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Illinois School of Professional Psychology
at Argosy University, Chicago
COURSE SYLLABUS
PP8950
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Anxiety Disorders
Spring 2012
Faculty Information
Faculty Names: Sue H. Bae, Ph.D. & Mirjam Quinn, Ph.D.
Contact Information:
Office Phone Numbers: 312-777-7682; 312-777-7634
E-Mail: sbae@argosy.edu; mrquinn@argosy.edu
Office Hours: TBA
TA Information
TA Name:
Contact Information
E-mail:
Phone:
Short Faculty Bio: Mirjam Quinn earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Purdue University
in 2007. She is interested in the development of identity and self-concept across the lifespan,
women’s issues, child and adolescent development, international psychology, mindfulness, and
parenting issues. She has enjoyed working with children, adults, and families from diverse
backgrounds in a variety of settings, including schools, university clinics, community agencies,
college counseling centers, hospitals, and private practice. She enjoys working on research
projects with students, the most recent one of which involved an investigation of the relationship
between mentoring and self-efficacy in student therapists. In addition to teaching at Argosy, she
has a private practice in Naperville, where she sees children, adolescents, and adults coping with
a variety of issues.
Course Description:
This course provides an in-depth look at the way in which the anxiety disorders are
conceptualized and treated from a cognitive-behavioral perspective. The class will focus on CBT
theory and evidence-based treatments as well as on a comprehensive review of the current
empirical literature on anxiety and somatoform disorders. The learning format will be didactic
and experiential.
Course Pre-requisites: PP8010 – Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Therapy
Required Textbooks:
Barlow, D. H. (2008) Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment
manual. (4th Ed) New York: The Guilford Press.
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Williams, M. B. & Poijula, S. (2002) The PTSD workbook: Simple, effective techniques for
overcoming traumatic stress symptoms. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Antony, M. M. & Swinson, R. P. (2000) Phobic disorders and panic in adults: A guide to
assessment and treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Phillips, K. A. (1998) The broken mirror: Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder.
Oxford University Press.
Penzel, F. (2003) The hair-pulling problem: A complete guide to trichotillomania. Oxford
University Press.
Abramowitz, J. S. (2009) Getting over OCD: A 10-step workbook for taking back your life. New
York: The Guilford Press.
Craske, M. G. & Barlow, D. H. (2006) Mastery of your anxiety and worry. (2nd Ed) Oxford
University Press.
March, J. (1995) Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. New York: The Guilford Press.
Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat
(full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08;
Norton Antivirus.
Course length: 15 Weeks
Contact Hours: 23 Hours
Credit Value: 3
Course Objectives:
Course Objective
Articulate cognitive-behavioral
conceptualizations of anxiety/somatoform
disorders and explain the empirical support
available for these in the literature.
Conceptualize therapy cases from a CBT
perspective.
Identify, define, and apply appropriate CBT
interventions for the different
anxiety/somatoform disorders.
Explain methods for assessing progress and
outcome in CBT – empirically-based practice.
Program Goal
Goal 2 –
Intervention; Goal
4 – Scientific
Foundations
Goal 2 Intervention
Goal 2 Intervention
Goal 1 –
Assessment; Goal
5 – Scholarship
Method of Assessment
Final paper; class
participation; midterm
presentations
Class participation;
final paper; midterm
presentations
Final paper; class
participation; midterm
presentations
Final paper; class
participation
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Identify cultural and other group and individual
factors that may affect the manner in which
anxiety symptoms are expressed and presented
as well as therapy process and outcome.
Articulate the research on the efficacy and
effectiveness of CBT.
Goal 3 - Diversity
Midterm presentations
Goal 2 –
Intervention; Goal
5 - Scholarship
Final paper; class
participation; midterm
presentations
Instructional Contact Hours/Credit
Students can expect 15 hours of instructional engagement for every 1 semester credit hour of a
course. Instructional engagement activities include lectures, presentations, discussions, groupwork, and other activities that would normally occur during class time. Instructional engagement
activities may occur in a face-to-face meeting, or in the eclassroom.
In addition to instructional engagement, students can expect to complete 30 hours of outside
work for every 1 semester credit hour of a course. Outside work includes preparing for and
completing readings and assignments. Such outside work includes, but is not limited to, all
research associated with completing assignments, work with others to complete a group project,
participation in tutorials, labs, simulations and other electronic activities that are not a part of the
instructional engagement, as well as any activities related to preparation for instructional
engagement.
At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph above shall be applied for other
academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships,
practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
Assignments:
Midterm Presentations (35% of final grade):
For your midterm presentation, you will be required to participate in a group presentation about
culture and anxiety. Specifically, each group will choose one cultural group (e.g., Japanese,
Croatian Muslims, Swedes) to discuss in class. Your presentation will need to include the
following components:
 A brief primer on the recent history of this group, with a particular emphasis on
sociopolitical developments that may have shaped the prevalent worldview of this
particular group (25%)
 A discussion of the dominant values and belief systems within this group (25%)
 A discussion of the manner in which what U.S. psychologists refer to as anxiety
manifests in this particular group, and how this manifestation is maintained through
major sociocultural factors, including e.g. language (e.g., is there a word for anxiety? Is it
somatically based, or psychological in nature? What does this tell you about how anxiety
is viewed?) (25%)
 A discussion of how culturally sensitive treatment of anxiety issues with a member of this
group might look. If there are no “best practices” recommendations, you may develop
your own based on the literature. (25%)
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The tricky thing about this assignment will be to walk the line between being too general
and being too specific. Obviously, it would not make sense to lump every individual from
Africa into one group (too general). At the same time, if you limit your presentation to
middle-class women from Burkina Faso, you may have difficulty finding an adequate
number of resources.
For this assignment, you must use a minimum of 15 scientific sources (check with your
instructors if you are unsure whether a source meets criteria for being scientific). None of
these sources may be older than 12 years (i.e., published previously to 1998).
Final Paper (40% of final grade):
For your final paper, you will be required to write and implement a treatment plan for something
in your life that causes you anxiety. You might choose to address a phobia (e.g., a fear of driving
or of dogs), social anxiety, perfectionism in your schoolwork, or simply something that you are
afraid of but would like to do because you believe that it will make your life better. Your final
paper should include the following components:
 An operationalized formulation of the problem (15%)
 Clearly delineated goal(s) for treatment – how will you know that you have been
successful? (15%)
 A CBT-based treatment plan (25%)
 A narrative of the implementation of your treatment plan – what was this like for you?
Was it easier or more difficult than you anticipated? Are you glad you completed your
treatment plan? What were some barriers to the implementation of your treatment plan,
and how did you address these? What helped you to follow through on your treatment
plan? How can you use this information as a therapist? (45%)
Keep in mind that most CBT treatment plans will require you to participate in a number of
“treatment sessions” in order to be successful, so plan accordingly. You will probably want to
begin implementing your treatment plan by the seventh week of class at the latest.
Please check with your instructors before you begin this project to ensure that it is of an
appropriate scope to be addressed in the context of a classroom final!
Course Policies:
 Approach this class as you would therapy with an individual client in terms of your
professional behavior, and show your class peers respect by being on time, not checking
your cell phone during class, contributing thoughtfully, and the like.
 It is both necessary and expected that you regularly attend class and participate in
classroom activities. We cover a lot of material in a relatively short period of time.
Therefore, attendance is extremely important.
 You are expected to come to class fully prepared. It is your responsibility to have
assignments (reading, written work, etc.) completed PRIOR to attending each class.
 An absence at any time does not relieve you of your responsibility for material covered in
class, assignments, or adhering to announced deadlines.
 Students will take exams and hand in assignments at the required times.
 Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and could result in failure of this course
and/or academic suspension. See academic policies listed below.
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As with many classes, as we progress through the semester certain alterations in the
syllabus may become necessary. Thus the instructor reserves the right to alter the course
outline as deemed necessary.
All written assignments should follow APA format.
Please feel free to contact me with your concerns or questions regarding the class, either
ask to speak with me after/before class, stop by my office, or e-mail me about making an
appointment.
Course Schedule:
Week Topic
1
CBT principles;
common factors/themes
in anxiety disorders
2
Generalized Anxiety
Disorder in Children &
Adults
3
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder
4
5
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder
Trichotillomania
6
Panic & Agoraphobia
7
PTSD
8
PTSD
9
Midterm/ Midterm
Presentations
10
11
Separation Anxiety
Disorder/Selective
Mutism
Specific Phobia
12
Body Dysmorphic
Readings
Anxiety Disorders in Children and
Adolescents, Chapter 14 CognitiveBehavioral Psychotherapy by Francis and
Beidel
Anxiety Disorders in Children and
Adolescents, Chapter 7 Specific Phobia and
Generalized Anxiety Disorder by Silverman
and Ginsburg
Assignments
Treatment of OCD in Children &
Adolescents: A CBT Manual by PintoWagner
Penzel’s The Hair-Pulling Problem,
Chapters 1, 5, 7, and 9
Barlow’s Clinical Handbook of
Psychological Disorders, Chapter 1 Panic
Disorder & Agoraphobia by Craske &
Barlow
Barlow’s Clinical Handbook of
Psychological Disorders, Chapter 2
Posttrumatic Stress Disorder by Resick,
Monson, & Rizvi
The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective
Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic
Stress Symptoms by Williams & Poijula
None
Meeky Mouse Manual
Antony & Swinson”s Phobic Disorders &
Panic in Adults, Chapters 3, 4, & 5
Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating
Midterm/
Midterm
Presentations
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Disorder
Somatoform Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Phillips
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Social
Anxiety/Avoidant
Personality Disorder
15
Final Project/Paper
Barlow’s Clinical Handbook of
Psychological Disorders, Chapter 3 by
Turk, Heimberg, & Magee; Shyness &
Social Anxiety Workbook by Antony &
Swinson
None
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Grading Information
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CF
Grading Criteria
100 – 93
92 – 90
89 – 88
87 – 83
82 – 80
79 – 78
77 - 73
72 – 70
69 and below
Class Participation
Midterm Presentations
Final Paper
25%
35%
40%
100%
Library
All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet. The
campus librarian will provide students with links, user IDs, and passwords.
Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text
journals and 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas
including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering &
Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior
Sciences. Many titles are directly accessible through the Online Public Access Catalog at
http://library.argosy.edu. Detailed descriptions of online resources are located at
http://library.argosy.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.
In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of
subject-specific research materials searchable in the Online Public Access Catalog. Catalog
searching is easily limited to individual campus collections. Alternatively, students can search
combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek
research and reference assistance from campus librarians.
Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach
students fundamental and transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where
students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level research, search periodical
indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information. In the tutorial, students study
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concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test
their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to
complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/
Academic Policies
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during
the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments
represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through
normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC:
American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper
format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become
familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information
regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.
Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning
environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and
plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be
asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online
resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases
of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and
provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share
common information and duplicative language.
Americans with Disabilities Act Policy: It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable
accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must
notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the
development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for
accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive
accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her
discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student
Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may
not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.
The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity
Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic,
and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are designed to provide an
environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with
people from a wide range of backgrounds.