1 Abnormal Psychology Psychology 306 Section 502 Spring 2015, TR 3:55-5:10 pm, PSYC 106 Instructors: Deborah Lowe Ashley Yaugher Contact: [email protected] [email protected] Shared Office: Psychology 206 Shared Office Hours: Thursdays 11:15 am-12:15 pm and by appointment We are always available by appointment—please email both of us to schedule a time to meet. Course Description & Goals This course is designed to provide an in-depth overview of a range of psychological disorders. There will be a specific focus on theories of cause, characteristic symptoms, classification, and empirically supported treatment models/methods. Through reading assignments and class discussions it is expected that students will gain an understanding of theories and current issues relating to the study, treatment, and prevention of psychological disorders. In addition, students will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have obtained regarding various psychological disorders. By the end of this course, students will be able to do the following: 1. Describe several different methods for defining abnormal behavior and “mental disorder” 2. Articulate the predominant perspectives in the study of abnormal behavior 3. Develop a working conceptualization of the disorders in the DSM-5, which includes identifying symptoms, treatments and theories about the causes (etiology) of disorders 4. Differentiate between the symptoms of different anxiety, mood, dissociative, somatic, health, psychotic, personality, childhood and late-life disorders 5. Explain the ethical and cultural issues that are relevant to abnormal psychology 6. Apply their learning to specific case examples using the DSM-5 model Course Prerequisites Successful completion of Psychology 107 with a minimum grade of D. Required Course Text: Comer, Ronald J. (2013). Abnormal Psychology: DSM-5 Updated Edition. New York: Worth Publishers. 8th edition (DSM-5 Update). ISBN: 978-1-4641-3982-6. To reduce your costs, this is a LOOSELEAF text that you can put in a 3-ring binder. http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/comerabpsych8e/ This textbook companion website contains web links, quizzes, case studies, flashcards, videos, and self-assessment exercises.2 OPTIONAL Course Text: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Course Website The TAMU eCampus website (http://ecampus.tamu.edu) will be used for this course. Use your University Net-ID and password to log-in. Powerpoint slides for each class will be posted on the website prior to the beginning of class to aid in note-taking. The powerpoint slides are incomplete and require your attendance in class to fill in the missing information. If you miss class, you are responsible for obtaining notes from someone else in the class. Our personal slides will not be provided. Any supplemental course materials (e.g., additional readings) will also be available on eCampus. Points earned on exams and optional bonus points will be posted ONLY on the TAMU eCampus website. While in eCampus, you must allow pop-ups and have a recent version of Java Virtual Machine software (http://java.sun.com) on your computer. Avoid using the browser Back and Forward buttons to navigate from page to page. Rather, use the page buttons within eCampus to navigate. For questions about security settings, pop-up blocking, and Java Virtual Machine upgrades on your computer, please contact the CIS Central Help Desk in Teague at (979) 845-8300 or [email protected]. Contacting the Instructors Please feel free to email us with questions you might have about the course requirements. When contacting us via email, include BOTH of our email addresses so that we are both aware of the situation/your questions. One of us will always respond to your emails within 24 hours. If you have not received a reply from either of us within 24 hours, please email both of us again because that probably indicates that we did not receive your email. DO NOT email us from within eCampus; only use our email addresses provided on the first page of this syllabus. We reserve that system for writing assignment submissions only. We do not check the eCampus messages nearly as frequently as we check our email, and we will respond to your emails much more quickly than we would eCampus messages. Student Performance Evaluation Examinations: Five examinations will be given to evaluate students' mastery of course content. The first four exams will cover readings assigned and lecture material covered since the previous exam and will not be "cumulative," although learning that occurs earlier in the course will facilitate learning that occurs later in the course. The fifth and final exam will be cumulative and cover readings assigned and lecture material covered throughout the entire semester. Exams will consist of multiple-choice and short answer questions. Grades will be posted on eCampus as soon as possible after each exam.3 Only the scores from each student’s highest four exams will contribute to the total course points; in other words, each student’s lowest exam score will be dropped. Make-Up Exam Policy: The “Attendance Policy” described in the Texas A&M University Student Rules (http://student-rules.tamu.edu/rule07) will be strictly adhered to in situations in which a student is absent when exams are given. Under NO circumstances will the University Student Rules for missed exams NOT be followed. Written documentation providing evidence of your University-approved excused absence will be required in all cases. Make-up exams will be alternate forms of the original exams in essay format. If you know of a schedule conflict with one of the exams, please notify us as soon as possible to negotiate a resolution. You must contact us prior to the scheduled exam if feasible. In cases where advance notification is not feasible (e.g., accident, emergency), you must contact us by the end of the second working day after the scheduled exam to negotiate a resolution. Course Letter Grades: The highest 4 exam scores will contribute to the total course points; in other words, each student’s lowest exam score will be dropped. Points for 4 highest exams + in-class extra credit = Total Course Points Maximum Possible Points Total Course Points Course Grade Exam 1 60 240+ to 216 A Exam 2 60 215 to 192 B Exam 3 60 191 to