Psychology for Queensland Units 1 & 2 Sample Lesson plan 12.1
Lesson plans: Module 12 Diagnosis of psychological disorders
• 12.1A Practical: Cultural differences in diagnoses of abnormal behaviour
Science as a human endeavour
• Evaluate the influence of social, cultural and ethical factors on diagnosis.
Science as a human endeavour
• Evaluate the influence of social, cultural and ethical factors on diagnosis.
• 12.2 Adaptive and maladaptive behaviours
Science understanding
• Discriminate between adaptive and maladaptive behaviour.
• 12.3 Diagnosing psychological disorders
SAMPLE
Science understanding
• Describe the concept of psychological disorder.
• Compare diagnostic manuals in common use, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition-TR, 2022), and the International Classification of Diseases (11th revision, 2022), discussing the uses that different professions make of these manuals.
Science as a human endeavour
• Appreciate that providing a person with a diagnosis can have beneficial/harmful/unintended consequences.
• 12.4 Psychological disorders
• 12.5 Validity and reliability of diagnosis
Science understanding
• Describe the main categories of psychological disorders, including the schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia), bipolar and depressive disorders (e.g. depression), anxiety disorders (e.g. phobias) and personality disorders (e.g. antisocial personality disorder).
Science understanding
• Discuss the reliability and validity of diagnosis.
Phsychology 2025 v1.0 General senior syllabus links
Science understanding
SAMPLE
• Discriminate between adaptive and maladaptive behaviour.
• Discuss concepts of normality, including - sociocultural
• Compare diagnostic manuals in common use, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition-TR, 2022), and the International Classification of Diseases (11th revision, 2022), discussing the uses that different professions make of these manuals.
• Describe the main categories of psychological disorders, including the schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia), bipolar and depressive disorders (e.g. depression), anxiety disorders (e.g. phobias) and personality disorders (e.g. antisocial personality disorder).
• Discuss the reliability and validity of diagnosis.
Science as a human endeavour
• Evaluate the influence of social, cultural and ethical factors on diagnosis.
• Appreciate that providing a person with a diagnosis can have beneficial/harmful/unintended consequences.
Unit objectives
1. Describe ideas and findings about intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
2. Apply understanding of intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
3. Analyse data about intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
4. Interpret evidence about intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
5. Evaluate processes, claims and conclusions about intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
6. Investigate phenomena associated with intelligence, diagnosis, psychological disorders and treatments, and emotion and motivation.
Supporting resources
SAMPLE
(available via Oxford Digital)
• Module 12 Prior knowledge quiz
• Student Book answers
• Editable practical manual
• Risk assessments and lab technician notes
• Videos
• Quizlet glossary
Things to know before teaching Module 12 Diagnosing psychological disorders
Prior knowledge
This module builds on knowledge and skills gained from Module 1 Psychology toolkit. To assess prior knowledge, ask students to complete the Module 12 Prior knowledge quiz before they start the module. This will help them identify gaps in their understanding and address them before engaging with more complex content.
It will be helpful to review or refer to the concepts of reliability and validity from Lesson 1.8.
General teaching tips
Important
The subject matter for this module are sensitive.
It is important to stress that abnormal and normal behaviour are on a spectrum/continuum and for that reason, it is very likely there are some behaviours students exhibit that may be considered abnormal. It is only if these behaviours are affecting functioning that there should be any concern. In addition, as you teach Lessons 12.3 and 12.4 about diagnosis and psychological disorders, it is very common for students to feel like they have the disorders or symptoms of the disorders. Please reassure them that even though they may have symptoms, diagnosis does not happen in the classroom and depending on the situation their symptoms may be very normal.
Be aware of student engagement and reactions to topics, and be prepared for discussions that may be personal. Know where you can direct students for further support.
You might wish to display the following support service contact details in the classroom during this module:
• The Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/
• Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/
Unit 2, Topic 2 has a notional time of 10 hours. This module covers the entirety of the topic so will take approximately 10 hours to complete.
If your Units 1 and 2 assessments are modelled on the Units 3 & 4 assessments, this module provides a good basis for a research investigation. Consider including claims related to psychological disorders in your list. Students generally find this subject matter very interesting and they can look at disorders that are not explicitly covered as part of the syllabus.
Claims can also be generated based on the practical for this chapter that involves analysing secondary data.
Ensure students know how to access the fully worked solutions to Check your learning questions, and why these are only available at the teacher’s discretion.
The modules in the student book are ‘chunked’ into small, digestible increments (Lessons 12.1, 12.2 and so on). These help the teacher see natural breaks in the content and enables students to reflect on the ideas presented by way of the Check your learning questions.
SAMPLE
Lesson 12.1: Concepts of normality
Pages 6–13
Total time: 120 minutes
Learning intentions and success criteria
LEARNING INTENTION
To understand different approaches to normality
SAMPLE
SUCCESS CRITERIA
• I can describe the sociocultural approach to normality.
• I can describe the functional approach to normality.
• I can describe the historical approach to normality.
• I can describe the situational approach to normality.
• I can describe the medical approach to normality.
• I can describe statistical approaches to normality.
• I can compare different approaches to normality.
• I can discuss the sociocultural approach to normality.
• I can discuss the historical approach to normality.
• I can discuss the situational approach to normality.
• I can discuss the medical approach to normality.
• I can discuss statistical approaches to normality.
Psychology 2025 v1.0 General senior syllabus links
• Unit 2: Individual behaviour
• Topic 2: Diagnosis
Science understanding
• Discuss concepts of normality, including - sociocultural
- functional
- historical
- situational
- medical
- statistical approaches.
Science as a human endeavour
• Evaluate the influence of social, cultural and ethical factors on diagnosis.
Teacher considerations
• This lesson will take two periods of 60 minutes each to complete.
SAMPLE
• It is important to stress that abnormal and normal behaviour are on a spectrum/continuum and for that reason, it is very likely there are some behaviours students exhibit that may be considered abnormal. It is only if these behaviours are affecting functioning that there should be any concern. Reassure students that even though they may have some of the disorders, this is not how diagnosis works and depending on the situation their symptoms may be very normal.
Classroom activities
ACTIVITY NAME
Lesson overview 10 minutes
Teacher considerations
• You might like to keep the learning intentions and success criteria displayed on a screen during the lesson for student reference.
• Prepare for this lesson by reading through the learning intentions and success criteria.
Teacher considerations
• As an alternative to this activity you can ask students to complete the Module 12 prior knowledge quiz to gauge student level.
Instructions for students
SAMPLE
• As a class, brainstorm examples of normal behaviour. Discuss why you think the examples are “normal”.
• Use the examples and reasons to come up with your own definition of normality.
Teacher considerations
• Before the class, gather six large pieces of poster paper and a selection of markers for students to make their mind maps.
• Do not discuss the limitations of the approaches to normality when you introduce the approaches. Limitations are the focus of the mind map activity.
• Make sure you create mixed ability student groups for the mind map activity.
Oxford Digital
• Module 12 Prior knowledge quiz
• Students can complete “Feeling unsure?” activity on their own initiative, but you can also assign it to particular students where gaps in knowledge are identified. For these students, follow up with a one-on-one conversation about ideas they still find hard to grasp.
Instructions for students
Your teacher will introduce the different approaches to normality.
• Each student is placed into one of six groups.
• Each group is assigned one of the approaches to normality.
• In your group, discuss the limitations of your assigned approach and make a mind map to show your thinking.
• Present your mind map to the class.
• Your teacher will make copies of the mind maps and hand them out next class.
Feeling unsure?
Read the article on the BIG THINK website about how to distinguish between normal and abnormal behaviour.
12.1C Classroom activity: Class debate 40 minutes Teacher considerations
SAMPLE
• In preparation for the debate, make enough copies of the limitations mind maps for each group.
• Make sure you create mixed ability student groups.
• There is no “right answer” for this activity. The focus is critical thinking.
Instructions for students
This activity will help to consolidate your understanding of the different approaches to normality and give you practice in critical thinking.
• Each student is placed into one of six groups.
Website
• BIG THINK: The Thin Line Between Abnormality and Normality
Review and consolidate 10 minutes
• Each group is assigned two approaches to normality and instructed to evaluate them.
• Groups use their evaluations to determine the most reliable approach of the two.
• Groups nominate a speaker to present their findings to the rest of the class.
• The class then debates the most reliable approach to normality.
Dig deeper
Do some research into the behaviours of a person with high IQ. Apply each of the approaches to normality to determine whether having a high IQ is normal. Determine what it means if the approaches give you different answers.
Teacher considerations
• Make sure you give students the opportunity to ask any questions they have about approaches to normality.
• Check in privately with students who have struggled with the concepts.
• Check your learning questions can be completed online or in student notebooks.
Instructions for students
• Ask any questions you have about approaches to normality.
• Start the Check your learning questions for this lesson.
Oxford Digital
• Check your learning 12.1
• Check your learning 12.1 answers
Homework 30 minutes Instructions for students
• Complete the Check your learning questions for Lesson 12.1.
• Read through Practical 12.1A in preparation for next class and select the disorder you wish to investigate.
SAMPLE
Oxford Digital
• Check your learning 12.1
• Check your learning 12.1 answers
• Practical 12.1A
Cultural differences in diagnoses of abnormal behaviour
