Holy psychopathology Batman: The pedagogical use of comic books in the teaching of abnormal psychology

Abstract

Many undergraduate psychology students eventually choose a career providing clinical mental health services. A background in abnormal psychology (psychopathology) is helpful and requisite in these graduate academic and future professional venues. The creativity needed to adequately teach the complex material covered in most abnormal psychology courses may be best conjured from the theory of pedagogical constructivism. Using constructivist theory, the present pilot study evaluates the efficacy of using comic books to supplement undergraduate abnormal psychology course material. Students who completed a diagnostic evaluation of a comic book character (N=29) performed significantly better on an abnormal psychology ‘pop quiz’ than students who received lecture–style instruction exclusively (N=15). These preliminary results add to the existing and expansive library of constructivist-inspired activities used in the instruction of abnormal psychology.