I. PREREQUISITE For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

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1 Note: Course content may be changed, term to term, without notice. The information below is provided as a guide for course selection and is not binding in any form, and should not be used to purchase course materials.

2 COURSE SYLLABUS CRIS 303 ACUTE STRESS, GRIEF AND TRAUMA COURSE DESCRIPTION This course investigates the impact and consequences of acute stress on victims, first responders, families, and community members resulting from man-made terror and accidents, natural disasters, and societal violence, taking into account the process of grief and loss and the long term consequences of unresolved trauma. Particular attention is paid to effective counseling strategies, methods and techniques for immediate response, fostering resiliency, and cultural differences. RATIONALE With the increase in the numbers of critical incidents and natural disasters in the past few years, over 80% of individuals will experience acute stress at some point in their lives. Include incidents that involve deaths such as murder, suicide, accidents, starvation, sudden infant death syndrome, miscarriages, heart attacks, and natural disasters, the long term effects of grief and trauma can wreak havoc on its victims. The ability to work through the acute stress can mitigate the effects of long term trauma in the lives of those impacted. The combined strategies of effective psychological first aid and grief counseling can relieve the acute stress response, foster resiliency, speed up the healing process, and mitigate the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder in the life of a traumatized individual. I. PREREQUISITE For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog. II. III. IV. REQUIRED RESOURCE PURCHASES Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are registered: ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR LEARNING A. Computer with basic audio/video output equipment B. Internet access (broadband recommended) C. Microsoft Word (Microsoft Office is available at a special discount to Liberty University students.) MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Page 1 of 5

3 A. Articulate a theoretical understanding of the nature and impact of critical incident stress. B. Define acute stress; and examine and discuss the consequences of and factors related to acute stress. C. Apply relevant Scripture passages to the issues of grief and trauma. D. Explain the nature and consequences of stress, as well as factors that might help determine the intensity, severity, and duration of a grief response. E. Define and implement the grief cycle and its stages in counseling. F. Differentiate complicated grief from normal grief and loss. G. Examine and explain how abuse impacts the lives of its victims. H. Describe how trauma, stress, and depression and anxiety relate in sufferers of PTSD. I. Articulate a theoretical understanding of how attachment styles relate to acute stress, grief, and trauma and implement the components of effective therapies counselors can utilize. J. Describe the characteristics of acute care, and how psychological first aid differs from psychotherapy. K. Articulate the contraindications of acute care, and when a person needs immediate mental health intervention. L. Identify biblical principles for coping with adversity, and discuss ways in which the church can foster and sustain resiliency and hope. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS A. Textbook readings and lecture presentations Reading the assigned textbooks will also serve as resources for the student s paper. B. Course Requirements Checklist After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations. The student will complete the related checklist found in Module/Week 1. C. Discussion Board Forums (3) Discussion boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will make a discussion post in response to the 3 questions posed by the instructor. Each thread must be at least 300 words. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 1 other classmates threads. Each reply must be at least 200 words. D. Quizzes (3) Page 2 of 5

4 Quizzes will cover the content from the assigned videos. The quizzes will be open-book/open-notes with a 40-minute time limit. The quizzes will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions. E. Crisis Personnel Identification The student will identify a member of the community ( Crisis Personnel ) who is involved in the regular response to crises in the community. Examples include a police officer, fire fighter, medical/mental health professional, or pastoral leader. Identification of this personnel will take place in the form of a discussion board forum, and the student will be asked to dialogue about his/her choices within the forum. F. Crisis Personnel Project The student will interview Crisis Personnel (previously approved by the instructor) using a list of 5 questions provided by the instructor and will prepare a 2 3-page write up on his/her findings in the interview. The student will be provided with an outline of interview etiquette and may not conduct the interview until the interviewee has been identified in the appropriate module/week and approved by the instructor. G. Movie Review The student will view a movie, complete a 3-page critique of the movie designed to explore the nature of the crisis presented, and then suggest steps for alleviating the crisis, teaching coping skills, and developing resiliency. A special section must assess the grieving process of the primary victim and whether they effectively grieved through the loss. H. The Importance of Self-Care The student will select a minimum of 3 journal articles discussing the importance of self-care for those in the helping professions. The student will use the materials to create a PowerPoint presentation that could be used to educate professionals (and use as a guideline for himself/herself) on self-care importance and practices. I. Research Paper Utilizing information presented in the course, as well as theoretical and practical elements from academic and Christian sources, in currentapa style, the student will compile an original 8 10-page paper (not including title page, abstract, and reference page) that summarizes and discusses acute stress response. The student must discuss the various symptoms of acute stress reactions, acute stress disorder (as well as the difference between the two), the diagnostic guidelines, and effective treatment strategies. As the student considers acute stress responses, symptoms and strategies, he/she must compare and contrast different treatment strategies, or examine specific responses, the resulting symptoms, and their impact on a person's life. Also, the student must address the necessary factors for successfully coping with the effects of trauma as well as the spiritual and professional approaches to treatment. Page 3 of 5

5 A minimum of 12 scholarly sources is required, in addition to the course textbooks. The student may utilize information presented in the texts as well as theoretical and practical elements from academic and Christian sources. Grades will be assigned based on quality of content, how well current APA guidelines are adhered to, the richness of citations utilized, quality of expression, and biblical integration presented. VI. COURSE GRADING AND POLICIES A. Points Course Requirements Checklist 10 Discussion Board Forums 150 Threads (3 at pts ea) Replies (3 at pts ea) Quizzes (3 at pts ea) 300 Crisis Personnel Identification 50 Crisis Personnel Project Movie Review The Importance of Self-Care Research Paper 200 Total 1010 B. Scale A = B = C = D = F = C. Late Assignment Policy If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately by . Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions: 1. Late assignments submitted within one week of the due date will receive a 10% deduction. 2. Assignments submitted more than one week late will receive a 20% deduction. 3. Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the course will not be accepted. 4. Late Discussion Board threads or replies will not be accepted. Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, personal health issues) will be reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis. D. Disability Assistance Students with a documented disability may contact Liberty University Online s Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at luoodas@liberty.edu to make Page 4 of 5

6 arrangements for academic accommodations. Further information can be found at Page 5 of 5

7 COUR ### Course Schedule COURSE SCHEDULE CRIS 303 Textbooks: Freeman, Grief and loss: Understanding the journey (2005). Van der Kolk et al., Traumatic stress (2006). MODULE/ WEEK 1 READING & STUDY ASSIGNMENTS POINTS Freeman: ch. 1 Van der Kolk et al.: ch. 1 Course Requirements Checklist DB Forum 1 Threads DB Forum 1 Replies 10 2 Van der Kolk et al.: ch. 2 Crisis Personnel Identification Quiz # Freeman: chs. 2 & 4 DB Forum 2 Threads DB Forum 2 Replies 4 Van der Kolk et al.: chs. 4 & 6 Crisis Personnel Project Quiz #2 5 Freeman: chs. 5 & 6 Van der Kolk et al.: ch. 7 Movie Review 6 Freeman: chs. 7 & 9 Van der Kolk et al.: ch. 8 DB Forum 3 Threads DB Forum 3 Replies 7 Van der Kolk et al.: ch. 9 The Importance of Self-Care Quiz #3 8 Freeman: chs. 10 & 11 Research Paper 200 DB = Discussion Board TOTAL 1010 NOTE: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.