PATHOPSYCHOLOGY AS A COMPONENT OF TRAINING SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of the role of pathopsychology in the professional training of mental health professionals. The relevance of the topic is due to the increase in the number of anxiety and depressive disorders, the consequences of military operations, socio-economic instability and the need for qualified psychological assistance. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the course "Pathopsychology" on the formation of professional competencies of students of the specialties "Psychology" and "Social Work". 68 students of the V. I. VernadskyTavrichesky National University (2023–2024 academic year) participated in the study. Theoretical analysis, questionnaires, observations, content analysis of educational tasks and correlation analysis (IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0) were used. The survey showed an increase in awareness of the importance of pathopsychological knowledge (from 56% to 74%) and an increase in practical readiness to work with clients with mental disorders. Observations showed the development of analytical thinking, critical reflection and communicative competence. Content analysis of educational cases (n = 38) confirmed their compliance with modern educational standards. Correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the level of theoretical training and practical readiness of students (r = 0.68; p < 0.05), which indicates the effectiveness of integrating the course into the professional education system. The results obtained prove that pathopsychology forms analytical thinking, observation, empathy and readiness to work in crisis conditions. The course is an important factor in the professional development of future mental health professionals and requires further development of innovative methodological approaches to its teaching.