USING PATIENT NARRATIVES TO TEACH PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Psychopathology courses are usually taught using a biomedical perspect ive and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV ( DSM IV) as the primary text. This can result in students developing li ttle empathy for their patients and objectifying them as disorders rat her than people with problems. Using narrative, music, and art in teac hing psychopathology can balance the scientific, objective style of th e DSM IV. Resources and suggestions for ways to humanize a psychopatho logy course are given.