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Updated for AQA 2025 Spec – Teaching from SEPTEMBER 2025 onwards

This resource is designed for teaching The Four Definitions in the Field of Mental Health under the AQA A-Level Psychology (2025 Specification). It has been fully updated to meet the revised requirements, which expect students to describe, apply, and evaluate the four definitions used in clinical psychology: deviation from ideal mental health, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately and statistical infrequency .

If you’re looking for the 2019 specification version of this topic, please visit my shop.

This fully editable lesson introduces students to key ways abnormality is defined in clinical practice. Students are supported in developing strong AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills through real-world case studies, guided discussion, applied tasks, and structured evaluation activities.

What’s Included:

• Fully Editable Lesson Slides – Covers all four definitions in detail, with clear explanations, clinical examples (e.g. OCD, phobias, antisocial personality disorder, hoarding disorder), and applied case studies. Includes retrieval activities, consolidation tasks, and AO3 evaluation points aligned with 2025 expectations.

• Think, Pair, Share Activities – Interactive prompts help students explore key concepts, such as whether Jahoda’s ideal mental health criteria are realistic, how cultural norms vary, and why abnormality can be difficult to define.

• Case Study Application Tasks – Students apply each definition to real-life scenarios involving anxiety disorders, psychosis, obsessive-compulsive behaviours and intellectual disability, encouraging deeper AO2 thinking.

• Evaluation Worksheets – Printable tasks where students identify strengths and limitations of each definition, practise AO3 skills, and prepare for exam-style evaluation questions.

• Exam Practice Question – Application-based 6-mark question on hoarding disorder, written in AQA 2025 stem format. Includes a model Level 3/4 answer with clear reference to statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, and failure to function adequately.

• Plenary Review Task – Students revisit the case studies to consolidate understanding of which definitions apply in different scenarios.

How This Resource Reflects the 2025 Specification Changes:

• Fully aligned with AQA 2025 content under Clinical Psychology and Mental Health

• Covers the updated sub-topic Definitions in the Field of Mental Health

• Supports AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills development with structured application and evaluation

• Includes up-to-date research examples, cultural considerations, and ethical issues

• Provides ready-to-teach content for classroom delivery, cover lessons, independent study, or revision