Abnormal Psychology

• Compare major categories of psychological disorders using DSM-5-TR criteria

• Analyze hypothetical clients through individual and group case studies

• Practice differential diagnosis between disorders with overlapping symptoms

• Compare psychodynamic, Adlerian, cognitive behavioral, narrative and Gestalt viewpoints

• Explore psychological assessment through a case-based role-play and inventory

• Diagnose a selected character and present an evidence-supported capstone analysis

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Differentiate major psychological disorders using symptoms, history and diagnostic criteria

• Compare how several psychological orientations explain symptoms and treatment

• Construct and defend a case-based diagnosis using relevant evidence

Students will leave with a course completion certificate, a diagnostic case capstone and greater clarity about studying psychology, mental health or a related clinical field.

Clinical reasoning requires more than matching a symptom to a label. Students must compare evidence, consider competing explanations and recognize how biological, psychological and social factors can shape a person’s experience. That process strengthens careful reading, analytical reasoning and responsible use of evidence.

The course also develops perspective and precision. Comparing therapeutic orientations shows that professionals may interpret the same case differently, while assessment activities reveal why context and measurement matter. These skills support further study in psychology, neuroscience, social work, counseling, public health and related fields.

This course is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in psychology, mental health, human behavior or clinical decision-making. It is especially relevant for students who want to move beyond introductory psychology and examine how professionals assess complex cases.

Students should be ready to discuss sensitive topics respectfully, compare multiple explanations, read diagnostic criteria and support their conclusions with evidence. The class does not train students to diagnose people in their own lives; its cases and role-plays are structured academic exercises.

Based on students surveyed in Summer Discovery’s 2026 UCLA high school program.

UCLA gives high-school students the opportunity to explore an academic interest while experiencing university life in Los Angeles, a city where entertainment, technology, business, science, and culture constantly intersect. The campus has its own community and rhythm while connecting students to a wider environment built around creativity and new ideas.

Students learn alongside peers, navigate a large campus, and gain independence through everyday choices and responsibilities. Time outside class expands the experience through friendships, campus life, and opportunities to notice which subjects and settings hold their attention. For families, UCLA offers a valuable combination of substantive academics, personal growth, and clearer direction about what a student may want to study, experience more deeply, or pursue next.

Abnormal psychology informs work in clinical practice, counseling, research, education, public health and the justice system. Clinicians assess symptoms and plan treatment. Researchers study risk factors and therapeutic approaches. Advocates consider how diagnostic language affects access, stigma and policy.

Students encounter those decisions through cases rather than treating diagnosis as a simple answer key. They evaluate criteria, examine a client’s history, compare theoretical viewpoints and identify possible treatments. The work offers a substantive view of how mental health professionals reason and where the field’s uncertainties remain.