PSYCHOLOGY 424: CHILD AND FAMILY PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Summer 2012 - Section 101
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:20am – 1:10pm
312 Ernst Bessey Hall
MY CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Brooke Bluestein, M.A.
Office: 26 Psychology Building
Office hours: By appointment
Email me to set up a time that works for both of us. I am also available before and
after class, which is a great time to touch base with any comments, questions, or
concerns you may have about the course.
Phone: (517) 432-8803
Email: blueste2@msu.edu
Email is the best way to reach me directly.
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course will focus on the theories, etiological bases, and treatment of child and family
psychopathology. The course will cover a wide variety of topics in child psychological
disorders and provide students with a personal and in-depth understanding of their
development and etiology. Further, we will use lectures, case examples, and empirical
research articles to guide our discussions of the biological, environmental, and social
contributions to each disorder. We will cover important risk and protective factors that
contribute to psychopathology in children.
This course is not only designed to facilitate an understanding of child psychopathology,
but will focus on the process of scientific writing. For this reason, all written assignments
will emphasize writing that is clear, coherent, and well organized.
It is expected that students will read thoroughly before each class in order to play an
active role in class and group discussions. We are a group of individuals with different
and unique experiences related to psychopathology and so each student’s thoughts and
beliefs are considered essential for success in this course.
Prior background in PSY 244: Developmental Psychology and PSY 295: Data Analysis
in Psychological Research is assumed.
Note: This course satisfies your Tier II writing requirement.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. You will become conversant with childhood disorders and symptoms as presented
in the DSM-IV-TR.
For example, on the exams you will be given a disorder and be asked to
recall the specific symptoms based on the current classification systems
used in research and clinical practice.
2. You will become familiar with the developmental psychopathology perspective,
including risk and protective factors influencing child development, continuities
and discontinuities between normal and disordered development, and the interplay
among biological and psychosocial factors in development.
For example, when given a case illustration, you will be able to identify
risk and protective factors at the individual, family, and community levels.
3. You will be able to read and critically evaluate original research articles in the
course topic areas and understand key findings.
You will be required to write a critical review of the literature on child
and family psychopathology using APA style. Thus, you will develop
and/or improve technical writing skills for the behavioral sciences.
4. You will be more effective consumers of mass media and public policy
information and act as advocates regarding policies that affect children.
For example, during class discussion and on the paper assignments, you
will have a working understanding of child psychopathology and be able
to identify symptom profiles as defined by the DSM-IV-TR, recognize risk
and protective factors, and have fruitful discussions that are accurate and
well informed.
REQUIRED READINGS
Because summer courses are accelerated, the reading load for this course may feel heavy
at times. However, you are expected to thoroughly read all the assigned material for each
class and participate in class discussion. As much as possible, it is my goal to tailor the
course to your interests. Therefore, I will choose which articles we will read as the course
progresses. There will be up to two articles assigned for each class, and all of the articles
for the following week will be available on ANGEL no later than 5:00pm on Friday.
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There is no required textbook for this course. However, the lectures will be centered on
material from the following book:
Mash, E. J., & Wolfe, D. A. (2010). Abnormal child psychology (4th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Cenage Learning.
For students who prefer to read information on their own, the textbook is available at
SBS, and two copies have been put on reserve at the library.
GRADES AND EVALUATION EXPECTATIONS
A total of 400 points can be earned in this course:
Paper 1:
Paper 2:
Paper 3:
Paper 4:
20 points
40 points
40 points
100 points
Midterm:
Final exam:
100 points
100 points
Total:
400 points
Note: There are no extra credit opportunities in this class. I will not curve any grades in
this course. If your grade is at the .5 mark, I will round accordingly (i.e., 84.4% will be
rounded to 84% and 84.5% will be rounded to 85%). I will not adjust your grade in any
other way - please do not ask me to do so.
Final grades will be based on the following distribution:
90 - 100%:
85 - 89.9%:
80 - 84.9%:
75 - 79.9%:
70 - 74.9%:
65 - 69.9%:
60 - 64.9%:
55 - 59.9%:
< 54.9%:
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Evaluation: Two different types of evaluations will be used to determine your grade for
this class.
1. Exams: You will be given two exams: a midterm and a final exam. The midterm
will be given during the class period on Tuesday, June 5. The non-cumulative
final exam will be given during the last class period on Thursday, June 28. Each
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exam will be in multiple choice and short answer/essay format. I will create
questions based on the assigned readings and from information presented and
discussed in class.
2. Written Assignments: This class is writing intensive. While it is expected that
you have taken the required writing courses, we will also focus on the
development of the writing process. We will focus on writing that is clear,
concise, organized, analytical, and professional in tone. The writing assignments
will be an evolving process, with each assignment building in length and
complexity. The purpose of this gradual approach is for you to receive extensive
feedback on your topic, writing style, and references in order to craft a strong
final product. Because of the additive nature of these assignments, it is very
important that all papers must be completed in a timely manner. If you have any
questions about the nature, organization, or structure of the paper please feel free
to stop by my office or send me an email. All written work should be APA
formatted. We will discuss this in detail in class. Below is a brief description of
each paper.
Paper 1: Due Thursday, 5/24
Describe one of the etiological theories of developmental
psychopathology: Biological, Attachment Theory, Psychodynamic
Theory, and Cognitive-Behavioral Theory. Discuss the background of the
theory, the strengths and weaknesses of the theory, and provide a
description of how you think the theory applies to the development of
psychopathology. The paper should have appropriate citations from peerreviewed psychological and psychiatric journals. This paper should be 1
double-spaced page with 1’’ top and bottom margins and 1’’ right and left
margins. Please focus on writing that is clear, concise, accurate, and
organized.
Paper 2: Due Thursday, 5/31
Describe one of the risk factors from one of the issues discussed in class:
poverty, sociocultural factors, marital conflict, parental mental health, and
domestic and community violence. Like paper 1, please include
appropriate citations from peer-reviewed psychological and psychiatric
journals. This paper should be 2-3 double-spaced pages with 1’’ top and
bottom margins and 1’’ right and left margins.
Specifically:
1. Discuss one risk factor that you feel is most important.
2. Describe the nature and magnitude of the problem.
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3. State a thesis regarding what you will show is the state of
knowledge about the impact of the risk factor on child
psychopathology.
4. Describe one or two relevant theories (good idea to incorporate
what you used from paper 1) regarding the effects of the risk factor
for child development.
5. Use empirical journal articles.
a. Include a minimum of 2 journal articles or academic books
b. If you have any questions about any of your sources feel
free to ask me
Paper 3: Due Thursday, 6/14
Describe one of the psychological disorders we have discussed in class. I
would like a discussion on the etiology, course, prevalence, incidence, and
symptom profiles. For this paper, I would like you to choose one of the
disorders that you would like to focus on, or that is most interesting to
you. The purpose of this paper is not a critical analysis; rather, it is
designed to allow you to explore the disorder, find articles, and choose an
area that interests you (brain development, neuropsychological
implications, treatment, sociological factors, etc.). Like papers 1 & 2,
please include appropriate citations from peer-reviewed psychological and
psychiatric journals. This paper should be 2-3 double-spaced pages with
1’’ top and bottom margins and 1’’ right and left margins. Please include
at least 3-4 journal articles to support the ideas in the paper.
Paper 4: Due Tuesday, 6/26
I would like you to integrate Papers 1, 2, & 3 into a cohesive paper
describing a psychological disorder, etiological theory of the disorder,
potential risk and protective factors implicated in the disorder, and use
empirical research articles to support your ideas. Because you will be
provided with detailed feedback from previous papers, the final paper
should be polished and communicate knowledge of multiple areas of
psychopathology. This paper should not be a regurgitation of what you
have read but be a critical analysis of the literature. Thus, you should
describe the disorder and theory but you should also determine the
strengths and limitations of each article and discuss how the articles either
support or negate each other. This paper should be 8-10 double-spaced
pages with 1’’ top and bottom margins and 1’’ right and left margins.
Please include at least 8 journal articles to support the ideas in the paper.
Feel free to use journal articles from papers 1, 2, & 3 as part of your 8
required articles.
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Specifically,
1. Describe a psychological disorder (ADHD, Autism, Eating
Disorders, etc.). This section should expand on paper 3 and be
improved upon with the comments and feedback provided.
2. Describe the etiology of the disorder (biological, attachment,
cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, etc.). This section should
expand on paper 1 and be improved upon with the comments and
feedback provided.
3. Describe at least two risk factors (genetic, environmental, etc.).
a. Include the risk factor discussion from paper 2, but expand
on this risk factor in the context of etiology and of the
disorder.
Document format for paper submissions:
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




All papers must use Times New Roman size 12 font
Double spacing
1” margins all around
Staple your paper on the top left corner
Your complete name and student A-PID should be written on a
cover page (not counted in pagination)
References must be in APA format
Format for including research articles:
With each paper submission you are expected to submit the cited research
articles. These should be included as follows:



Each article should be stapled individually on the top left (please
include the entire article, not just the abstract)
All articles should be clipped to the paper using a binder clip
The articles will be returned with your paper so I would encourage
you to save a tree and re-use the printed articles
COURSE ORGANIZATION AND POLICIES
Classroom format: This class will consist of a combination of lecture, multimedia
presentations, discussion, and small group discussions. Since this is an advanced
psychology course, my expectation is that you will be prepared for class by completing
the readings ahead of time and will actively participate in discussions. I will often use
case examples from my own clinical work to illustrate points about disorders and
treatments. Films and additional case examples from books will also be used to enrich
our discussions about psychopathology. Occasionally, guest speakers may also present.
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I will use PowerPoint slides for my lectures. I will make these available on ANGEL by
12 AM the evening before the lecture. These PowerPoint slides will only contain the
“bare bones” of the lecture and represent an outline of what will be covered in class.
Therefore, I strongly encourage you to attend each class and take detailed notes. Simply
studying the information on the slides will not be sufficient to do well on the exams.
Attendance & punctuality: Class attendance is not required - it is your choice to decide
whether or not you will attend class. However, the classes will be informative and
interesting, and a large portion of each exam will be based on material mentioned only in
class. If you miss a class, please ask a classmate for his or her notes; I will not provide
you with any additional notes. However, I am more than happy to answer any questions
that you might have after reading your classmate’s notes.
When attending class, please do everything in your control to arrive on time. It is
distracting to your classmates and to me when students are late and enter the classroom
after instruction has begun. However, I understand that life happens and sometimes it is
unavoidable to be late. In this case, please be respectful of the other students when you
enter the classroom and quietly find a seat.
Classroom behavior: During the lectures, asking questions is encouraged. I ask you to
respect your fellow classmates when they speak. Everyone is entitled to a different
opinion. If you would like to express a dissenting opinion, please do so in a polite,
courteous manner. I will interrupt you and remind you of the class guidelines if I feel that
you are not treating your classmates or me with respect.
Please refrain from sending text messages, chatting online, using Facebook, playing
computer games, etc. during class. If you would prefer to spend your time doing these
things, please do not come to class. Out of respect for me (and the rest of your
classmates), please use laptops solely for taking notes. It is the best way to focus your
attention so you understand and learn.
It is typical that students are drawn to a class on psychopathology because of a personal
experience or an experience of a close friend/family member who has suffered from a
psychological disorder. I ask that you refrain from sharing any personal details about an
experience of yours in class. You may feel comfortable sharing in the moment, but later
you may have regrets about your disclosure. If you would like to share information about
another person’s experience, please keep details to a minimum and do not use any
identifying information (e.g., person’s name, relationship to you) to protect that person’s
privacy. If I notice that you are not adhering to this policy, I will interrupt you and
remind you of the class guidelines.
If you have any concerns about your own psychological health, I encourage you to
contact the MSU Counseling Center (517-353-8270). MSU is fortunate to provide
subsidized counseling services to students in need, whether due to difficulty transitioning
to college life or more serious psychological conditions.
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Course management and communication: This course will use ANGEL for on-line
course management and communication. You can access the ANGEL website by going
to https://angel.msu.edu/. You will be asked to log on using your MSU log in and
password (same as your MSU webmail log in). Look under the “My ANGEL Courses”
section for PSY 424 and announcements and materials related to this course. If you have
trouble using ANGEL you can contact the helpdesk 24/7 at (517) 355-2345 or 1-800500-1554. If you have not used ANGEL before it is your responsibility to become
familiar with it.
Email communication: I will respond to emails on weekdays, Monday through Friday,
from 9 am through 5 pm. An immediate response to your email is not guaranteed. I will
attempt to respond to emails within 24 hours. For queries that I feel can be best answered
in person, I may choose not to respond with an elaborate reply but ask you to attend
office hours instead. Thus, you should give yourself adequate time to allow for us to meet
if you have questions regarding topic(s) that are included in an upcoming exam or
regarding your paper deadlines. In addition, you are also expected to check your email at
least once every 24 hours to ensure that you access any updates/ important
announcements that I may convey via email through the semester.
I expect that emails will be drafted in a careful, considerate manner such that they reflect
an email to a professor and not to a friend. I will also respond in this same professional
manner. This is very good practice for future professional communications.
Late and make-up policy: There are very few acceptable reasons for missing an
exam/turning in a late paper. Therefore, in order to turn in a paper late you must contact me
at least 24 hours before the deadline and receive my permission to turn in the paper late.
Failure to notify me within 24 hours in advance is likely to result in your receiving zero
points for the paper. This same policy applies to the exams. Please note that you must obtain
permission from me prior to missing the exam or turning in the paper late. Before making up
an exam or handing in a late paper, you must also offer written documentation corroborating
your excuse (e.g. physician’s note written on official stationary with a phone number that I
can call to confirm, the documented death of a family member).
Please keep in mind that in requesting an extension, you are effectively asking me to judge
whether your situation is more valid or serious than that of other students who also have
difficult circumstances but may not have requested an extension. Fairness to all is very hard
to achieve. For this reason, I grant extensions rarely if ever. Instead, you are encouraged to
plan ahead and work on each paper in such a way that you do not expose yourself to the risk
of last-minute emergencies. Keep in mind that library articles can be hard to obtain at the last
minute; therefore it is to your advantage to work on the papers in advance of the actual
deadlines. If the term paper is handed in late you may receive an incomplete for the course,
because of the tight schedule to grade papers and then final exams so as to turn in final
grades.
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Observing a Major Religious Holiday: You may make up course work missed to
observe a major religious holiday only if you make arrangements at least 1 week in
advance with the instructor.
Participation in a Required Activity: To make up course work missed to participate
in a required activity for another course or a university-sanctioned event, you must
provide the instructor with adequate advanced notice and a written authorization from
the faculty member of the other course or from a university administrator.
Citing sources and avoiding plagiarism: Plagiarism means (1) copying someone else's
exact words without indicating by quote marks that it is a quote (even if you cite the
author, it is still plagiarism to take the exact words without quoting) or (2) taking
someone else's exact idea without giving them any credit for it. Plagiarism is taken very
seriously in the academic world and can result in severe sanctions in the university,
including expulsion. If your paper(s) and/or section(s) of your paper(s) are found to be
plagiarized this will result in an automatic grade of zero points on that paper. Whether
you plagiarize knowingly or unwittingly the penalty will be the same. So, in using
sources for your papers for this class, summarize and paraphrase information from the
reference sources in your own words. If you are in doubt about whether your style of
writing is appropriate, and if you are summarizing appropriately, meet with me and have
me look at your work prior to your paper submission. I am happy to give you pointers on
how to properly summarize and use sources of this nature.
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report (www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/) states that,
"The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of
scholarship, grades, and professional standards." In addition, the Psychology Department
adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations
1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of
Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student
Handbook and Resource Guide at www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/index.htm and/or the MSU
Web site at www.msu.edu). Therefore, you are expected to complete all course
assignments, including writing assignments and exams, without improper assistance from
any source. Specifically, you may not assist anyone or be assisted by anyone on an exam
or assignment. You are expected to develop original work for this course; you may not
submit course work you completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this
course. Your written work for the writing assignments must be your own, and you must
cite sources appropriately— otherwise it is plagiarizing. You are not authorized to use the
www.allmsu.com website to complete any course work in PSY 424. Contact the
instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your course work.
If you choose to violate MSU rules, you may receive a penalty grade, including--but not
limited to--a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Revised University Policy Integrity of Scholarship and Grades: “When an instructor gives an undergraduate or
graduate student a penalty grade for academic misconduct, the instructor must provide a
written description of the details of the academic misconduct to the student and to the
student’s academic dean. The student’s academic dean will add the written description to
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the student’s academic record, where it will remain, unless the student successfully
grieves the allegation.” (See also www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/honestylinks.html)
Re-grades: If you believe there was an error in grading an exam or paper, you may
request a re-grade in writing specifying where you believe I have erred. You must submit
this re-grade request within one week of receiving the original grade. I will review the
request, re-grade the assignment in question, and respond to you in writing. You should
also feel free to discuss grading concerns during office hours (however, this does not
preclude you from requesting a re-grade in writing). I will strive to make sure that your
exams and papers are graded fairly in accordance with grading criteria. However, in
requesting a re-grade, please be aware that you run the risk of having your grade lowered
as well.
Accommodations for disabilities: Students with disabilities should contact the Resource
Center for Persons with Disabilities to establish reasonable accommodations. For an
appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY). Please contact
me within the first week of class to discuss any necessary accommodations.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE
Office hours: I encourage you to make good use of office hours. I am happy to assist you
through any difficulties that you may be having with the course material. Please do not
wait until much later in the semester if you feel you are having trouble with any part of
the course. Feel free to consult with me about your papers and to show me outlines/
rough drafts/ reference articles well in advance of the course deadlines.
Attendance: You are most likely to do well in this course if you attend class every time.
Many of the classes will act as a building block for later classes. So, if you miss class you
are likely to find yourself confused/ unclear about basic concepts, which will affect your
understanding of later course material. You should miss class only if necessary (e.g.,
being sick, family emergency).
Notes: Take detailed notes in class. The slides are intended as a guide only and will not
provide you with all the necessary material. Detailed lecture notes will be essential when
you study for the exams
Reading: You will find lectures easier to understand if you do the assigned readings
prior to class. Your reading combined with my lectures will help you understand the
course material better than by doing either of those alone.
Reading and writing multiple drafts: Writing a paper is an evolutionary process. You
will benefit from reading the research articles that form the substance of your paper
multiple times. Similarly, you will also benefit from reading drafts of your paper and
editing it multiple times. In my experience, students find it helpful to work consistently
and regularly on drafts of their paper. It is particularly useful to allow yourself time to
step away and return to your draft to read it with fresh eyes after a gap of time.
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Ask!: If you have questions please ask them. I am happy to provide additional examples
or review a concept again. Your questions facilitate the teaching process and will likely
benefit other students too. If you are uncomfortable asking questions in class, please
come and see me before or after class.
Grades: You should express concerns about your performance or grades within the first
4-5 weeks of class - not during finals week or thereafter! If you are struggling in class or
in certain topic areas, I would like to know sooner rather than later. Please contact me and
attend office hours.
Student resources: The Learning Resources Center (LRC) provides instructional
facilities, staff, and materials for MSU students interested in improving their reading,
writing, listening, study, and test-taking skills (Phone: 355-2363). In addition, the Writing
Center provides MSU students with individualized assistance with specific writing
projects (Phone: 432-3610).
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SCHEDULE
Note: The schedule may be altered during the course but you will be notified of any
changes with plenty of time to make adjustments.
Class
Date
Topic
1
Tuesday
May 15
Course overview; Using online
resources
2
Thursday
May 17
Introduction to normal and abnormal
child/adolescent behavior
3
Tuesday
May 22
Theories and causes
4
Thursday
May 24
Risk and resilience factors
5
Tuesday
May 29
Research; Assessment, diagnosis, and
treatment
6
Thursday
May 31
Feedback on Paper 1; APA style
Paper 2 Due
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Tuesday
June 5
None
Midterm
8
Thursday
June 7
Behavioral disorders:
ADHD and conduct problems
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Tuesday
June 12
Anxiety disorders
10
Thursday
June 14
Mood disorders
11
Tuesday
June 19
Developmental and
learning disorders
12
Thursday
June 21
Eating disorders
13
Tuesday
June 26
Problems related to physical
and mental health
Paper 4 Due
14
Thursday
June 28
None
Final exam
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Deadline
Paper 1 Due
Paper 3 Due