Understanding Psychopathology: South African Perspectives

Psychopathology: South African Perspectives 3e provides a solid introduction to the study of mental disorders that incorporates socio-cultural, psychological and biomedical dimensions.
Psychopathology: South African Perspectives 3e provides a solid introduction to the study of mental disorders that incorporates socio-cultural, psychological and biomedical dimensions. It refers to criteria from both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) to describe and define mental disorders. It also looks at the ICD-11, and how this new version has been harmonised with the DSM-5.

The third edition of this book, previously published as Abnormal Psychology revised second edition, presents South African debates and data to ensure that it is relevant to the local context. In addition, research from the rest of Africa has been integrated into the book to show how other countries in our region are grappling with topical issues.

This book is aimed at second- and third-year students following courses in Psychopathology or Abnormal Psychology as part of a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Sciences degree at Universities. It has been written by academics and practitioners from across South Africa. New to this edition: Changes from the second revised edition include the structuring of the book into Part 1 and Part 2. The changes to the chapters in Part 1 include: The addition of the addition of the 2018 'release' of the ICD-11; the inclusion of a political lens and a religious lens on mental illness; engagement with topical issues that have brought about the declassification of certain conditions as mental health disorders.

The changes to the chapters in Part 2 include: the inclusion of an engaging personal history caselet at the start of each chapter; diagrams that show the sub-categories of the DSM-5, ICD-10 and ICD-11, which allow these systems to be examined and compared; recent South African and African research on particular mental disorders.