SOC 458 - Sociology of Mental Health

(3 units) CO13

Overview of sociological perspective on causes and consequences of mental health and illness.

Prerequisite(s): General Education courses (CO1-CO3) completed; at least 3 courses from CO4-CO8 completed; Junior or Senior standing; SOC 101.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall - Odd Years

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. outline inequalities in the distribution of mental illnesses in U.S. society according to social class, race, ethnicity, and gender.
2. describe, apply, compare, and contrast theoretical explanations of social inequalities in the distribution of mental illnesses.
3. describe and apply stress process theory to explain how exposure to stressors and access to resources is rooted in society’s social structure, and how it in turn affects mental health and illness.
4. describe and explain, using a variety of theoretical explanations, how institutional life such as at work, in the family, in religious settings, and in neighborhoods, is related to mental health and illness.
5. explain, critique, compare and contrast inter-disciplinary approaches to the study of mental health and illness including perspectives from psychiatry, psychology, anthropology and biology.

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