextGenU.org is happy to provide your institution with:
- A link to and description of the course training so they can see all its components, including the co-sponsoring universities and other professional organization co-sponsors;
- Your grade on the final exam;
- Your work products (e.g., case study activities) and any other required or optional shared materials that you produce and authorize to share with them;
- Your evaluations -- course and self-assessments;
- A copy of your certificate of completion, with the co-sponsoring universities and other organizations listed.
To obtain a degree, NextGenU.org co-sponsors degree programs with institutional partners. To obtain a full degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org, contact us.
We hope you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.
Here are the next steps to take the course and earn a certificate.
- Complete the registration form.
- Take the pre-test.
- Begin the course with Module 1: Introduction to psychiatry: interviews, symptoms, classification of diseases, and common medication. In each lesson, read the description, complete all required readings and any required activity, as well as take the corresponding quizzes.
This course meets nationally approved standards of education developed for the addiction/substance use disorders counseling profession. This course's participants are assured that the continuing education (CE) credits provided will be accepted toward national credentialing by the NAADAC Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), as well as by many of the individual state licensing/certification bodies in the addiction and other helping professions.
Module 1: Introduction to Psychiatry: Interviews, Symptoms, Classification of Diseases, and Common Medication
Competencies covered in this module:
- Recognize symptoms of mental illness in conducting a psychiatric interview.
- Classify and diagnose mental disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat mental illnesses.
Module 1: Lesson 1: The Psychiatric Interview
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe psychiatric interviewing.
- Describe the various phases of the psychiatric interview, including the elements of mental health examination, and additional investigative laboratory tests.
- Discuss how to apply various techniques of the psychiatric interview, including how to extract needed diagnostic information from difficult patients.
- Describe the role of empathy, active listening, and respect for privacy in the patient-physician relationship.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 4 hours.

Click here to start this lesson
4 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- The Patients' Practises Disclosing Subjective Experiences in the Psychiatric Intake Interview URL
  Read the content under the heading "Introduction." (11 minutes)
  Frontiers in Psychiatry - 2020
- Chapter 1: The Psychiatric Interview URL
  Read the entire chapter. (45 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: barriers, facilitators, and the way forward URL
  Read the sections on Background, Barriers to Patient-Centered Care and Communication, Personal and Behaviour Related Barriers,
  Facilitators of patient-centered care and communication, Person-Centered Communication and Conclusions. (19 minutes)
  Online article - 2021
- Protecting your privacy: Understanding confidentiality URL
  Read the entire page. (5 minutes)
  Online document - 2019
Module 1: Lesson 2: Symptoms and Signs of Psychiatric Illness
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness.
- Differentiate the levels of speech, thought, perception, and cognitive disturbances.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 2 hours.

Click here to start this lesson
1 URL
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 2: Symptoms and Signs of Psychiatric Illness URL
  Read the content under the headings from " Introduction" until " Judgement" on pages 8-31. (40 minutes)
Module 1: Lesson 3: Classification in Psychiatry
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Explain DSM-V classification of classes or groups of conditions.
- Describe groups used to classify psychiatric conditions.
- Identify various rating scales to quantify aspects of a patient’s psyche, behavior, and relationships with individuals and society.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 24 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 3: Classification in Psychiatry URL
  Read the entire chapter. (8 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Recommended Additional Readings
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) URL
  Read this to gain a better understanding of the diagnostic/ classification criteria for the different mental health disorders according to the DSM-5 Manual. (3 minutes)
  American Psychiatric Association - 2021
- DSM-5 Fact Sheets URL
  Download this fact sheet to find out more about the changes in the new edition, updated disorders, and general information about the DSM–5. (45 minutes)
  American Psychiatric Association - 2021
Module 1: Lesson 4: Prescribing Psychiatric Medications
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Define the principles associated with prescribing psychiatric medications.
- Discuss the risks and dangers of potentially inappropriate prescriptions to treat mental illnesses effectively.
- Describes the classification of psychiatric medications prescribed to treat common psychological and behavioral symptoms.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 7 hours and 24 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs, 1 Forum
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 19: Prescribing Psychiatric Medications URL
  Read the entire chapter. (23 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry URL
  Read the content under the heading " "General principles of prescribing" on pg 8. (3 minutes)
  Wiley-Blackwell - 2018
- Evaluating the Safety of Mental Health-Related Prescribing in UK Primary Care: a Cross-Sectional Study Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) URL
  Read the following sections of the document: (37 minutes)
  -Outline
  -Introduction
  -Polypharmacy and risk of medicines
  -Specific drug classes
  -Conclusion
  SagePub - 2018
- Peer Activity 1: Introduction to Psychiatric Interview (245 minutes) Forum
  In this activity, you will analyze a psychiatric interview case study and discuss key components related to the learning outcomes of the activity.
  Step 1. Analyze (45 minutes)
  Analyze the fictional case study below.
  
  Case:
  
  A physician conducts separate psychiatric interviews with two patient referrals. During the interview, each patient appears to have signs and symptoms of specific psychiatric disorders. The first patient displays a tough misdemeanor making it difficult to extract needed information regarding diagnosis. On the other hand, the second patient maintains a calm appearance, although he is already requesting the physician to prescribe him some medications in the middle of the psychiatric interview. The profile of each patient is summarized below.
  
  Step 2. Respond (180 minutes)
  After analyzing the case, respond by writing a 300-600-word brief report that covers the following:
  Comparison of the levels of speech thought, perception, and cognitive disturbances of the two patients.
  
  Discussion of various psychiatric interview techniques and strategies that can be used on each of the patients, including extraction of the necessary information for diagnosis.
  
  Risks, dangers, and outcomes of potentially inappropriate prescriptions.
  
  One clinical case example where techniques and strategies mentioned can be applied.
  
  Step 3. Share (10 minutes)
  
  To share your work, click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work into the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
  
  Step 4. Interact (10 minutes)
  
  Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to the forum.” You can use the list below as an example:
  
  Item A is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item B is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item C is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item D is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item E is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
- Quiz: Module 1
  Restricted Not available unless:
  The activity Course Registration is marked complete
  The activity Pre -Test is marked complete
  
  To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.
Module 2: Ethical Considerations
Competencies covered in this module:
- Understand ethical considerations relevant to treatment and management of mental health.
Module 2: Lesson 1: Ethics in Mental Health
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Define the principles of foundations of professional ethics.
- Explain the principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care.
- Describe the circumstances for emergency treatment without consent, assisted care and treatment, involuntary care, and treatment.
- Discuss the ethical implications of a breach of privacy and confidentiality in psychiatry.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 7 hours and 42 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs, 1 Forum, 1 Quiz
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 21: Ethics in Mental Health URL
  Read the entire chapter (17 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care URL
  Read from "Principle 1" to "Principle 25." (31 minutes)
  United Nations Human Rights - 2022
- Consent to Treatment Mental Capacity and Mental Health Legislation URL
  Read the entire webpage. (21 minutes)
  Egton Medical Information Systems - 2021
- Discussion Forum 1: Ethics in Mental Health (245 minutes)
  
  In this activity, you will analyze three psychiatric cases and write a reflection, describing the circumstances for each case and discussing the ethical implications of a breach of privacy and confidentiality in this setting.
  
  Step 1. Analyze (45 minutes)
  
  Analyze the three psychiatric cases below.
  
  Step 2. Reflect (30 minutes)
  
  Reflect on each case scenario and classify them based on the following:
  
  Involuntary care and treatment
  
  Assisted care and treatment
  
  Emergency care and treatment without consent
  
  Step 3. Respond (150 minutes)
  
  As your response, write a 300-600-word reflective piece of writing that reflects on the ethical aspects demonstrated in each case. Ensure that your response covers the following points:
  
  The type or classification of each case, according to Step 2.
  
  Description of the circumstances that govern each case.
  
  What are the necessary circumstances or conditions for the case to be classified in the categories presented in Step 2?
  
  Discussion of the ethical aspects and discourse of each case example.
  
  Are there ethical implications that arise in the choice of psychiatric treatment for each case example? Justify your answer.
  
  Step 4. Share (10 minutes)
  
  To share your work, click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work into the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
  
  Step 5. Interact (10 minutes)
  
  To complete the activity, you will need to reply to at least two posts made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to the forum.”
- Quiz: Module 2
  To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.
Module 3: Mood Disorders
Competencies covered in this module:
- Classify and diagnose mood disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat mood disorders.
Module 3: Lesson 1: Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe mood disorders, bipolar disorders, and other forms of depressive illness.
- Describe major depression/other forms of depressive illness through differential diagnosis.
- Discuss the management and treatment of depressive and bipolar disorders.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 7 hours and 54 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
4 URLs, 1 Forum, 1 Quiz
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 7: Depressive and Bipolar Disorders. URL
  Read the entire chapter. (35 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Depression URL
  Read the entire article. (38 minutes)
  Indian Journal of Psychiatry - 2017
- Discussion Forum 2: Management and Treatment of Depression and Bipolar Disorders (245 minutes)
  
  In this activity, you will examine three case examples of depressive and manic episodes and discuss recommendations on the appropriate management, intervention, and treatment of these episodes.
  
  Step 1. Analyze (45 minutes)
  
  Reflect on all the required learning materials for this lesson and examine three cases of depressive and manic episodes below. Imagine you are a physician or health care provider assigned treatment of these patients. How would you respond? What steps would you take to support the patients toward treatment and recovery?
  
  Source: https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20457
  
  Source: https://div12.org/case_study/sarah-bipolar-disorder/
  
  Step 2. Reflect and Respond (180 minutes)
  
  Reflect on these three cases. Keep in mind these questions:
  
  Imagine you are a physician or health care provider assigned treatment of these patients. How would you respond? What steps would you take to support the patients towards treatment and recovery?
  
  Based on the case scenarios above, write a 300-600-word discussion forum that covers the following points:
  
  Explain initial steps that are commonly employed by a physician or a health care provider to address these types of cases.
  
  Discuss appropriate management, intervention, and treatment strategies that are commonly used to treat these disorders.
  
  Step 3. Share (10 minutes)
  
  To share your work, click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work into the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
  
  Step 4. Interact (10 minutes)
  
  To complete the activity, you will need to reply to at least two posts made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to the forum.”
- Quiz: Module 3
  To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.
- Recommended Additional Readings
- I had a Black Dog, His Name was Depression URL
  Watch this video to learn about overcoming the "black dog of depression".
  
  In collaboration with WHO to mark World Mental Health Day, writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone tells the story of overcoming the "black dog of depression". For more information on the book, go here: https://matthewjohnstone.com.au/product/i-had-a-black-dog/ (4 minutes)
  WHO - 2012
- What is Bipolar Disorder? - Helen M. Farrell URL
  Watch this video to learn more about the root causes and treatments for bipolar disorder. (6 minutes)
  TED-ed - 2017
Module 4: Anxiety Disorders, Conduct Disorders and Eating Disorders
Competencies covered in this module:
- Classify and diagnose anxiety disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat anxiety disorders.
- Classify and diagnose conduct disorders in adults and children.
- Classify and diagnose eating disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat eating disorders.
Module 4: Lesson 1: Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, and Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe anxiety disorders and its classification.
- Differentiate various types of anxiety disorders and other related disorders such as panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic STRESS disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and substance abuse anxiety disorder.
- Discuss the management and treatment of anxiety disorders and other related disorders.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 3 hours and 27 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
2 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 8: Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, and Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders URL
  Read the entire chapter. (33 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Treatment of Anxiety Disorders URL
  Read from the "Introduction" to the end of the article. (36 minutes)
  Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience - 2017
Module 4: Lesson 2: Disruptive, Impulse-control, and Conduct Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Define disruptive, impulsive-control, and conduct disorders.
- Differentiate the categories of disruptive, impulsive-control, and conduct disorders.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 1 hour and 18 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
2 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 12: Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders URL
  Read the entire chapter. (6 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders URL
  Read the content from "Introduction" to "Unspecified Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorder" on pages 1-6. (20 minutes)
  Virginia Commission on Youth - 2017
Module 4: Lesson 3: Feeding and Eating Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the characteristics of feeding and eating disorders.
- Discuss when and how to refer patients who are diagnosed with feeding/eating disorders to a specialist.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 6 hours and 6 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
2 URLs, 1 Forum, 1 Quiz
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 14: Feeding and Eating Disorders URL
  Read the entire chapter. (16 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Evaluation of the Referral Process and Patterns to a Canadian Specialized Eating Disorders Treatment Program URL
  Read from the "Results" section to the "Discussion. (26 minutes)
  PubMed Central - 2019
- Peer Activity 2: Anxiety Disorders, Conduct Disorders and Eating Disorders (230 minutes) Forum
  In this activity, you will be presented with three patients diagnosed with specific disorders and respond with a written explanation that seeks to address all the learning outcomes of this activity.
  Step 1. Study (30 minutes)
  Review all the required learning materials for this lesson, if needed, and reflect on the scenario below:
  You are a general practitioner who is assigned to give support to three patients who are suspected to be diagnosed with specific disorders.
  Patient 1 is suspected to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  Patient 2 has a suspected conduct disorder diagnosis.
  Patient 3 is presumed to have a serious eating disorder known as bulimia nervosa.
  Step 2. Respond (180 minutes)
  Based on the scenarios above, write a 300-700 piece of writing that addresses the following:
  Explanation of the required signs and symptoms displayed by each patient to suggest a diagnosis of each mentioned disorder.
  A brief differential diagnosis of each disorder.
  Differentiating PTSD from GAD, panic disorder, and agoraphobia.
  Differentiating conduct disorder from other categories of disruptive, impulsive-control, and conduct disorders.
  Differentiating bulimia nervosa from anorexia nervosa.
  Appropriate treatment and management recommendations for each patient’s disorder except for Patient 3.
  For patient 3, discuss when and how to refer the patient to a specialist.
  Step 3. Share (10 minutes)
  To share your work, click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work into the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
  Step 4. Interact (10 minutes)
  Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to the forum.” You can use the list below as an example:
  Item A is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item B is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item C is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item D is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
  Item E is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
- Quiz: Module 4
  To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.
Module 5: Somatic Symptom Disorders
Competencies covered in this module:
- Classify and diagnose somatic symptom disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat somatic symptom disorders.
Module 5: Lesson 1: Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe somatic symptom disorder and other related disorders in terms of their clinical features.
- Describe the diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder.
- Discuss when and how to refer patients who are diagnosed with somatic disorders to a specialist.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
4 URLs, 1 Forum, 1 Quiz
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 10: Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorders. URL
  Read the entire chapter. (7 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- DSM 5 Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders URL
  Read the entire page. (14 minutes)
  WorkingFit Uk - 2022
- Somatization: When to Refer to a Psychiatrist URL
  Read the entire article. (3 minutes)
  Psychiatry in Primary Care - 2011
- Discussion Forum 3: Somatic Disorder Referrals (170 minutes)
  In this activity, you will analyze and describe diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder and other related disorders.
  Step 1. Analyze (30 minutes)
  Review all the required learning material for this lesson, particularly as it relates to the following:
  Somatic Symptom Disorder
  
  Factitious Disorder
  
  Analyze the diagnostic criteria for these two disorders: their similarities and differences.
  
  Step 2. Respond (120 minutes)
  
  Prepare a 200-500-word white paper report that addresses the following key questions:
  
  How do you describe the criteria for diagnosing:
  
  Somatic symptom disorder
  
  Factitious disorder
  
  How different and similar are the criteria of these two disorders from each other?
  
  Based on diagnoses and other factors, when is referral for patients with somatic symptom disorder/factitious disorder needed?
  
  How are patients with these disorders referred to specialists? Briefly discuss the process.
  
  Step 3. Share (10 minutes)
  
  To share your work, click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work into the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
  
  Step 4. Interact (10 minutes)
  
  To complete the activity, you will need to reply to at least two posts made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to the forum.”
- Quiz: Module 5
  To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.
- Recommended Additional Readings
- Somatic Symptom Disorder - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Pathology URL
  Watch the entire video on causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and pathology of Somatic symptom disorder (Osmosis Elsevier). (4 minutes)
  Osmosis From Elsevier - 2017
Module 6: Psychotic Disorders and Personality Disorders
Competencies covered in this module:
- Classify and diagnose psychotic disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat psychotic disorders.
- Classify and diagnose personality disorders in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Utilize information on psychiatric drugs to effectively treat personality disorders.
Module 6: Lesson 1: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe schizophrenia as a mental health disorder and its diagnosis thereof.
- Discuss treatment and management of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders as well as admission care and treatment of assisted/ involuntary mental health users.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 4 hours and 33 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 6: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders. URL
  Read the entire chapter. (44 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Module 12: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders URL
  Read the entire module except the "Treatment" section. (26 minutes)
  Washington State University - 2020
- Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders URL
  Read from "Treatment" section up to the end of the article. (21 minutes)
  McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine - 2021
Module 6: Lesson 2: Personality Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify classification of personality disorders.
- Describe clusters of personality disorders and its clinical presentation thereof.
- Discuss how personality disorders are managed and treated.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 1 hour and 51 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 9: Personality Disorders URL
  Read the entire chapter. (7 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Personality Disorder URL
  Read the article from "Introduction" to "History and Physical." (9 minutes)
  NIH - 2022
- Module 13: Personality Disorders URL
  Read sections 13.1 up to 13.5. (21 minutes)
  Washington State University - 2020
Module 6: Lesson 3: Dissociative Disorders
Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe dissociative disorders in terms of its clinical features.
- Differentiate between various dissociative disorders.
- Discuss the management and treatment of dissociative disorders.
Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 5 hours and 15 minutes.

Click here to start this lesson
3 URLs, 1 Forum, 1 Quiz
- Required Learning Resources and Activities
- Chapter 11: Dissociative Disorders URL
  Read the entire chapter. (3 minutes)
  FDP School of health sciences - 2020
- Psychological Interventions for Dissociative Disorders URL

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Recommended Additional Readings

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Recommended Additional Readings

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Recommended Additional Readings

Competencies covered in this module:

Competencies covered in this module:

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities

Student Learning Outcomes:

Required Learning Resources and Activities