Vanguard University of Southern California PSYC 332: Abnormal Psychology Section 1 Fall 2015 Time: Monday and Wednesday 4pm-5:15pm Location: Heath 105 Instructor: Elizabeth S. Powell, Psy.D. Contact Dr. Powell: Elizabeth.Powell@vanguard.edu Office: Psychology Building Office Hours: Course Credit: 3 Undergraduate Units Required Texts: Lachenmeyer, N. (2000). The outsider. New York: Broadway. Oltmanns, T. F., & Emery, R. E. (2012). Abnormal psychology (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Course Description: Abnormal psychology is a study of sociocultural, spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral deviations with regard to description, patterns of development, measurement, and treatment methods. Relation to Psychology Major Requirements: This class meets elective upper division requirements for all students, regardless of major. It also meets the requirement for a Major or a Minor in Psychology and is strongly recommended for students considering graduate work in counseling psychology or clinical psychology. Prerequisites: General Psychology (PSYC 103) and Developmental Psychology (PSYC 320) Student Learning Outcomes How this course fulfills SLO 1 Understand, develop, and practice a Christian worldview Book report on the Outsider, Guest speaker reflection, chapter 18 response and discussion 2 Expand one s awareness of and respect for one s own culture and other cultures Guest speaker reflection, case studies, and exams (focus on culture in the DSM) 3 Continuously develop the ability to communicate Research paper and Book report effectively 4 Locate relevant information, evaluate its quality, Case studies, exams and research paper and think critically about its context and content 5 Develop a holistic view of human health and living Case studies, exams and discussion 6 Continuously develop skills in technology and data Research paper proficiency 7 Become an effective local, national, and global citizen Case studies, guest speaker reflection, and Chapter 18 response
Learning Outcomes: Integration of Faith and Learning 1. Understand mental illness from a scientific, psychological and faith perspective. 2. Discuss the role that spirituality plays in the perception of well-being of an individual. 3. Examine the role of the church and community in providing support. Cultural Competency and Citizenship 1. Learn to appreciate cultural diversity by considering abnormality from a multicultural perspective. 2. Address societal myths about mental illness by understanding current scientific research regarding mental illness. 3. Explore ways to provide treatment and interventions for those with mental illness that is appropriate for culture and background of individual. Communication 1. Provide written evaluations and diagnosis for case studies in abnormal psychology. 2. Explain the relationship between mental illness, culture and the legal system. Critical Thinking 1. Critically evaluate current research on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. 2. Evaluate case studies and determine appropriate differential diagnosis for each individual. Holistic Living 1. Understand the relationship between psychological, social, cultural and spiritual functioning in individuals. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of treatment modalities for mental illness including biological, therapeutic, and spiritual interventions. Information Competency 1. Understand the classification of abnormal behavior as stated in the DSM 4 and how to access resources and information regarding diagnosis. 2. Discuss relevant organizations and online databases related to mental illness diagnosis and treatment. CAMPUS INFORMATION: The Disability Services Office: The Office of Disability and Learning Services provides reasonable accommodations for students who need assistance with learning, and for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your professor(s) and Disability and Learning Services. If you have a temporary or permanent disability that requires accommodations (this can include but not limited to; attention-related, learning, mental health, vision, hearing, physical or other health conditions), please contact The Office of Disability and Learning Services at 714-619-6550 or disabilityservices@vanguard.edu
Writing Center Heath 214: Writing Center Consultants work with students one-on-one at any stage of the writing process. They can help organize notes, develop outlines, revise thesis statements, and work on various aspects of your revision. Our Christ-centered, culturally responsive, collaborative learning environment offers constructive feedback with the long-term goals of improved writing and critical thinking skills. The Writing Center is located in Heath 241 and is available Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays, 9a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed during Chapel Hour. Appointments are required. Classroom Diversity Statement: As students and faculty at Vanguard University of Southern California, and foremost as Christian believers, we endeavor to communicate with honesty and confidentiality, to speak with encouraging and edifying words, and to create a safe environment where we shelter one another with love when vulnerabilities arise. This classroom intends to foster a Christ-centered community that promotes appreciation and respect for individuals, enhances the potential of its members, and values differences in gender, ethnicity, race, abilities, and generation. Academic Honesty: Academic dishonesty, either cheating or plagiarizing (presenting as one s own, the words or opinions of others), is regarded as a serious violation of both the academic and moral standards of VUSC. Dishonesty in a class assignment or test may result in disciplinary action ranging from a failing grade on the assignment or test to dismissal from the program. It is the prerogative and responsibility of the instructor to determine if academic dishonesty has occurred and the seriousness of the infraction. The Dean and Provost are to be notified of instances of academic dishonesty. Please also refer to the Statement on Plagiarism appearing in this syllabus. STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM from Vanguard University Academic Catalog To plagiarize is to present someone else s work his or her words, line of thought, or organizational structure as our own. This occurs when sources are not cited properly, or when permission is not obtained from the original author to use his or her work. By not acknowledging the sources that are used in our work, we are wrongfully taking material that is not our own. Plagiarism is thus an insidious and disruptive form of dishonesty. It violates relationships with known classmates and professors, and it violates the legal rights of people we may never meet. Another person s work can take many forms: printed or electronic copies of computer programs, musical compositions, drawings, paintings, oral presentations, papers, essays, articles or chapters, statistical data, tables or figures, etc. In short, if any information that can be considered the intellectual property of another is used without acknowledging the original source properly, this is plagiarism. Please see student handbook for list of exact definitions for differing levels of plagiarism. COURSE SPECIFICS: Late Assignments: Late assignments are not accepted without prior approval from the professor. If approved, they are accepted up to one week late with a deduction of 10 percent. Exams must be taken before the rest of the class and scheduled with the professor. Learn.vanguard.edu (Moodle): We utilize an online course management system for some aspects of this course. Please go to http://learn.vanguard.edu and enroll in this course. Worksheets and powerpoints from class will be available here. Classroom Participation: This class includes some discussion. It is encouraged that students participate in that discussion. Most participation will come from being present and listening to lecture.
Attendance Policy -- Statement from Vanguard University Academic Catalog Regular and punctual class attendance is expected and is essential to optimum academic achievement. Students in lower division classes are given an F for any course in which they have been absent more than one-fifth of the scheduled class meetings. Attendance requirements in upper division classes are established by each instructor. Use of Electronics: Students are allowed to bring laptops if it aids in note taking. In most cases students will not need electronic devices. If any electronic device becomes disruptive, the student will be asked to put it away during the class period. It is expected that students are able to manage responsible use of electronic equipment. Evaluation and Points: 3 Multiple Choice tests (100 points each) 300 Book report on The Outsider 150 Case Study 1 25 Case Study 2 25 Guest Speaker reflection 75 Research paper on chosen disorder 200 Chapter 18 response 50 Final Exam (Chapters 13-17) 125 Participation 50 TOTAL: 1000 Grading Scale % Points A 93 and up 930 and up A- 90-93 900-930 B+ 87-90 870-900 B 83-87 830-870 B- 80-83 800-830 C+ 77-80 770-800 C 73-77 730-770 C- 70-73 700-730 D+ 67-70 670-700 D 63-67 630-670 D- 58-63 580-630 F 58 and lower 580 and below Description of Assignments: Multiple Choice Exams: Each exam will cover 4 chapters of reading. Worth 100 points each. Book Report on the Outsider: This is a 5-6 page report on the Outsider. Please use APA format including a title page and reference page. It may help to include headers in the paper to organize material for the following sections. 150 points. The first section will include a reflection of the following questions. This will be 3-4 pages: 1. How has your view of schizophrenia changed or developed because of the book?
2. How do you think Charles felt at various stages of his disorder? What might his emotional state be? 3. How has our culture criminalized the mental ill as discussed by Nathaniel? 4. What is the impact of schizophrenia on the individual, family and community? 5. How do you feel society and the field of psychology should respond to those with schizophrenia? The next section of the paper will include aspects of faith integration. This will be 2-3 pages. Please respond to the following questions: 1. How did Charles family s faith interact with his mental illness (his mother as well)? 2. What are some ways in which Christians might strengthen or hinder the recovery and treatment of those with mental illness? 3. How does your faith explain the cause and treatment of schizophrenia? 4. What do you believe the Christian response should be to those with mental illness? Case Study 1 & 2: These case studies will be completed during class in groups. Each case study will pertain to the material from that section of the course. This will help students prepare for the exam as well as help with classification and diagnosis skills. 25 points each. Guest Speaker Reflection: We will have several guest speakers throughout the semester. These speakers will be sharing about their personal journey with different mental illness and diagnoses. You are required to be present for two of those class sessions. On moodle there will a form with questions that you will need to answer for two speakers of your choice. You will then write a 2 page reflection about how listening to the various guest speakers has impacted your view of mental illness, faith and recovery. Prompt is on moodle with form. Please staple the form for both speakers to your 2 page reflection. This will be due the after all speakers have shared. 75 points. Research Paper On Chosen Disorder: Choose a mental disorder of interest and provide a 3 page report on the disorder. You will need to research current journal articles to include (you may use the text as well). Please have at least 4 journal articles from the last 5 years as part of your references (online resources such as WebMD are not acceptable). Discuss the major symptoms of the disorder, etiology, and possible treatments. Each journal article should have relevant information regarding causes of the disorder or current treatments. This should be written in APA format with a title page and reference page. You may do a brief introduction and then use the headings Symptoms, Etiology and Treatment. 200 points. Chapter 18 Response: Questions will be uploaded to learn.vanguard.edu for the students to complete on chapter 18. This material will not be covered in class so students must type out responses and turn it in on their own. 50 points. Final Exam: This will cover material from chapters 13-17 in multiple choice format and one final case study to examine. 125 points
DATE DAY TOPIC ASSIGNMENTS Aug 24 M Introduction and Syllabus Aug 26 W Abnormal Behavior Ch 1 Aug 31 M Causes of Abnormal Behavior Ch 2 Sept 2 W Treatment of Psychological Disorders Ch 3 Sept 7 M Labor Day- No class Sept 9 W Classification & Assessment of Behavior Ch 4 DSM introduction Sept 14 M Faith and Abnormal Behavior Sept 16 W Exam 1 Chapters 1-4 Sept 21 M Mood Disorders Ch 5 *Guest Speaker One (Bipolar Disorder) Sept 23 W Anxiety Disorders Ch 6 Sept 28 M Video: Mood and/anxiety Disorder Book Report Due Sept 30 W Stress Disorders/Dissociative Disorders Ch 7 Oct 5 M Somatic Symptom Disorders Ch 7 and Ch 8 Stress and Physical Health Oct 7 W Review and Case Study 1 Case Study 1 in class Oct 12 M Exam 2 Chapters 5-8 Oct 14 W Personality Disorders Ch 9 Oct 19 M Personality Disorders Oct 21 W Eating Disorders Ch 10 *Guest Speaker Two (Anorexia) Oct 26 M Substance Related and Addictive Disorders Ch 11 *Guest Speaker Three (Substance Abuse) Oct 28 W Paraphilic Disorders Ch 12 Nov 2 M Gender Dysphoria Video Mental Disorder Report Due Nov 4 W Review and Case Study 2 Case Study 2 in class Nov 9 M Exam 3 Chapters 9-12 Nov 11 W Schizophrenia Ch 13 Nov 16 M *Guest Speaker Four (Schizophrenia) -this speaker will also share about work with NAMI. Ch 13 Nov 18 W Neurocognitive Disorders Ch 14 Nov 23 M Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders Ch 15 Guest Speaker Reflection Due Nov 25 W Thanksgiving Holiday Nov 30 M Childhood Disorders Ch 16 Dec 2 W Adjustment Disorders Ch 17 Chapter 18 Questions Due Dec 7 M Review Dec 9 W Final Exam 330pm Chapters 13-17