Diverse perspectives on mental health
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What causes mental distress and what can be done about it? What factors in the external environment affect mental health? This course examines the ways in which social, environmental, economic and political factors shape and constrain our understandings and experiences of mental health and distress. It explores diverse and frequently competing perspectives that characterise the world of mental health – lay, bio-medical, psychological, psychotherapeutic and social – learning from written and spoken accounts of people who have experienced mental distress. You’ll look at the impact of these perspectives on mental health practice and service provision, and the implications for ethical and value-based practice.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | KYN225 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 8 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| Examination |
| No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.
What you will study
The course is complementary to our other Level 2 course in mental health, Challenging ideas in mental health (KYN272). Where KYN272 focuses on a holistic approach to different dimensions of the individual, KYN225 places its emphasis on the social.
By the end of the course you should have developed knowledge and understanding of:
- how social, environmental, economic and political elements shape experiences of mental health and distress
- the central importance of service users’ perspectives
- the role of ethics and values in the context of mental health and distress
- the range and complexity of conflicting and complementary perspectives on mental health and distress
- the impact of diverse perspectives on mental health practice.
KYN225 also provides underpinning knowledge and understanding for the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities framework for the mental health workforce.
The course is divided into four study blocks.
Block 1 – Exploring Perspectives introduces the notion that there are very different views about what constitutes mental health and distress, and considers the role of the external environment – in particular social, political, economic and environmental factors – in shaping these views. The impact of labels and language used to describe mental health, and the ways in which cultural factors interact with mental health and distress are discussed, as well as debates on different ways of understanding mental distress.
Block 2 – Social and Ethical Contexts begins by examining the ways in which ethics and values shape and constrain understandings and practice in the world of mental health. The block raises challenging questions about the role of mental health legislation, the impact of ‘place’ on mental wellbeing, and the relationship between mental health and work. Different ways of thinking about gender and sexuality and the ways in which these can help us to appreciate some people’s experiences of mental distress are debated, and the block concludes with a discussion of how families, in their many forms, may experience and/or contribute to mental health and distress.
Block 3 – Understanding Experience The role of medical and physical treatments is examined in the context of mental distress. Problems around the definition and measurement of suicide, the complex relationship between mental distress, criminal behaviour and imprisonment, and the diverse perspectives and dilemmas relating to self-harm are discussed. The unit ends by looking at the contribution of art, culture and creative activities to mental wellbeing.
Block 4 – Perspectives on Practice looks at different types of support, including that provided by friends, relatives and neighbours, and the ways in which service users and professional workers relate to each other. It examines issues around the evaluation of mental health services, with particular emphasis on the concept of quality, and explores user involvement in service provision. Different approaches to mental health promotion are discussed. The concluding unit provides an opportunity to consolidate and revise what you’ve learnt throughout the course.
Vocational relevance
This course is the first of the practice-related modules leading to the Diploma in Higher Education in Mental Health Nursing. The Pre-registration Nursing Programme, to which KYN225 contributes, has been endorsed by Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey.
Entry
This is a Level 2 course and you need to have some knowledge of health and social care and a readiness to study at this level, obtained either through Level 1 study (our Level 1 course An introduction to health and social care (K101) would be ideal preparation) or by doing equivalent work at another university.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
You will receive guidance of how to get started online in your first course mailing. This will provide you with information on using your computer for OU study and working with the Computing Guide. For example, it explains how to access and use your website and online discussion forums. If you have time before the course starts, you can work through this and explore all the online services available to you.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, CDs and DVD. You will have access to a website through which teaching and library resources are available. Electronic versions of most of the printed study materials are provided on the website.
You will need
A DVD player and a CD player.
The audio-visual components of this course are delivered on a DVD that will play on a standard DVD player and television. If you want to view this on a computer, it will need a DVD-ROM drive and software for viewing DVDs.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
The role of your tutor is to facilitate your understanding of the ideas and concepts in the course. Feedback on your assignments is comprehensive and personalised, and enables you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Your tutor will organise and run a series of tutorials, which are compulsory on this course. At these, you will undertake practical work but also have a chance to discuss issues and concerns that you have, both with your tutor and with fellow students.
You’ll also have a mentor on all your practice placements that assesses your clinical skills and practice. Your mentor draws on evidence you bring to the assessed practice situation. Evidence of this assessment is verified by your mentor and recorded in your portfolio. Another key person who supports you throughout your work on the programme is your practice tutor. This person is a knowledgeable practitioner who has an overview of your progress through the programme and who is able to see you holistically in much the same way as the programme encourages you to see others holistically. Your practice tutor comes to see you and your mentor at various times in your practice placements and works with both of you to examine how you are getting on and adds further verification to your portfolio.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You can choose whether to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper or online through the eTMA system. You may want to use the eTMA system for some of your assignments but submit on paper for others. This is entirely your choice.
Professional recognition
This is one of a set of courses that together constitute an approved programme that leads to the professional qualification of Registered Nurse on the NMC Register.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | KYN225 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 8 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| Examination |
| No residential school |
Study explained
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.
Your questions
We may have already answered it in our frequently asked questions.
Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35
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