PSY443 Abnormal & Deviant Behavior
Instructor: Dr. Edward Sturman
Office: 640 Bay Road, RHEC
Phone: 518-792-5425
E-mail: estur001@plattsburgh.edu
A study of human aberrant behavior patterns as evidenced in mental illness, delinquency, crime and poor cultural adaptation. Emphasis is placed upon relating the contributions of the behavioral sciences to an integrated understanding of abnormal and deviant behavior of both individuals and groups. Prerequisites: PSY340.
Text: David H. Barlow & V. Mark Durand (2012). Abnormal Psychology: An
Integrative Approach (6 th
Edition). Published by Thomson Wadsworth.
ISBN-13: 9781111343620
Objectives:
1. A recognition of basic deviate patterns through the behavior involved.
2. Knowledge of possible prognoses of deviate behavior patterns.
3. Insight regarding the etiology of aberrant behavior.
4. An appreciation of the relativity involved in judgment of successful-unsuccessful, norm - abnormal cultural adaptations.
5. An experimentation of various cultural phenomena as background for deviant behavior.
6. An understanding of deviant behavior as a cultural determinant and formative influence upon society.
Evaluation :
Exam 1: 15% (July 27)
Exam 2: 25% (August 8)
Exam 3: 25% (August 19)
Thought Papers: 15%
Brief Case Study: 20% (August 18)
Grading:
A 93% + above C+ 77-79%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C
C- 70-72%
D+ 67-69%
D
E
73-76%
60-66%
59% + below

Schedule:
July 18 – July 27 Read chapters 1-3 of text
Topics Include:
Abnormal Behavior in Historical Context
An Integrative Approach to Psychopathology
Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
July 28 – Aug. 8 Read chapters 5-10 of text
Note: for Chapter 9 read only selected parts (TBA)
Topics Include:
Anxiety Disorders
Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders
Mood Disorders and Suicide
Eating and Sleep Disorders
Physical Disorders and Health Psychology
Sexual and Gender Identity Disorder
Aug. 9 – Aug. 19 Read chapters 11-15 of text
Topics Include:
Substance Related and Impulse-Control Disorders
Personality Disorders
Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Developmental Disorders
Cognitive Disorders
Announcements/ News Forum : Be sure to regularly check the Announcements/ News
Forum to stay properly informed of changes or looming deadlines.
Organization : The course is divided into weekly intervals within Moodle. Every week you will be required to submit 1-2 thought papers. The thought paper questions and dropboxes should be visible for each week of the course. The top box will contain the exams and a drop-box for the psychobiography.
Exams : All exams will be offered online and will be available from 7 am to 9 pm on the exam dates (see evaluation above for dates). You will have a 75 minute window in which to complete the exams. All exams will be open-book. The first exam will be based on the readings from chapters 1-3. It will consist of 40 multiple choice and 3 short answer questions. The second exam will be based on chapters 5-10 and will consist of 40 multiple choice and 4 short answer questions. The third exam will be based on chapters
11-15 and will consist of 40 multiple choice and 4 short answer questions.
Thought Papers : Each student will be responsible for 1-2 short thought papers each week. You will have 1 week to complete the thought papers (they will always be due by the following Monday). Thought papers should follow the guidelines below:


Word count of between 100-250 words. Do not exceed 250 words, which is about
1 page of double-spaced text (I do not want an essay).

Thought papers will be graded according to the following criteria:
1) Ability to critically think about the readings, assimilate the information, and produce insightful opinions.
2) Ability to support arguments with evidence (either from the text or other sources)
Late thought papers will be penalized 5% for every day past the due date
Brief Case Study : Choose a well-known individual (could be a famous actor, politician, historical figure, writer, etc.), who you believe has experienced some form of mental illness, and provide a 3-4 page (double-spaced) case study. Provide evidence for a particular psychiatric diagnosis and detail the criteria that the individual meets. Try to bring in evidence from the individual’s behavior. Provide some background on the causes of the individual’s problems. How would you treat the individual? Completed case studies should be submitted to the drop-box.
I do not want case studies on the following people:
Michael Jackson, Lindsay Lohan, or other troubled pop princesses or princes
Princess Diana
Van Gogh
Charles Manson or other serial killers
I have just read too many case studies on these people over the years. Other than these individuals feel free to pick anyone that interests you. My advice would be to pick someone who has led an interesting life – it will make your task easier. Late case studies will be penalized 10% for every day past the due date.
Missed Tests or Late Assignments : Students may request that tests be rescheduled or deadlines extended for legitimate medical or compassionate reasons as well as religious observances. In all cases, these occurrences should be accompanied by appropriate documentation. If, for any of the above reasons, students are not able to fulfill their obligations according to schedule, they should notify the instructor in advance so that the necessary accommodations can be arranged.
Policy on Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty : Cheating is the willful misrepresentation of any part or all of another’s work as one’s own. Copying another’s answers, or giving or receiving unpermitted aid during take-home examinations, assignments, papers, research reports and projects is cheating. Plagiarism in all of its forms is cheating.
Please refer to the campus academic policy at: http://www.plattsburgh.edu/offices/academic/provost/academichonesty.php
. Possible penalties for students found to be cheating on tests or assignments include failure on the test, assignment or course. In regards to plagiarism, you may not represent another person’s words or ideas as your own. When using the words of other authors, you must place quotation marks around the text you have borrowed. Similarly, when discussing the

ideas of other authors in your case study, you must acknowledge the source. The APA
Publication Manual (5 th
edition) has specific guidelines for citing the works of others. If you are unsure as to whether you are plagiarizing another person’s work, please contact the course instructor for clarification.
Services to Students with Disabilities: Students who have a disabling condition (i.e., physically challenged or learning disabled), or need special accommodations and help in order to be successful in their academic program, need to register with the Director of
Special Programs, Michele Carpentier (by phone at 518-564-2263, or by email at michele.carpentier@plattsburgh.edu
), so that their need can be evaluated and appropriate services provided.
College Honor Code : It is expected that all students enrolled in this class support the letter and the spirit of the Academic Honesty Policy as stated in the college catalog.