Mental Health & Society
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
10:832:416 / 34:833:686, Spring 2014
Mondays, 9:50am-12:30pm, CSB 253
Professor: Dawne Marie Mouzon, Ph.D.
Civic Square Building, Room 546
E-mail: dawne.mouzon@rutgers.edu
Office Hours: Mondays, 12:30-1:30 (*must use the Sign-Up tool on Sakai*)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This course is comprised of three units. Unit 1 will provide an overview of the study of mental
illness, including the pros and cons of the current approach for defining mental illness in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the “DSM”) and the current structure and
financing of mental health care services in the United States. Unit 2 will cover the social
determinants of mental illness – including gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity/nativity, social class, and
social relationships. Unit 3 will present policy applications, with a focus on the criminal justice
system and current policy issues in the news.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able:
! To understand how the process of medicalization shapes definitions and rates of mental
disorder across time
! To understand the social determinants of stress and mental illness across major
demographic groups
! To understand how systems of stratification (race, gender, sexuality, social class) shape risk
of (and responses to) mental disorder
! To understand the types of public policy challenges that are commonly faced by individuals
with mental illness
REQUIRED TEXT
• “Sociology of Mental Disorders” by William Cockerham (9th edition).
• Other readings will be posted on Sakai.
• IMPORTANT: All readings must be done before coming to class. The lectures are not
meant to substitute for reading the material.
1 Edited 1/19/14 GRADING POLICY
! The final grade will be calculated as follows:
! Mid-Term (30%) and Final Exam (30%)
! In lieu of exams, graduate students are required to write two (2) 10-12 page papers
on a topic of their choice. Please see me at least three weeks before the due dates in
order to discuss options and requirements for the papers. All papers must be
delivered to me (or my mailbox) by the day/time of the exam.
! Weekly Discussion Questions (10%)
! Participation (10%)
! Attendance (10%)
! Response Memos (5%)
! Personal Narrative (5%)
•
There are NO extra credit opportunities for this class. Please do not request extra credit.
•
Grades are earned. Please do not ask me to reconsider grades I have assigned. Saying that
you “really worked hard in this class” does not mean that you have earned an A. Needing a
good grade in order to graduate, be removed from academic probation, or get into medical
school are also not sufficient arguments to debate a grade with me. You are welcome,
however, to attend office hours for more detailed feedback on how to improve your future
grades.
•
It is your responsibility to check your grades on Sakai in a timely fashion. If there is an
incorrect grade or a grade missing, you have one (1) week to dispute it. After that, the
grade will stand.
CRITERIA FOR FINAL GRADES
Undergraduate students
90% -100% A
86%-89%
B+
80% -85%
B
76% -79%
C+
70% -75%
C
60% -69%
D
< 60%
F
Graduate students
90% -100% A
86%-89%
B+
80% -85%
B
76% -79%
C+
70% -75%
C
69% or lower F
**I WILL NOT NEGOTIATE ANY GRADES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.**
2 Edited 1/19/14 COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Exams (60%)
Sixty percent of your grade will be derived from a mid-term (30%) and a cumulative final
examination (30%). The exams are based on the text, lecture notes, films, in-class discussions, and
assigned readings. Exams will consist solely of short-answer questions.
Exams start at the beginning of class and finish at the end of class. If you arrive after the first exam
is turned in, you will not be permitted to take the exam. You will not be allotted extra time if you
arrive late to an exam.
Make-up exams will be permitted only if you provide the obituary for a family funeral you need to
attend. I will consider providing a makeup exam if you obtain a Dean’s note but the final decision
is mine. Personal holidays, vacations, broken alarm clocks, weddings, jobs, exams in other courses,
traffic, bad weather, or the Rutgers bus system are not acceptable reasons for missing or being late
to an exam. Make-up exams will be given during a time convenient for me and will carry a
minimum 15% point penalty – i.e., the highest grade you can earn is 85%.
In lieu of written examinations, graduate students must instead submit two 10-12 page papers on a
mental health topic of their choice.
Discussion Questions (10%)
You must provide a (typed) hardcopy of discussion questions at each class (1-2 questions for each
required reading). Discussion questions are not yes/no questions; rather, they are questions that
stimulate conversation. I will collect hardcopy (typed) discussion questions at the end of class; you
are encouraged to use these questions during class. Please see Sakai for examples of good
discussion questions.
You will have 2 “freebie” weeks for which you do not have to submit questions. You must submit
discussion questions for the other nine (9) lectures (excluding the first lecture on 1/27/14).
Discussion questions may be submitted the following week with a 25% point penalty (i.e., the
highest grade you can earn is an 75%).
I will not accept electronic/emailed or handwritten discussion questions. If you miss class and do
not want to be penalized, you can place an electronic copy in your dropbox on Sakai before class
begins and bring a hardcopy to the following class.
Attendance (10%):
I will take attendance at every class. Please make every effort to be on time, as late arrivals are
disruptive to everyone, including me. If you will be significantly late, please stay home. If you are
consistently late, leave consistently early, or take repeated bathroom breaks, it will harm your grade.
If you are on social media or using your cell phone during class, it will harm your grade.
Given that this course meets weekly, there are only 12 class meetings this term. Everyone is
allotted one (1) free absence without harming your attendance grade. After your second absence,
the attendance grade drops to 85%. After your third absence, the attendance grade drops to 65%.
After your fourth absence, you will fail the course.
3 Edited 1/19/14 It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet. I am unable to keep track of individual students'
attendance at each class. Please do not email to say you forgot to sign the attendance sheet. If you
miss a lecture, please seek the lecture notes from a fellow classmate. It is not my policy to share my
personal notes. Additionally, I am unable to review a lecture during office hours if you missed the
class.
Participation (10%):
You are expected to read all of the assigned readings (and film viewing, if applicable) before the due
date and be prepared to discuss them during lecture. You are encouraged to use your discussion
questions during class.
Personal Narrative (5%):
This written assignment will give you an opportunity to reflect on your own personal or family
experiences with mental health and mental illness. By thinking critically about that experience, I
hope that you will come to a better understanding of how these experiences shaped your view of
mental illness (e.g., your opinion on the causes and best treatments for mental illness). This paper
must be typed and no more than THREE single-spaced pages in length. Please submit doublesided copies with no title page. This assignment is due at the beginning of class on Monday,
February 3 (both uploaded via Sakai and hard-copy in class).
CLASS RULES
Cell phones and texting are disruptive both to the class and to me. Be sure to turn your cell phone
tones off before class begins. It is also distracting and disrespectful to text or use a tablet or laptop
for anything other than taking notes or seeking answers to questions posed in class. Be sure to
restrict your use to these tasks only. Students answering email, texting, on social media (other than
for class purposes), or doing work for other classes will be asked to close their device and leave the
class.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
It is my fundamental goal to foster an intellectual environment that not only tolerates but supports
and affirms all types of diversity, including but not limited to race/ethnicity, gender, nativity status,
sexual orientation, age, religion, social class, and disability status. I will formally address any
instances in which these standards are violated.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
If you wish to acquire a letter of recommendation for your work in this class, you must attend at
least two of my office hours this semester and be a very vocal participant in class before I can
consider writing you a letter. Please note that receiving good grades in the class is not adequate
basis for receiving a recommendation letter.
4 Edited 1/19/14 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All students are required to familiarize themselves with the university's full policy on academic
integrity. Visit http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu for more information.
Principles of academic integrity require that every Rutgers University student:
• properly acknowledge and cite all use of the ideas, results, or words of others.
• properly acknowledge all contributors to a given piece of work.
• make sure that all work submitted as his or her own in a course or other academic activity is
produced without the aid of unsanctioned materials or unsanctioned collaboration.
• obtain all data or results by ethical means and report them accurately without suppressing
any results inconsistent with his or her interpretation or conclusions.
• treat all other students in an ethical manner, respecting their integrity and right to pursue
their educational goals without interference. This requires that a student neither facilitate
academic dishonesty by others nor obstruct their academic progress.
• uphold the canons of the ethical or professional code of the profession for which he or she
is preparing.
Adherence to these principles is necessary in order to ensure that:
• everyone is given proper credit for his or her ideas, words, results, and other scholarly
accomplishments.
• all student work is fairly evaluated and no student has an inappropriate advantage over
others.
• the academic and ethical development of all students is fostered.
• the reputation of the University for integrity in its teaching, research, and scholarship is
maintained and enhanced.
• Failure to uphold these principles of academic integrity threatens both the reputation of the
University and the value of the degrees awarded to its students. Every member of the
University community therefore bears a responsibility for ensuring that the highest standards
of academic integrity are upheld.
5 Edited 1/19/14 COMMUNICATION
I expect students to regularly access their Rutgers e-mail and/or the course website at
sakai.rutgers.edu. Important information will be disseminated to your Rutgers account (unless you
change your e-mail address through the Rutgers system) and will be posted on the Sakai course
website. I will provide Power Point slides as a courtesy to you, in order to help you master the
material and follow along in class instead of taking notes furiously. The slides are NOT meant to
be a replacement for attending class or engaging fully in class. If I sense that they are handicapping
your attendance and/or effort, I will either put less detail on them or stop providing slides
altogether.
E-MAIL
E-mail is the best way to reach me. If you have questions about the class material, I am more than
happy to help you. However, I do expect that you will first do your best to find the answer
yourself in the class/book material. Regardless of the purpose, I am happy to correspond by e-mail
within the following guidelines:
1. Please use an email account that lists your name as the sender. Include an informative
subject with the course name (i.e., "Mental Health & Society question") and make sure
your full name is included in the text of the e-mail.
2. I will only use your registered email address to send you email. It is your responsibility
to check this account for important course updates/announcements. Saying, "I only
check my G-mail account" is not an adequate excuse for missing course
announcements. If you send me email from another account, I will respond to that
account but will not send other email/class announcements to that address.
3. Please do not e-mail me with administrative questions that can be answered by looking
at the syllabus. If it is a substantive question about class material, please first look for
the answer in the book and lecture notes. After that, I'm happy to help you.
4. Please do not email me less than 24 hours before exams or deadlines with last-minute
substantive questions about class material. Make sure to plan ahead and request my
help in a timely manner, which I am happy to provide.
5. Allow 24-48 hours for a response from me. I check email frequently but I am often
bombarded with many emails that might back me up. Please do not expect to receive
an immediate response from me but do email again 48 hours after the initial email if I
have not yet responded.
6 Edited 1/19/14 Semester At-a-Glance
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15
DATE TOPIC
1/27
History, Definitions, and Measurement of Mental Disorders
2/3
2/10
2/17
2/24
3/3
3/10
3/17
3/24
3/31
4/7
4/14
4/21
4/28
5/5
5/12
The DSM: Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders
The DSM: Personality Disorders, Childhood Disorders, Substance Use/Abuse Disorders
(Class cancelled – watch The Medicated Child at home)
History, Financing, and Organization of Mental Health Care Services in the U.S.
Gender and Sexuality
MID-TERM EXAM
SPRING BREAK
Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity I
Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity II
Social Class
Marital Status and Family Relationships
Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice System & Community Reintegration
Mental Health Issues in the News
FINAL EXAM –10:55-1:55pm (tentative)
**SYLLABUS CHANGES**
Please note that I reserve the right to make any necessary changes to the syllabus, including but not
limited to changing dates, topics, assignments, and readings. An effective instructor must continually
adapt to the conditions of the class and in that spirit, I may choose to add or remove items as needed. I
will announce these changes on Sakai and provide ample time when changes are needed.
7 Edited 1/19/14 UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION
Week 1 (1/27/14):
History, Definitions, and Measurement of Mental Disorders in the U.S.
Required Readings:
! “What are Mental Health and Illness?” (Chapter 2 in Mechanic, 2013 – pp. 20-41)
! “Types of Mental Disorders” (Chapter 2 in Cockerham, 2013 – pp. 25-43)
! “Mental Disorders: Social Epidemiology” (Chapter 5 in Cockerham, 2013 – pp. 101-111)
In-Class Film: Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness (PBS)
Week 2 (2/3/14):
The DSM: Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders
Required Readings:
! “Schizophrenia and Mood Disorders” (Chapter 4 in Gallagher, 2012 – pp. 84-117)
! “Anxiety Disorders” (Chapter 5 in Gallagher, 2012 – pp. 128-161)
Week 3 (2/10/14):
The DSM: Personality Disorders, Childhood Disorders,
and Substance Use Disorders
Required Readings:
! “Personality Disorders” (Chapter 6 in Gallagher, 2012 – pp. 162-192)
! “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)” (NIMH)
! “Treatment of Children with Mental Illness” (NIMH)
! “A Parent’s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder” (NIMH)
! “DSM 5 ‘Addiction’ Swallows Substance Abuse” (Psychiatric Times, 2010)
Week 4 (2/17/14):
Class Cancelled
Required Activities: Watch The Medicated Child (PBS) at home
8 Edited 1/19/14 Week 5 (2/24/14):
History, Financing, and Organization
of Mental Health Care Services in the U.S.
Required Readings:
! “A Brief History of Mental Health Policy in the United States” (Chapter 3 in Mechanic, 2013 –
pp. 45-69)
! “Community Care and Public Policy” (Chapter 14 in Cockerham, 2012 – pp. 240-257)
UNIT 2: EPIDEMIOLOGY
Week 6: (3/3/14):
Gender and Sexuality
Required Readings:
! Rosenfield & Mouzon. 2013. "Gender and Mental Health" in Carol S. Aneshensel and Jo C.
Phelan. Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health. 2nd edition.
! King, Michael, Joanna Semlyen, Sharon See Tai, Helen Killaspy, David Osborn, Dmitri
Popelyuk, and Irwin Nazareth. 2008. “A systematic review of mental disorder, suicide, and
deliberate harm in lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.” BMC Psychiatry 8:70-86.
! Hatzenbuehler, Mark L et al. 2010. “The Impact of Institutional Discrimination on
Psychiatric Disorders in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: A Prospective Study.”
American Journal of Public Health 100:452-459.
Week 7 (3/10/14):
Mid-Term Examination
Week 8 (3/17/14):
No Class - Spring Break
Week 9 (3/24/14)
Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity I
Required Readings:
! “Mental Disorder: Race” (Chapter 9 in Cockerham, 2012 – pp. 155-182).
! “Culture Counts: The Influence of Culture and Society on Mental Health” (Chapter 2 in
“Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity – A Supplement to the Mental Health: A
Report of the Surgeon General,” 1999 – pp. 23-42).
! “Mental Health Care for African Americans” (Chapter 3 in the Surgeon General’s Report,
1999 - pp. 51-68)
! “Mental Health Care for American Indians and Alaska Natives” (Chapter 4 in the Surgeon
General’s Report, 1999 – pp. 77-96)
9 Edited 1/19/14 Week 10 (3/31/14)
Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity II
Required Readings:
! “Mental Health Care for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” (Chapter 5 in the Surgeon
General’s Report, 1999 – pp. 105-121)
! “Mental Health Care for Hispanic Americans” (Chapter 6 in the Surgeon General’s Report,
1999 – pp. 127-146)
! Mezzich, Juan E., Giovanni Caracci, Horacio Fabrega, Jr., and Laurence J. Kirmayer. 2009.
“Cultural Formulation Guidelines.” Transcultural Psychiatry 46(3):383-405.
! Alarcon, Renato D. 2013. “Cultural Psychiatry: A General Perspective.” Advances in
Psychosomatic Medicine 33:1-14.
Week 11 (4/7/14):
Social Class
Required Readings:
! “Mental Disorder: Social Class” (Chapter 6 in Cockerham, 2013 – pp. 112-126)
! “Social Class and Social Mobility” (Chapter 8 in Gallagher, 2012 – pp. 219-242)
Week 12 (4/14/14):
Marital Status and Family Relationships
Required Readings:
! Umberson, Debra, Mieke Beth Thomeer, and Kristi Williams. 2009. “Family Status and
Mental Health: Recent Advances and Future Directions.” Pp. 405-431 in A Handbook for the
Study of Mental Health (Eds. Theresa L. Scheid and Tony N. Brown).
! Turner, J. Blake and R. Jay Turner. 2013. “Social Relations, Social Integration, and Social
Support.” Pp. 341-356 in Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health, 2nd Edition (Eds.: Carol S.
Aneshensel, Jo C. Phelan, and Alex Bierman).
In-Class Film:
! "Family, Friends, and Lovers" (This Emotional Life, PBS)
10 Edited 1/19/14 UNIT 3: POLICY APPLICATIONS
Week 13 (4/21/14):
Criminal Justice System
Required Readings:
! “Mental Disorder and the Law” (Chapter 15 in Cockerham, 2013 – pp. 258-282)
! “Mental Illness, Community, and the Law” (Chapter 11 in Mechanic, 2013 – pp. 286-314)
In-Class Film:
! "The New Asylums" (PBS)
Week 14 (4/28/14):
Criminal Justice System
and Community Reintegration
Required Readings:
! Hiday, Virginia Aldige and Pardaic Burns. 2009. “Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice
System.” Pp. 478-498 in A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health (Eds. Theresa L. Scheid
and Tony N. Brown).
! Hiday, Virginia Aldige and Heathcote W. Wales. 2013. “Mental Illness and the Law.” Pp.
563-582 in Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health, 2nd Edition (Eds.: Carol S. Aneshensel, Jo
C. Phelan, and Alex Bierman).
In-Class Film:
! "The Released" (PBS)
Week 15 (5/5/14):
Mental Health Issues in the News
Required Readings:
! TBA
11 Edited 1/19/14