Applied Psychology 663.185: Treatment of Depressive Disorders
Spring 2014
Mondays, 5:30PM – 8:00PM
AC// Academic Center 404
Instructor: A. Meade Eggleston, Ph.D.
Office: LC402
fax: (410) 837-4059
Email: a.meade.eggleston@gmail.com
Office Hours: By appointment
cell: 614-638-5857
Course Overview
Course Description
This course will focus on the assessment and treatment of depression and disorders that frequently co-occur
with depression (i.e. anxiety, substance use, personality disorders). Cognitive-behavioral approaches will be the
primary treatment approaches covered, though other theoretical approaches will be noted. The class is
designed for advanced graduate students in counseling (prerequisites include APPL 605, 606, and 610), and to
meet the State of Maryland LCPC licensure requirement for a course in treatment of mental disorders.
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will better understand how to:
1. Describe the theory and principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy;
2. Assess patient needs and integrate diagnostic impressions;
3. Develop a case conceptualization and treatment plan using clinical data;
4. Implement empirically supported techniques, including identifying and modifying dysfunctional thoughts and
behavioral activation;
5. Monitor treatment progress and modify the plan in response to treatment needs; and
6. Assess suicide risk and develop an ethical, effective response.
Course Expectations
As a graduate-level course, students are expected to develop and demonstrate skills in independent learning,
critical thinking about assigned readings, and professional-level writing skills. Students are expected to spend 23 hours of independent preparation for every hour of class time in graduate courses.
The teaching format is lecture, discussion, and audiotape, videotape, and role-plays, demonstrations and
exercises.
Course Requirements and Evaluation
The final grade for the course is based on the points earned out a maximum total of 100. The specific
requirements are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Active participation in class
Reading quiz questions and in class quizzes
Case Conceptualization and Treatment Plan Paper
Behavior Modification Project
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(20%)
(25%)
(25%)
(30%)
Grading:
Final letter grades will be the based on the percentage of total possible points earned (% of 100 points). Letter
grades will be assigned as follows:
A
93% and above
B80%-82%
D+
67%-69%
A90%-92%
C+
77%-79%
D
63%-66%
B+
87%-89%
C
73%-76%
D60%-62%
B
83%-86%
C70%-72%
E
59% and below
Academic Misconduct
Students should follow the academic conduct guidelines delineated in the code of conduct at University of
Baltimore Office of Academic Affairs (http://www.ubalt.edu/policies/academic-affairs/). Academic misconduct
will result in a minimum sanction of zero for the work and may include other sanctions, with a maximum being
expulsion from the University. Please do not cheat in my class. If you are feeling desperate or overwhelmed by
the course, please come and talk to me.
Plagiarism a form of academic misconduct. Please credit the work of others. If you are not sure what might be
considered plagiarism, here are some guidelines:
Georgetown University Honor Council (1999). What is Plagiarism? Retrieved January 19, 2003 from
,http://www.georgetown.edu/honor/plagiarism..html. (on electronic reserve)
Georgetown University Honor Council (1993). Acknowledging the Work of Others. Retrieved January 19, 2003
from http://www.georgetown.edu/honor/main.html.
Accommodations/Academic Adjustment
Any student who needs an accommodations because of a disability registered with the Office of Disability
Support Services should contact me privately as soon as possible to discuss his or her specific need as well as
present the appropriate form from that Office.
Course requirements Explained
Required Texts
Beck, J.S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond. (2nd ed). New York:
Guilford Press.
Pryor, K. (1999). Don’t shoot the dog: The new art of teaching and training (Revised
ed.). New York: Bantam.
 You can find this title at http://ebookbrowsee.net
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Course Outline
Class
Topic
Assignments
Due
Introduction to the course
Differential Diagnosis
1
(1/27)
Readings:
 DSM 5 – Depressive Disorders Section
 Seligman, L. (2007). Mood disorders. In L. Seligman & L.W. Reichenburg,
Selecting effective treatments (pp 180-195). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Barlow, D.H., Allen, L.B., & Choate, M.L. (2004). Toward a unified
treatment of emotional disorders. Behavior Therapy, 35 (2), 205 – 230
[25 pgs]
none
Theories and principles of cognitive behavioral therapy
2
(2/3)
Readings:
 Pryor, K (1999) – Chapters 1 – 5 (71pgs)
 Rapee, R.M. (1991). The conceptual overlap between cognition and
conditioning in clinical psychology. Clinical Psychology Review, 11, 193203 [10 pgs]
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Theories and principles of cognitive behavioral therapy
3
(2/10)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) chpt 1 & 3 [32 pgs]
 Gotlib, I. H., & Joormann, J. (2010). Cognition and depression: Current
status and future directions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 285312. [27pgs]
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Assessment and case conceptualization
4
(2/17)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) Chpts 2, 4 -5; review appendix A [54pgs]
 Haynes, S. N., Leisen, M. B., & Blaine, D. D. (1997). Design of
individualized behavioral treatment programs using functional analytic
clinical case models. Psychological Assessment, 9, 334-348. [14pgs]
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Treatment planning
5
(2/24)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) Chpts 7, 8, 18-19; [57pgs]
 Lambert, M. J., Hansen, N. B., & Finch, A. E. (2001). Patient-focused
research: Using patient outcome data to enhance treatment effects.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 159-172.[13pgs]
3
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Target Behavior
DUE
Identifying and responding to automatic thoughts; Thought Record and Cognitive
Restructuring
6
(3/3)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) Chpts 9-12 [61pgs]
Case Study and
Conceptualization
DUE
ABC thought
record
Core beliefs; imagery; homework
7
(3/10)
Reading quiz
questions + in
class quiz
Readings:
 Beck (2011) chpts 13-14, 16-17 [45pgs]
 Scheel, M. J., Hanson, W. E., & Razzhavaikina, T. I. (2004). The process of
recommending homework in psychotherapy: A review of therapist
delivery methods, client acceptability, and factors that affect compliance.
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, & Training, 41, 38-55. [17pgs]
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Target Behavior
Treatment Plan
DUE
Behavioral Activation and Contingency Management Methods
8
(3/17)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) chpt 6 [19pgs]
 Jacobson, N. S., Martell, C. R., & Dimidjian, S. (2001). Behavioral
activation treatment for depression: Returning to contextual roots.
Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8, 255-270 [15 pgs].
Optional reading
 Lejuez, C.W., Hopko, D. R., & Hopko, S. D. (2001). A brief behavioral
activation treatment for depression: Treatment manual. Behavior
Modification, 25, 255- 286.
3/24
9
(3/31)
Challenging
Beliefs sheet
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
No class – SPRING BREAK
Other cognitive behavioral techniques, including relaxation and exposure
Activity chart
Readings:
 Beck (2011) chpt 15 [21pgs]
 Helbig-Lang, S., & Petermann, F. (2010). Tolerate or eliminate: A
systematic review of the effects of safety behavior across anxiety
disorders. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 17, 218-233. [15 pgs]
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
4
What if it doesn’t work – building the therapeutic relationship and
troubleshooting
10
(4/7)
Readings:
 Beck (2011) Chpt 20 [11 pgs] & review Chpt 8
 Linehan, M. M. (1997). Validation and psychotherapy. In A. C. Bohart & L.
S. Greenberg (Eds.), Empathy reconsidered: New directions in
psychotherapy (pp. 353-392). Washington, DC: APA [39 pgs]
 Review Barlow, D.H., Allen, L.B., & Choate, M.L. (2004). Toward a unified
treatment of emotional disorders. Behavior Therapy, 35 (2), 205 – 230
Fear hierarchy;
relaxation record
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Suicidality – best practices
11
(4/14)
Readings:
 Jobes, D.A., Rudd, M.D., Overholser, J.C., & Joiner, T.E. (2008). Ethical
and competent care of suicidal patients: Contemporary challenges, new
developments, and considerations for clinical practice. Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, 39, 405-413
 Stanley, B & Brown, GK (2008). Safety Plan Treatment Manual to Reduce
Suicide Risk: Veteran Version.
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Open week – topic to be determined by students
Readings TBD
12
(4/21)
Some possible topics: going deeper into differential diagnosis; personality
disorders; substance use disorders; mindfulness/ Acceptance & Commitment
Therapy/ 3rd Wave of CBT
13
(4/28)
Presentation of behavioral experiments
14
(5/4)
Presentation of behavioral experiments
(5/11)
Behavioral experiment papers due to me by start of class
Reading
questions + in
class quiz
Requirements Explained
Active Participation in class (20%; 22 points)
The teaching format is lecture, discussion, and audiotape, videotape, and role-plays, demonstrations and
exercises. Class participation is expected. Participation can come in the form of questions, comments, or class
discussion appropriate for a classroom setting. You will also be asked to participate in role-plays, and hopefully
share experiences from cases you are seeing outside of this class.
In addition to readings, you will have behavioral homework assignments to complete. Essentially, I am going to
ask you to complete the same homework assignments associated with behavioral technologies that we assign to
our clients. For example, I will ask you to self monitor your behavior, thoughts, feelings, etc. These homework
assignments will not be handed in for a grade, but instead will form the basis of discussion in class. So, please
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complete these tasks honestly with the knowledge that I will not see these private events or require you to selfdisclose to the class. You will have control of what you self-disclose and what you chose not to self-disclose.
Reading questions and in class quiz (25%; 33 points)
For most classes, you will need to 1) bring 3 questions testing knowledge of the reading and 2) be prepared to
take a brief quiz on the material. You can write or type the questions. If I cannot read your writing, you will not
receive credit for the questions.
Case Conceptualization and Treatment Plan Paper (25%; 33 points) – approx 6-8 pages
Part A, Case Conceptualization: As emphasized in the early classes in this course, the ability to form an accurate
and comprehensive case conceptualization is critical to conducting good cognitive-behavioral therapy. Using the
methods described in the first few classes, please select one of your current or past clinical cases and write up
your conceptualization of this case. Please include what you see as being the primary and secondary problems,
the distal and proximal causes of these problems, maintaining variables, etc. In general, what you want this
paper to address is: What do you think is going on with this person, and why? If you have not seen any clients
yet, you may see me for a sample case.
Part B, Treatment Plan: Using the case you conceptualized above, develop a treatment plan for this client. (This
plan does not have to match what you actually did with the client, although hopefully there will be at least some
relationship!) Include within this treatment plan which interventions you would select, why, and how they relate
to the case conceptualization. Selected interventions should be based on a combination of what the literature
suggests is useful for the client’s particular problems and on what is suggested by your specific
conceptualization. Also include within the plan what problems you might expect to arise, and how you might
either address the problems so that the original treatment plan could continue, or modify treatment in response
to the problems. Finally, include the methods you would use to evaluate whether treatment is working, and if
there are any alternatives to these methods also worth considering.
A sample case conceptualization and treatment plan is in your textbook: pg 361

Paper due March 3.
Behavior Modification Project (30%; 44 points) – approximately 8-10 pages plus bibliography
To give you direct practice in implementing a behavioral treatment plan, you will choose some behavior of
EITHER your own OR a pet OR a consenting adult (additional documentation needed*) that you would like to
change, and design and carry out a behavior modification program. The behavior does NOT need to be anything
major: examples might include nail biting, procrastination, interrupting others, etc. Once you have selected your
target behavior, you will design an appropriate modification program using the single-subject design methods.
Throughout the semester, you will carry out your program, collecting data as you go along and if indicated,
adapting the program to increase its effectiveness. Your final paper should be written as a formal single-case
design, including a literature review describing both the reason for intervention (such as the negative
consequences of not exercising, for example) and our current knowledge regarding interventions for your
particular problem, or problems similar to it; a methods section that includes a description of what you did and
how you assessed what you were doing; a results section showing how it turned out; and a discussion section in
which you review overall how your project went, problems that arose, what might be useful from this
experience for future clients, etc.
You will then write up your results in a 8-10 page paper – total page count can include 1-2 pages of graphs or
tables (i.e. frequently of procrastination per day). Grades will be assigned based on the thoughtfulness and
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thoroughness of the experiment and not on whether the intervention actually works. The paper will be due at
the end of the semester.
*You may use a current client with both your client’s and your supervisor’s written consent. You may choose
another adult in your life with that person’s written consent.




Target behavior draft due February 24;
Behavior modification plan draft due March 10;
Class report on the project due either April 28 or May 5.
Final, complete paper due May 11 at the start of class.
Two classes at the end of the semester will be devoted to student presentations of these projects.
Not sure what this assignment should look like? Here are some sources of guidelines:
 Vires-Ortega, J. & Moreno-Rodriguz, R. (2008) Guidelines for case reports in behavioral clinical
psychology. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 8 (3), 765 – 777
 Nock, M.K., Michel, B.D. & Photos, V.I. (2008). Single Case Studies. In M. Hersen & A.M. Gross (Eds.),
Handbook of clinical psychology (pp. 337-350). Hoboken, N.J. : J. Wiley & Sons.
Want some quick guidelines about APA style?
 https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
For both the case conceptualization and behavioral experiment written assignments:
I expect you to write clearly and succinctly and to use standard writing organizational tools (i.e. thesis
statements, transition sentences, etc). You need to use correct grammar and spelling and write in complete
sentences. You need to use APA style for your citations and your tables and figures. If you have ANY questions or
concerns that your writing may not meet these standards, I encourage you to use the writing services at the UB
Achievement and Learning Center: http://www.ubalt.edu/academics/academic-support/achievement-andlearning-center/
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