Abnormal Psychology
Chip Barker
HSS-319 and online MW 12-2:30
cbarker@olympic.edu or 360-475-7286
Online Syllabus
This course opens the student to the study of the nature of abnormal
behavior. We will be learning the ways society defines and responds
to abnormal behavior, how diagnosis of behavior is accomplished,
and survey the approaches to treatment used to reduce the negative
impacts of abnormal behavior on individuals, families and society.
This course will be conducted in an online seminar format. I will
prepare and present articles and video material for your absorption.
You will be prepared to join in discussion online, complete weekly
homework assignments, read in the text and distributed material,
independently view and analyze video material, and complete 3
exams.
Text: Abnormal Psychology, 7 th ed. Ronald Comer; Worth Publishers
ISBN: 0-7167-7652-9
Students are expected to read every page of the text during the
quarter. Course activities and exams will rely on the text and webbased materials.
Course Objectives
· Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the study of
psychopathology.
· Students will demonstrate knowledge of the role of social and legal
systems in the study of psychopathology.
· Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods and findings
of the science of diagnosis of psychopathology.
· Students will demonstrate operational knowledge of the major
classifications of psychopathological behavior.
Calendar:
Week 1
History and Systems of Psychopathology-Chapter 1-2
Law, Society and the Mental Health Profession- Chapter 19
Assignment: Syllabus Quiz
Week 2
Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment-Chapter 34
Assignment: Questions for
Understanding #1
Review film: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” , KPAX
Thursday: Concept Quiz on Chapters 1-4 and 19
Week 3:
Anxiety and Dissociative Disorders-Chapter 5- 7
Panic, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Stress Disorders
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #2
Review film “As Good As It Gets”, “The World According to Garp”,
“Ordinary People”, or
Week 4:
“Vertigo”
Mood Disorders and Suicide- Chapters 8-10
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #3
Review film: “Vincent and Theo” or “Suicide” or “Million Dollar Baby”
Week 5:
Psychosocial Factors in Physical Disorders- Chapters 11 and
13
Take Home Midterm Exam on Chapters 1-11 and 13, 19
and seminar discussions and handouts
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #4
Review film: “Memento” or “Sybil” or “Coming Home” “Philadelphia
Story”, “Patch Adams”
Week 6:
Substance Abuse Disorders-Chapter 12
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #5
Review film “28 Days”, “Leaving Las Vegas”, “A Girl Interrupted”, or “The
Boost” or “7 Days”
Week 7:
Psychotic Disorders- Chapters 14-15
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #6
Review film: “Benny and Joon” or “The Caveman’s Valentine”, “Donnie
Darko”, Secret Window”, “Frances” or “Beautiful Mind”
Week 8:
Lifespan and Personality Disorders-Chapter 16-18
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #7
Review film: “American History X”, “Natural Born Killers”, “Lord of the
Flies” “Pacific Heights”, “A Clockwork Orange”, Swimming
with Sharks” or “One Hour Photo”
Thursday: Self-Assessment paper due
Week 9:
Disorders
Developmental and Cognitive Disorders, Sexual and Gender
Assignment: Questions for Understanding #8
Review film: “Rain Man”, A Clockwork Orange”, “Awakenings” or “Crying
Game” or “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert”, “Slingblade”, “The
Philadelphia Story”, Henry and June” or “Memento”
Week 10:
Questions for Understanding #9
Final Exam
Grading Policy
Syllabus Quiz
25 points
Chapter Quizzes
95 points (19x5)
Concept Quiz
Questions for Understanding
100 points
90 points (9x10)
Research Activities
200 points (20x10)
Midterm Exam
200 points
Final Exam
200 points
Participation
100 points
Self-Assessment Paper
200 points
Video Reviews
400 points (8x50)
1610 points possible
(*more possible with extra credit assignments)
Course Grades
Grade
Points
4.0
750
2.0
550
3.5
700
1.5
500
3.0
650
1.0
450
2.5
600
Class Structure
Much of this course will involve individual work. Frequently you will
connect with other students to discuss particular topics. Critical reading
will be an important source of material for these discussions. This
participation is mandatory and constitutes the sole activity to be assessed
as participation.
Communication
General Communication
This class is a learning community. Cooperation and collaboration will
be required to be successful. I highly value class interaction and
contact with students. E-mail is the best way to stay connected with
me, as I am impatient with phone tag.
Written Communication
All written communications will be typed in 12 point font. All written
communication will be free of spelling and grammatical errors, as
befits the college environment. Papers that do not meet this standard
may be returned for correction and/or have points discounted. DO
NOT trust your spell-check program to find all errors. Many
homonyms sneak past these moderately useful tools and my standards
are dictionary-based. Papers will be submitted on time or points will
be lost. Typically, I discount late work 20% of earned credit. E-mail
submissions received before 5pm on the due date are acceptable.
An Important Note on Consideration
· I worked many years in the mental health field and understand that
the aberrant and bizarre behavior of others can lead some people to
feel uncomfortable. This is normal, as is the tendency to make
judgments about the behavior, or to use humor to ease our anxiety
about the strange or abhorrent behavior we are witness to or are
discussing. In this class, everyone will be expected to be respectful
of everyone in the course at all times and of people whose behavior
is described during the discussions we have. Certainly many
humorous anecdotes will emerge and we will all keep our harmless
amusement focused on the behaviors and not on the individual
people.
Guidelines for the Self-Assessment Paper
1. Assurance:
I will be the only person to read your paper. I extend to you the
confidentiality guaranteed by my licensure by the State of Washington
as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
2. Content:
Complete all five DSM-4 TR axes using at least one typed page for each.
The clinical material may be reflective of behavior meeting full
diagnostic criteria or discuss behavior meeting only diagnostic features,
that is, tendencies that do not meet the full diagnostic criteria. You may
use a narrative format and underline the axes if you prefer.
3. Process:
Each conclusion on each Axis must be substantiated by a direct
connection to observable or reported behaviors, in addition to thoughts
and feelings, whenever possible. Be specific and thorough in your
connections. Explain “Why you think so”.
4. Due date and points available
Your paper is due no later than March 13th. You may submit earlier.
175 points toward your final grade are possible. Late submissions will
have the score discounted by 20%. Misspellings and grammatical errors
will be penalized by one point per instance. Give me your best work,
ok?