Annual Review - University of Toronto Scarborough

for a healthy PoPUlation
Focusing
on Mental
Health
oF The ToP 10 CoNTRIbUToRS to
human disability worldwide, half
involve mental health issues.
Traditionally considered a minor
contributor to overall physical wellbeing,
mental health is now being
recognized by scientists and clinicians
as a profound challenge all its own,
a health priority that demands
immediate and significant investment.
This is why UTSC has mounted a
concerted effort to become a leader
in the field of clinical psychology,
which employs a combination of
science, theory and clinical knowledge
to help understand, prevent and
relieve psychologically based distress
and dysfunction.
“we are building substantial strength
in the most promising areas of clinical
psychology research,” says Professor
John Bassili, Chair of the Psychology
Department at UTSC. At the University’s
Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, for
example, Professor Anthony Ruocco
uses advanced techniques in
neuropsychology and cognitive
neuroscience to investigate thought
and emotional processes in people
with severe psychiatric illness.
In response to this growing need for
more mental health professionals,
two years ago UTSC launched the
innovative undergraduate Mental
Health Studies (MHS) program, in which students can
concentrate their course load on psychology courses
relevant to mental health. And soon, UTSC will launch a
brand-new doctoral program in clinical psychology. This
groundbreaking PhD will provide a rigorous training ground
for the next generation of researchers and practitioners of
clinical psychology, and a rich scholarly environment that
will attract top experts in the field.
To highlight these ambitious goals, the new doctoral
program will be led by one of Canada’s most influential
clinical and personality psychologists, Dr. Michael Bagby,
who joins UTSC from the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health, where he was director of clinical research and senior
scientist. Dr. Bagby has been named an Institute of Scientific
Information “highly cited scientist,” a distinction held
by only the top one per cent of scientists worldwide.
“our clinical psychology group is of the highest calibre,”
says Bassili, “and we never lose sight of the fact that
scholarly excellence and scientific rigour are our top
priorities. To lead the new PhD program, we desired
someone with seniority and recognition that would define
our commitment to the field. Dr. Bagby is a shining example
of the kind of scholar who belongs at UTSC.”
a n ‘a b n o r m a l’ a P P r o a c h
UTSC’s new Mental Health Studies (MHS) program is proving
incredibly popular with undergraduates. Just two years since it
was launched, MHS has a healthy enrolment, and student interest
shows no signs of slowing. The program offers a specialist or major
degree to students who wish to focus their studies on disorders
that are considered psychologically “abnormal.” Students begin
with a traditional psychology curriculum, but soon diversify into
courses such as psychotherapy, psychological assessment and
psychopharmacology.
Driven by the growing societal awareness of the importance of
mental health and by UTSC’s top-notch faculty in the field, the MHS
program is well aligned with the proposed doctoral curriculum in
clinical psychology. “Mental Health Studies has been a great success,”
says Professor John Bassili, Chair of the Psychology Department at
UTSC. “No other psychology department offers a program with this
thematic focus.” And in keeping with the University’s commitment to
combining academic excellence with meaningful engagement, MHS
also offers a co-op option, in which students can take advantage of
UTSC’s strong partnerships with world-class mental health institutions.
22 UNIVeRSITy oF ToRoNTo SCARBoRoUgH