ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (PSY 333-001)

 

Dr. Paul Bishop

Fall Semester, 2002

11 a.m. MWF

TEXTBOOK:

 

Oltmanns, T.F., & Emery, R.E. Abnormal Psychology (3rd Edition).  Prentice-Hall, 2001.

Overheads:  sold in bookstore (required)

Lecture Notes:  sold in bookstore (required)

Study Guide: sold in bookstore (optional, but recommended)

 

OVERVIEW: 

This is an introductory course in psychopathology, or the specific study of mental disorders.  It will focus on the description of specific forms of abnormal behavior and the ways in which they are studied.  These problems include depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, sexual disorders, and personality disorders.  The causes of these problems are largely unknown.  Our knowledge of factors affecting their development and treatment is expanding continuously.

 

Class will be a mixture of lecture, films, and in-class activities (e.g., class discussions to determine how well students understand the material and can apply it). Periodic, unannounced quizzes will be given to insure students are keeping up with assigned reading.

 

PRE-REQUISITES: At least introductory psychology (Psy 100).  Additional psychology courses or background will be extremely useful as a familiarity with basic psychological terms and concepts is assumed by the authors of your textbook, and tends to correlate with grades obtained.  Those without this background will be at a disadvantage.  Even with this background, there will be a considerable amount of new technical vocabulary and concepts to be learned.  The more prior exposure to psychology and psychological terms and concepts, the better.

 

SPECIFIC GOALS:  By the end of the course, you will develop an understanding of, or appreciation for, the following:

 

1. Descriptions of various symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusions, panic attacks) associated with psychological disorders.  Our ideas about their nature and origins change over the years, but clinical problems seem to remain relatively constant.

 

2. The continuity between normal and abnormal behavior.  You should understand the difference between dimensional and categorical approaches to psychopathology.

 

3. The classification process (both generally and specifically in terms of psychopathology) and the criteria (e.g., reliability, validity) used to evaluate the usefulness of a classification system.

 

4. The frequency and distribution of these problems in the United States and elsewhere (i.e., epidemiology).  Gender differences and cultural factors will be considered with regard to certain forms of psychological disorder.

 

5. Causal models, especially those involving multiple systems (biological, psychological, and social systems).  The task for clinical scientists is to discover how different levels of influence combine or interact to produce and maintain mental disorders.  Nature and nurture are both involved.

 

6. The ways in which psychologists ask research questions about these disorders and the various research methods by which they seek answers to these questions.

 

7. Different approaches to treatment, as well as the ways in which these treatments can be evaluated.  What kinds of treatment are effective for specific problems?  What can these results tell us about the nature of the disorders?

 

OFFICE HOURS:  My office hours will be from 9-10 a.m. on MWF and 12:40-1:40 p.m. TuTh.  If you have any questions about material covered in class or want to discuss your progress in the course, feel free to stop by during those times.  If you can’t make my regularly scheduled office hours, stop after class or telephone (572-5312) and we can arrange another time.

 

EVALUATION:  TESTS AND GRADING, EXTRA CREDIT

 

Four regularly scheduled examinations are planned as well as a cumulative final (see course outline).  Periodic “quizzes” of 10 to 15 points may also be given.  Quizzes may be announced during one class for the next class, or they may be unannounced (i.e., “pop quizzes”).

The cumulative part of the final will cover material emphasized in the course.  For all tests and quizzes, grades will be determined using the following grading scale:

 

            A = 90-100%

            B = 80-89%

            C = 70-79%

            D = 60-69%

            F = 59% and Below

 

For regular course exams, “extra credit” questions may be available.  They are simply potential “extra points” to be added on after the curve has been set.  Typically they are more difficult questions drawn from regular reading/lecture material.

 

The final grade will be calculated by adding together the student’s total points after all quizzes, tests, and extra points, and comparing it to the total points possible.  If his/her point total is 90% of the total points available, he/she will receive an A, if it is 80% a B, if 70% a C, etc.

 

The same approach can be used to determine where the student stands at any point during the semester.  The student simply adds up their total points obtained and compares this to total points possible to see if they meet the percentage criteria for an A, B, C, D, or F.  To assist the student, a “cumulative curve” will be set after each test/quiz and students simply need compare their score to this curve.  This information will be posted on the bulletin board outside the psychology department under the instructor’s name.

 

MAKE-UP EXAMS

 

Make-up tests for regular course exams will generally not be given.  They will be given only if the student is physically ill and can document this with a Dr.'s note, or if some very unusual circumstance arises (e.g., death in the family).  If something unusual does come up, students should contact me by telephone before the time of the test, or the same day of the test at the latest. My office phone is 572-5312.  If students fail to do this, they will receive a zero for the test. 

 

For any quizzes that are missed, students will be allowed to make up 2.  A zero will be given for any quizzes missed beyond 2. All make-ups (both regular exams and quizzes) will be given at the same time as the Final.

 

 

 

ATTENDANCE:  Given that in-class quizzes will frequently be given, students are advised to attend regularly.  If students have some reason for missing a large number of days (e.g., medical condition, personal crisis, etc.), it would be helpful to inform the instructor of your situation.

 

WITHDRAWALS AND INCOMPLETES:  The last day to drop the course without it showing on your transcript is Friday, Sept. 6th.  You may also withdraw any time up to and including Friday, October 25th and it will show on your transcript as a “W” (withdrawal).  After that time you may not withdraw except under very exceptional circumstances which will require the approval of the departmental chairperson and the dean of the college.  Requests for incompletes will only be approved for compelling reasons (e.g., serious illness).  The registrar converts outstanding incompletes to F’s if they are not completed in the specified time.

 

STUDY GUIDE / INTERNET STUDY GUIDE:   For each chapter, the study guide provides a list of learning objectives as well as sample test questions (20 matching questions, 30 multiple-choice questions, and 4 brief essay questions).  Students have indicated that using the study guide is quite helpful. In addition, there is an excellent web site with the internet address of http://cw.prenhall.com/oltmanns/ which also has sample test questions.  (Note that students without a computer at home can access the internet from the NKU library, the technology center on the 3rd floor of the technology building, or the psychology computer laboratory directly across the hall from the secretaries office on the 3rd floor of BEP). 

 

USE OF EXPLICIT MEDIA   In the section of the course covering abnormal sexuality (i.e., sexual and gender identity disorders) explicit films are sometimes used to illustrate the disorders and demonstrate their treatment.  These films include nudity and sometimes the graphic display of sexual behavior. The instructor will make every effort to be sensitive to potential personal reactions to explicit media by indicating before hand what will be seen.  If students feel, for whatever reason, they might have an adverse reaction to a film (or topic), they may choose not to attend class on that particular day.  Also, students should feel free to leave class if they find a film to be distressful or upsetting, and of course simply “looking away” is always an option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

 

 

8/19                 Overview of Course

 

8/21                 Examples and Definitions of Abnormal Behavior

                        Assignment:  Ch. 1, except for section “Psychopathology in Historical                                                         Context”

 

8/23, 8/26        Causes of Abnormal Behavior:  From Paradigms to Systems

                        Assignment:  Ch. 2, pp. 34-56

                                   

8/28, 8/30        Treatment of Psychological Disorders

                        Assignment: Ch. 3, pp. 72-91 (Stop at “Gestalt Therapy”)

                                    Also, omit the section “Ego Analysts and Psychodynamic

                                    Therapy” on pp. 83-84.

 

9/2                   Labor Day – No Classes

 

9/4, 9/6            Classification and Assessment

                        Assignment: Ch. 4, pp. 108-124  (Stop at “Basic Issues in Assessment”)

 

9/9                   TEST 1

                       

9/11, 9/13,        Anxiety Disorders

9/16, 9/18,        Assignment:  Ch. 6

9/20    

 

9/23, 9/25,        Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders

9/27, 9/30        Assignment:  Ch. 7

           

10/2                 TEST 2

                       

10/4, 10/7,        Mood Disorders

10/9,10/11       Assignment:  Ch. 5

 

10/14               Fall Break – No Classes

 

10/16               Mood Disorders

                        Assignment:  Ch. 5

           

10/18, 10/21,    Personality Disorders

10/23               Assignment:  Ch. 9

 

10/25               TEST 3 (Also last day to drop with a W)

 

10/28, 10/30,    Substance Use Disorders 

11/1, 11/4        Assignment:  Ch. 11

                       

11/6, 11/8,        Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders

11/11, 11/13    Assignment:  Ch. 12

11/15

 

 

11/18               TEST 4

 

11/20, 11/22    Eating Disorders

                        Assignment:  Ch. 10

 

11/25               Schizophrenia

            Assignment:  Ch. 13

 

11/27, 11/29    Thanksgiving Holiday – No Classes

 

12/2, 12/4,        Schizophrenia

12/6                 Assignment:  Ch. 13

 

12/9                 TEST 5 (Final Exam).

            10:10 - 12:10 a.m (Monday)

 

REVISION OF THE SYLLABUS

This syllabus should be viewed as a working plan for the semester.  Unforeseen circumstances sometimes require changes to be made.  If necessary, all such changes will be made in consultation with the class.