HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
A Level Health & Social Care/Schemes of work/Version 1.0
Unit Title HSC09: Understanding Mental Disorders (Optional)
One in four people will experience at least one diagnosable mental disorder in the course of a year. This unit will introduce you to a range of
these mental disorders, their causes, treatments and the impact of these on individuals and on their families, friends and carers. You will explore
the role of services and professionals in supporting people with mental disorders and the impact of legislation on individuals and their treatment.
Method of assessment - Portfolio of evidence
Topic
Learning objectives / understanding
3.9.1
Understand key differences between mental
Definitions and disorders and other forms of illness. Broadly,
concepts
these differences include:
relating to
mental
 Mental disorders cannot be cured
disorder
unlike bodily conditions, although
symptoms sometimes reduce or even
disappear.
 The term ‘mental illness’ is therefore
rather misleading and for this
specification, therefore, ‘mental
disorder’ is preferred.
 Treatments are usually based on
managing or reducing symptoms
and/or helping the patient manage
his/her own condition.
 The diagnosis of a mental disorder
Key terms /
definitions
Symptom
Diagnosis
Suggested activities
Discussion – society’s
attitudes towards
physical and mental
illness/disorders.
Evidence
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
Preliminary student
research into different
treatments available for
mental disorders.
Local provision for
mental disorders.
Research voluntary
organisations which exist
to support individuals
and their families.
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Resources
www.nice.org.uk
“Complete Companion AQA
A2 Student Book” by Mike
Cardwell
Psychology for A2 level for
AQA A by Cardwell, Clark,
and Meldrum
HSC09 Scheme of Work V2

3.9.2
Symptoms of
mental
disorders
cannot easily be supported by
biological or anatomical evidence,
unlike cancers or infections which can
be confirmed using scanning
techniques, biopsies or the detection of
disease organisms.
The diagnosis of a mental disorder is,
therefore, much more dependent on
the patient’s reporting of otherwise
undetectable symptoms, and so is less
reliable than diagnoses of purely
physical illnesses.
Learn about the major symptoms and causes
of two of the following disorders:
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Schizophrenia
Depression
Bipolar affective disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Generalised anxiety disorder
Specific phobias, e.g. social phobia
Alcoholism
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Schizophrenia
Depression
Bipolar affective
disorder
Obsessivecompulsive
disorder
Generalised
Understand that mental disorders are to some
anxiety disorder
extent disabling and that ‘feeling depressed’
is not the same as suffering from depression
Phobia
as a mental disorder. Be aware that the term
‘clinical depression’ means ‘depression
Alcoholism
serious enough to have been diagnosed as a
mental disorder’.
Attention deficit
hyperactivity
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Brief outline of what
“DSM-IV” is.
A2 Psychology AQA
specification by Holt and
Lewis
Relevant YouTube clips,
BBC i-Player, 4 OD etc
clips of documentaries
pertaining to mental
health. (e.g. October
2012 “999 What’s Your
Emergency” featured an
individual suffering from
a schizophrenic
episode”).
www.mind.org.uk
Case studies of
‘everyday’ people as well
as celebrities who have
talked about mental
disorders in the past (e.g.
Stephen Fry, David
Beckham).
“Complete Companion AQA
A2 Student Book” by Mike
Cardwell
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
www.nice.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
Psychology for A2 level for
AQA A by Cardwell, Clark,
and Meldrum
A2 Psychology AQA
specification by Holt and
HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
3.9.3
Causes
Understand the difference between a phobia
(which is likely to disrupt or curtail a person’s
activities seriously) and a dislike or a justified
fear.
Learn about the following possible
contributing causes of mental disorder, and
the empirical evidence supporting them:

Genetics: the presence of predisposing
genes, with relevant evidence of twin
studies and adoption studies
 Biochemical factors, including the
activity of the neurotransmitters
gamma amino butyric acid, dopamine
and serotonin, as well as nutrition and
the use of drugs
 Life events, including separation in
infancy, maternal privation, drugrelated disorders, unemployment,
social deprivation
 The learning of maladaptive
behaviours, including avoiding
situations.
Understand that in practice it is impossible to
determine the causes of a particular case of a
mental disorder. This is partly because such a
disorder is unlikely to have a single cause.
Understand that patients (and their families)
often wish to attribute single causes to their
symptoms, and can mistakenly assume
cause on the basis of a coincidence (for
example, assuming that depression occurring
in a person at age 17 is caused by the stress
of examinations).
disorder
Genetics
Twin study
Adoption study
Lewis
Teacher led
presentations on the
different possible
contributing causes.
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
Biochemistry
Neurotransmitter
www.nice.org.uk
Life event
www.nhs.uk
Maladaptive
behaviour
“Complete Companion AQA
A2 Student Book” by Mike
Cardwell
Psychology for A2 level for
AQA A by Cardwell, Clark,
and Meldrum
A2 Psychology AQA
specification by Holt and
Lewis
3
HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
3.9.4
Effects on
behaviour and
experience
Be able to distinguish between the effects of
Insight
these disorders on behaviour and their effects
on experience. The effects on behaviour are
the characteristic ways of acting shown by
people with the disorder. The effects on
experience are the sensations, feelings and
beliefs that often accompany the disorder.
Re-examine case studies
looked at earlier to
identify examples of
where individual
sufferers do/do not have
insight into their
condition.
Be able to distinguish between conditions into
which the sufferer has ‘insight’ (i.e. is aware
that something is wrong with them) such as
depression, and conditions where the sufferer
typically lacks insight, such as schizophrenia.
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
www.nice.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
“Psychiatric Menial Health
Case Studies and Care
Plans” by Kim Jakopac
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HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
3.9.5
Different
treatments
and
interventions
for mental
disorders
Learn about the aims and procedures of the
following approaches and interventions that
are used to help people with mental
disorders:
Teacher led discussion
on provision for those
with mental disorders.
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
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Physical interventions, including drug
treatments (anti-anxiety, antidepressant, anti-bipolar and antipsychotic drugs), electro-convulsive
therapy
Psychological interventions, including
counselling, psychotherapy, cognitive
behavioural therapy
Complementary and alternative
approaches, including acupuncture,
reflexology, arts therapies, nutritional
theory, yoga and relaxation
Self-management approaches,
including social prescribing (e.g.
bibliotherapy, green gyms) and peer
support
Other approaches including:
community-based provision,
employment projects, education,
physical health promotion, supported
living, coming off medication, skills
development.
Drug treatment
ECT
Counselling
Small group research
into different approaches
and interventions
available.
Video clips of
approaches and
interventions.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive
behavioural
therapy
Complementary
therapy
Alternative therapy
Bibliotherapy
If available, a talk from a
practitioner practising
one of these approaches.
Student research into
roles and responsibilities
of other practitioners
involved in care. For
example, local
Community Mental
Health Team, social
workers.
Green gym
Supported living
5
Research the provisions
afforded by legislation
including the Mental
Health Act, Mental
Capacity Act and NHS
and Community Care
Act.
www.nice.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
“Understanding
Schizophrenia: Signs and
Symptoms” by National
Institute of Mental Health
and Sarah Erickson (Kindle)
“Mind Over Mood: Change
How You Feel By Changing
the Way You Think” by
Christine A Padesky and
Dennis Greenberger
HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
Know about the main strengths, weaknesses
and problems associated with these
interventions and approaches. Be aware that
some of these approaches have been found
to be ineffective for some mental disorders.
Learn to distinguish between therapies for
which there is a rational and scientific
explanation and therapies which rely on less
rational assumptions. Learn about how the
effectiveness of a therapy can be measured,
including the use of clinical trials with control
and placebo groups.
Intervention
Control group
Placebo
Know about the roles and responsibilities of
some of the practitioners directly involved in
care of those with mental disorders, including
mental health nurses, support workers, GPs,
social workers, care managers, clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists, independent
advocates, occupational therapists,
counsellors and therapists.
Know about the role and responsibilities of
Statutory sector
the different agencies involved in mental
health care including the statutory and
Independent
independent (voluntary and private) sector,
sector
and how relevant services and
treatments/interventions are accessed. This
includes those which are provided by
community mental health and those which are
purchased by clients direct from private
practitioners.
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HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
Be aware in outline of the provision of the
Mental Health Acts of 1982 and 1983, the
Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the impact of
the NHS and Community Care Act (1990) on
treatment.
3.9.6
Attitudes
3.9.7
Secondary
effects
Be aware of widespread public ignorance of
mental disorders and of negative stereotypes
of people with mental disorders.
Mental Health Act
Mental Capacity
Act
NHS and
Community Care
Act
Stereotype
Picture representations
of stereotypes related to
mental health.
Be aware of the consequences which often
occur for individuals who have a mental
disorder. These can include low self-esteem,
hostility from family members, work
colleagues and the general public, loss of
employment, interruption of personal/career
development, and family breakdown.
A person with a mental health disorder is
likely to experience a relatively poor quality of
life. His or her relatives and friends are also
likely to suffer because of the upset and
stress caused by the condition.
Be aware that individuals with the most
serious conditions are at risk of becoming
socially isolated, out of contact with families
or health services. Such people make up a
significant proportion of the populations
sleeping rough or in prison.
Definition of a
stereotype.
Class discussions of the
impact of having a
mental disorder.
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
www.nice.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk
www.time-to-change.org.uk
www.rethink.org
www.nice.org.uk
www.advocacywestlancs.org.uk (some
useful case studies)
Quality of life
Socially isolated
7
Groups likely to
experience social
isolation and what this
can mean – discussion
and research.
HSC09 Scheme of Work V2
3.9.8 Assessment
You need to produce a portfolio of evidence which gives information about two chosen disorders.
Your portfolio of evidence should not be a shared exercise or based on a whole group topic, but wholly your own work. Work which does not
demonstrate independence cannot be awarded high marks.
Your work for assessment must contain the following sections:
Section A: Introduction
The first section should be an introduction about the concept of mental disorders. It should include the symptoms and causes of the two
disorders selected and the similarities and differences between them.
Section B: Treatments and interventions, practitioners and access
The second section should describe the usual treatments, provision available, access routes, practitioners and their roles.
Section C: Analysis of treatments and interventions
This section should analyse the aims and procedures of the treatments/interventions for each mental disorder that has been used in Sections A
and B. It should also include the availability and effectiveness of each treatment/intervention, supported by research from several sources.
Section D: Evaluating the experience of mental disorder
The fourth section should evaluate the main difficulties a client or patient might face, including secondary effects such as ignorance and prejudice
of others and effects on relatives and dependents.
Section E: Appendix
An appendix to state references to the sources of information used.
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