Module Code 單元編號 GEG2048 Module Title 單元名稱 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 現代社會的精神健康問題 Module Synopsis 單元概要 The World Health Organization estimated that, by 2020, depression would be the most prevalent cause of disability in both developed and developing countries. This says very much about how common mental health problems are in our societies, and their increasing threats to our lives. In Hong Kong, the prevalence of mental disorders has been increasing for adult and children population. It is therefore important for students, and the society’s future teachers of youngsters, to be equipped with basic knowledge of the common mental disorders. Because mental disorders are so common, meaning that many people around us are not immune to them, it is important to be able to recognize their particular characteristics, and to use our knowledge about these sufferers to guide the way we relate to them. Such is fundamental to a harmonious and inclusive society. We would be more able to cultivate compassion for people with mental disorders if we recognize that mental disorders are not objective entities. While some disorders might be more biologically-based, no disorder is entirely biological in nature. Mental disorders, or abnormal behaviors in general, are defined in a complex cultural and sociopolitical context which receives input from, while not entirely determined by, biological evidence. For instance, the kinds of male and female behaviors considered abnormal would probably be different, simply because of the way people have been socialized, their relative positions in the society, and gender-specific norms. Moreover, the environment, of which our sociopolitical system is a part, is often the source of mental problems. Even certain religious beliefs have been shown to be a distal cause of certain mental disorders (namely, sexual disorders). At the same time, not everyone exposed to the same environment become mentally ill. It is because protective factors may help a person maintain good mental health status even s/he is in face of challenges in life. In particular, the character strengths in the field of positive psychology and resilience are of importance to protect the person to build up better mental health. Therefore, mental disorders are often a product of the dynamic interaction between the person and his/her environment. In order to cultivate such a mindset, students are expected to read a broad range of mental disorders in order to understand how personal and environmental factors play out in different conditions, and why disorders are not evenly distributed along the lines of gender and socioeconomic class. This course aims to provide students with an overview of contemporary mental health issues from childhood to late adulthood. It will cover (a) how views of abnormality have changed over time in East and West, from a historical perspective, (b) the defining characteristics of major childhood, adolescent, and adult mental disorders in contemporary society, (c) current approach to classifying mental disorders, and (d) personal (genetic, physiological, personality, and character strengths etc.) as well as social structural factors that contribute to and protect from mental disorders. In doing so, we will review relevant research evidence as well as major theories for explaining the disorders. We will utilize lectures to cover the most essential facts about the disorders, audiovisual aids to illustrate the most interesting disorders, and online concept check to gauge students’ understanding every now and then. Occasionally, case studies will be used to give students a deeper sense of the lives and conditions of people with mental disorders.