The Social Context of Mental Health and Illness

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The Social Context of Mental Health and Illness

Instructor: Charmaine Williams

60,070 already enrolled

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6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

593 reviews

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

593 reviews

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

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Assessments

1 assignment¹

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Taught in English

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There are 6 modules in this course

Learn how social factors promote mental health, influence the onset and course of mental illness, and affect how mental illnesses are diagnosed and treated.

This course explores how our understanding of mental health and illness has been influenced by social attitudes and social developments in North America and around the world. The course begins by situating our contemporary mental health practices in historical context, then looks at different aspects of mental health, mental illness and mental health services and their connections to what’s going on in our social environment.

We begin with a quick orientation to the course and continue with our first lecture topic: A brief history of madness.

What's included

11 videos2 readings1 peer review1 discussion prompt

11 videos Total 120 minutes

Welcome to the course! 3 minutes
1.0 Introduction 8 minutes
1.1 Visiting the asylum 9 minutes
1.2 Why the asylum? 20 minutes
1.3 20th century mental health care 14 minutes
1.4 Antipsychiatry 12 minutes
1.5 Deinstitutionalization 16 minutes
1.6 Community-based mental health care 16 minutes
1.7 Recovery and mental health 11 minutes
1.8 Conclusion 5 minutes
Bonus material: An introduction to author Caroline Fei-Yeng Kwok 7 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Course Information 10 minutes
Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Commentary 60 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Introductions 10 minutes

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 discussion prompt

8 videos Total 77 minutes

2.0 introduction to lecture 2 3 minutes
2.1 defining mental health 7 minutes
2.2 what is mental illness? 12 minutes
2.3 social determinants of mental health 10 minutes
2.4 SDoH in action 14 minutes
2.5 the biopsychosocial perspective on mental health 14 minutes
2.6 applying the biopsychosocial perspective 12 minutes
2.7 Conclusion 4 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Key social determinants of mental health in your local community 10 minutes

What's included

9 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review2 discussion prompts

9 videos Total 105 minutes

3.0 Introduction to lecture 3 8 minutes
3.1 Demystifying the DSM 15 minutes
3.2 Diagnosis as a series of social events 15 minutes
3.3 Diagnosis: An example of the role of social context 17 minutes
3.4a The social context of treatment options 12 minutes
3.4b The social context of treatment options part 2 9 minutes
3.5 The social context of treatment access 12 minutes
3.6 Conclusion 3 minutes
From summer 2014: what's with the DSM? 13 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Extra-credit quiz 30 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Personal Reflection 60 minutes

2 discussion prompts Total 20 minutes

Psychiatric Diagnoses and Genera Medical Diagnoses 10 minutes
Involuntary treatment 10 minutes

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 discussion prompt

8 videos Total 76 minutes

4.0 introduction to lecture 4 4 minutes
4.1 culture mental health mental illness 8 minutes
4.2 culture & mental health in historical context 15 minutes
4.3 culture and mental health 14 minutes
4.4 culture and mental illness 12 minutes
4.5 an example of intersections between culture and mental health 8 minutes
4.6 cultural competence and multicultural mental health care 12 minutes
4.7 Conclusions 3 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Mental Illness Experience and Perspectives 10 minutes

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 discussion prompt

6 videos Total 53 minutes

5.0 introduction to lecture 5 5 minutes
5.1 families and mental health 8 minutes
5.2 do families cause mental illness - no 16 minutes
5.3 families and caregiving 16 minutes
5.4 families and recovery 5 minutes
5.5 conclusions 2 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Family Guide to Mental Health Recovery interviews 10 minutes

What's included

7 videos1 reading1 peer review1 discussion prompt

7 videos Total 73 minutes

6.0 introduction to lecture 6 5 minutes
6.1 stigma and mental illness 18 minutes
6.2a a life course approach to preventing mental disorders part 1 11 minutes
6.2b a life course approach to preventing mental disorders part 2 8 minutes
6.3 interventions to promote community mental health 12 minutes
6.4 towards community that support mental health 14 minutes
6.5 conclusions 4 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Readings and Resources 10 minutes

1 peer review Total 120 minutes

Final Assignment 120 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Investing in Mental Health 10 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(234 ratings)

Charmaine Williams

University of Toronto

1 Course 60,070 learners

Offered by

University of Toronto

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Reviewed on Feb 20, 2019

It was so structured and meaningfully engaging. Loved every part of it . Thank you Charmaine for bringing this course to coursera. Lots of best wishes to you.

Reviewed on Mar 21, 2021

I enjoyed the course The Social Context of Mental Health and Illness. Informational and thought provoking however I was somewhat disappointed with lack of updated course lecture information.

Reviewed on Jun 4, 2021

Excellent overview of historical and current status of mental health and illness. Also offers practical suggestions to encourage mental health and to support mentally ill.

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