3 Review(s)

Presenting the Human Experience of Psychological Disorders. In Richard Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne's Abnormal Psychology: Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders, students are shown the human side of Abnormal Psychology. Through the widespread use of current and highly relevant clinical case studies, the biographies and first-person quotations in the Real Stories feature, and the unique case media program Faces Interactive Online, students are presented with real-life portrayals of the disorders featured in the text. The new sixth edition includes updated research coverage and increased pedagogy, designed to maximize student comprehension. The text maintains the integrative approach to treatment using the biopsychosocial model, the lifespan approach, and the succinct coverage that have been the foundations of the text's success. Salient Features Increased Pedagogy Review questions covering major concepts are integrated throughout the chapter. Questions focusing on relevant diagnostic, treatment, and theoretical issues are incorporated within each mini-case. Answers to all questions are included in the back of the chapter, allowing students to test their mastery of the clinical and scholarly information regarding each major disorder. Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders Each disorder comes to life through an extensive mini case, accompanied by a listing of the newly revised DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria associated with that disorder. Rather than merely list the criteria, we have paraphrased the features into language that is easily understood. Real Stories These boxes present biographies and first-person quotations that give students insight into the feelings of people who have a disorder covered in the chapter. Many of the Real Stories boxes are about individuals who are recognizable to undergraduates, and so their stories will have special relevance. Each biography is also tied into the content of the chapter so that it has a sound substantive base. In addition, the Online Learning Center that accompanies this text contains seven clips of real people living with a disorder. Students who view these clips will see firsthand how people live with and suffer from disorders. The Biopsychosocial Approach Each chapter concludes with a section that discusses the chapter's topic from the biopsychosocial perspective weaving the multiple dimensions into an integrative statement about the interactions among biology, psychology, and the social context as they affect individuals who have psychological disorders. Faces Interactive Online This unique Web-based learning environment lets students observe and evaluate real patients. Students explore the diagnostic process, improve their clinical judgment, and design appropriate clinical treatments. Available on the text's companion Online Learning Center or from within a course management environment, Faces Interactive also includes a variety of tools that allow the faculty to monitor and assess student progress within the program. Faces Interactive offers over 14 hours of video footage featuring interviews with actual clients representing 12 disorders. The Life-Span Approach The text incorporates research and theories that provide relevant understandings of how the disorders covered vary by age. The Scientist-Practitioner Framework This text is developed using a scientist-practitioner framework. While emphasizing empirically supported research, the text shares stories of real people who are suffering from compelling personal problems and serious psychological disorders. This allows students to approach the study of abnormal psychology with the dispassionate eye of a scientist and the compassionate heart of a practitioner. Diagnostic Features This boxed feature offers a broader approach to diagnosis, outlining examples of symptoms that could relate to a category of disorders as opposed to a specific disorder. Effective Pedagogy Each chapter begins with an outline of the heading levels, setting the stage for and serving as an overview of the chapter. Each chapter also closes with a Return to the Case end-of-chapter feature that revisits the case report presented at the beginning of the chapter. Updated Research and Coverage Each chapter has been thoroughly updated and revised to include the latest information in the field.