Psy. 425 Fall 2014
Maria Hess PhD, MFT
Office Hours : Stevenson 3083.
Tuesdays 12
– 1 and Thursdays 12 – 1:00 Please sign up on my office door; or alternate Wednesdays 12 – 1:00, or 2 – 3:00 for drop in.
Contact Information : SSU: 664-2413. Private office: 824 – 9902.
Email: maria.hess@sonoma.edu
Psychopathology
“The wholeness of the body is organic meaning that if one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers. The same is true of the psyche or personality. If a portion of our true nature is denied, we suffer throughout.”
John Sanford
Course Description : In this course we will study the broad spectrum of mental and behavioral disorders. Emphasis will be placed on diagnosis, assessment and etiology using case studies, lecture, guest speakers, discussions, contemporary videos, and DSM5, as our guides.
Course Goals : The broader goals for this class are that you as a student will:
* Develop a basic understanding of several emotional disturbances and their
etiologies.
* Experience working in small groups to enhance learning.
* Develop a working relationship with the DSM 5 as a diagnostic tool.
* Learn the importance of culture and diversity in assessment.
* Gain experience with compassion, identifying and assessing various mental
disorders.
* Relax and have fun learning interesting stuff.
Course Objectives : By the end of the course you should be able to:
1. Describe different theories and concepts about the development and course of
abnormal behavior.
2. Use the coding system of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
3. Diagnose psychological disorders from case studies (films and written).
4. Synthesize culturally contextual factors with diagnostic assessment.
5. Define concepts and terms that represent the shared language of
mental health practice.
6. Demonstrate interactive competence with the use of the Mental Status Exam.
Classroom Environment : Unless exempted by signed documentation from
Student Disability Services, the use of a laptop is prohibited. Please turn off your cell phones and any other digital assists. Text messaging, answering cell phones, or other electronic distractions are not acceptable in class and will not be tolerated. You are welcome to bring drinks, but eating is not appreciated in the classroom.
Please inform the instructor if you plan to audio record. No video recording or picture taking allowed.

Academic Integrity : It is the responsibility of each student to be apprised of the requirements of the psychology department and university regarding academic honesty. You are expected to know what constitutes plagiarism. The parameters are outlined in your student handbook and online at http://www.sonoma.edu/psychology/AcademicHonestyPolicy.html.
Access for Students with Disabilities : Students with disabilities who require classroom accommodations should meet with me (within the first 2 weeks of class) during my office hours to make these arrangements. Please bring accommodations authorization from the Disability Resource Center with you.
Grading : You will be graded on an A-F basis, with no incompletes. Grades are based on: (1) In-class quizzes (20 pts each x 3 = 60 pts.)
(2) Take home exam (40 pts.)
(3) Case presentation paper (60 pts.)
(4) MSE and DSM diagnostic worksheet (Extra Credit)
(5) Attendance and Participation expected
Total points = 135
Assignments
#1. In-class Quizzes : Three in-class quizzes will be given on the dates indicated below. You will need to show your concise understanding of the lecture and diagnostic material overviewed in class. These quizzes will not be focused on your assigned reading, but doing your reading will give you a deeper breadth and scope of the in-class material that you will be asked to address. Dec. 2 nd
( 35 pts.)
#2. Take Home Exam: You will be given a case study to evaluate, assess, speculate etiology, and attempt a diagnosis. You must be in class on Oct. 9 to receive a copy of the exam; they will not be digitally distributed. All the details and guidelines for this assignment will be addressed in class. Due: Oct. 16
(40 pts.)
#3. The Case Presentation Paper is the cumulative work for the semester. The student is invited to: Take an adult person you are fascinated by; someone from history, a fictional character, an athlete, a performer, yourself, or a client, and present them two ways: (1) Subjectively- so the reader may have a sense of the person from the inside. What is it like to be them? (2) Objectively- a clinical presentation of the same person. Include and present identifying data, dynamic formulation and DSM 5 diagnosis.
An important aspect of this assignment is how you show your understanding of the material by using citations to reference the course material that supports your learning. You may reference the professor only if the reference comes from lecture alone, theoretical referencing must come from primary or secondary sources.

Most students are challenged by this assignment, as it demands an integration of clinical, academic and personal understanding. You are welcome to make an appointment with the instructor or the TA’s if you have questions or concerns.
It is highly recommended that you do not wait until the last minute to attempt this project. It will command some effort on your part! The quality of writing is included in the overall grading of your work. Please use the Writing Center to address some of the concerns you may have regarding your writing skills. Due:
Nov. 25 , 8 - 10 pages, hard copy, proof read, double-spaced, include citations and references, no more than 2 web-based citations, use APA format.
(50 pts.)
LATE PAPERS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!
#4. Attendance and Participation : Since participation in assessment and learning groups is such an integral part of this experience, your attendance plays an important part in your learning. In addition, I do not lecture off of your reading material making the in-class information, once missed, difficult to recapture.
Students are responsible for retrieving the learning of a missed class. This is an upper division, MA preparatory course and students are expected to come to class prepared, by doing the reading and viewing the assigned video by the date indicated on the syllabus.
#5.
MSE and DSM Diagnosis: Each student may download a MSE and a DSM worksheet from my home page www.sonoma.edu/users/h/hessm and complete one for every character we assess. Please staple your worksheets together and denote which character you have assessed. No late worksheets will be accepted.
Due: at onset of class on the same date as video. One extra credit point for every DSM/ MSE set handed in. (6 extra pts. available)
Required Texts :
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders, Fifth Ed.
American Psychiatric Association. (DSM )
Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology . (7 th Ed.) Ronald Comer
All required and recommended texts are available on-line and at SSU.
The handouts for this class are available on my homepage: www.sonoma.edu/users/h/hessm . Handouts are also available at the reserve desk in the library.
* The ease of your learning will be greatly enhanced by doing the assigned
reading.
Strongly Recommended Texts :
Self and Others N. Gregory Hamilton
Drama of the Gifted Child Alice Miller
Object Relations and Self Psychology Michael St. Clair
Oneness and Separateness Louise Kaplan

Trauma and Recovery Judith Herman
Toxic Psychiatry Peter Briggin
Anatomy of an Epidemic Robert Whitaker
The Inner World of Trauma Donald Kalshad
Trauma and the Soul Donald Kalshad
Reading and Video Schedule : Include in your reading the corollary text in the
DSM. All assessment videos are available at SSU media center, or streaming online, or on Youtube, or Hulu.
All assigned videos are to be viewed by the date indicated below. Watch them before class so you can participate in our discussions.
Wk 1. Aug 19 Introductions;
Syllabus as container.
On Suffering.
21 What are you interested in learning by being in this class?
What are some topics you are curious about?
2. 26 Diet, exercise and mental health. The impact of daily life..
28 Comer: Ch.1- 2 History and Approach
Handout: The Dictionary of Disorder
On-Line video: Elyn Saks; A tale of mental illness from the Inside.
http://www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_seeing_mental_illness.html
3. Sept 2 Comer: Ch. 3 Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment
DSM intro
– pg. 24
In-class video
4 Handout:
Scars that Don’t Heal
.
On-line video: Dr. Brene Brown. The power of vulnerability at http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
and Listening to
Shame at http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame
4. 9 Adverse Childhood Experiences
Handout: Theory of parent-infant relationship
In-class video
11 Ch.12 Schizophrenia
In-class video
5. 16 Quiz #1
Comer: Ch. 5 Disorders of Trauma and Stress.
18 Self-care and Vicarious Trauma/Compassion Fatigue

Handout: Out of the Ashes .
Trauma and Recovery
6. 23 Comer: Ch.13 Personality Disorders
Handout: The Narcissistic Parent.
25 In- class assessment: Ordinary People (Beth)
7. 30 Comer: Ch. 11 Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
Oct 2 In-class assessment:
This Boy’s Life (Dwight)
8. 7 Comer: Ch. 7 Mood Disorders
Handout:
Meds Alone Couldn’t Bring Robert Back
9 In class assessment: Lars and the Real Girl (Lars).
Take Home Exam distributed
9 14 In-class assessment: Reign Over Me (Charlie)
16 Take Home Exam Due
10 21 Comer: Ch. 9 Eating Disorders
On-line Video: Dying to be Thin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-J4-Wcncbg
23 Quiz #2
Comer: Ch. 8 Suicide
Handout: Suicide Notes
11. 28 Mental Health Services: Legal and Ethical Issues.
In-class assessment: American History X (Derek)
30 Comer: Ch. 4 Anxiety Disorders
Handout: How Therapy Helps
12 Nov 4 Writing a case presentation
6 Comer: Ch. 14 Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
Pressures of Perfectionism
Cutting, Scoriation. Self-harming
13 11
13 Comer: Ch. 6 Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders

14 18 Comer: Ch.15 Disorders of Aging and Cognition
In-class assessment: Memento (Leonard)
On-line video: Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stoke of Insight . Jill Bolte
Taylor http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html
20
15 25 Case Presentation Papers Due
27 Thanksgiving Break!
16 Dec 2
4 Quiz #3
17 9 Comer: Ch. 11 Sexual and Gender Identity D/O
Guest Speaker: Sarah Marshall
11 Final meeting:
Finish up and good-byes.