PSY 424, Child and Family Psychopathology
Summer 2015
Tues/Wed/Thurs 10:20 – 12:10
CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Cait Listro, M.A.
Office hours: By appointment. I’m happy to meet with you! Please e-mail me to set up
an appointment.
Email: listroca@msu.edu (the best way to reach me!)
Phone #: 708 – 710 – 9607
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will cover major (1) psychological disorders of childhood, including issues of
prevalence, classification, phenomenology, course, comorbidity, and major etiological theories; and
(2) important domains of family adjustment, including the marital and parent-child relationships.
Readings cover recent research in these areas.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The goals of this course are: (1) to expose students to research problems in the domain of
childhood psychopathology and family dysfunction and the methods used to answer these
problems; (2) to increase students’ substantive understanding of the classification,
symptomatology, and etiology of major psychological disorders of childhood; (3) to facilitate
critical thinking skills by evaluating current research according to the criteria of theoretical scope
and clarity, methodological rigor, and potential usefulness for intervention and public health
policy; (4) improve scientific writing skills.
Successful participation in this course will involve an active consideration of the following
themes:
1. the continuity of psychopathology across childhood to adulthood
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2. processes linking normal development to psychopathological conditions
3. environmental conditions that affect an individual’s expression psychopathology
COURSE READINGS
There is one required text for this class.
1. King, A. S. (2014). Reality Boy. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Additional course readings will be provided to you by the instructor; please ensure that I have your
correct email address.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Completion of assigned readings. The assigned readings are the primary material for
stimulating class discussion and will also serve (along with lecture material) as the basis for exam
questions. You are responsible for completing the material listed for each course meeting. I will
periodically give short in-class quizzes and brief writing assignments covering material in the
readings.
Attendance and discussion. Your attendance at each class meeting is expected. Moreover, it is
anticipated that each student will contribute to classroom discussions at least occasionally by
asking questions or raising points for discussion. Your participation in discussions will contribute
to your final grade.
In-class activities. Each class, we will engage in activities relevant to the course material. While
these activities will not be graded, participation is expected. These activities are designed to help
you engage in the course material more deeply and in ways other than lecture.
In-class writing assignments. Over the course of the class, you will write six brief (no more
than 1 page) essays in class. Each essay will be 5 points. You can miss one essay without penalty.
The primary purpose of these essays is for you to practice writing and receive additional feedback
on your style and grammar.
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Quizzes. Instead of longer exams, I will administer four briefer quizzes (20-30 items each). The
purpose of these quizzes is to assess your learning of critical information. These will cover
important material from both readings and lecture.
First Paper: Literature review. You will be required to write a 6-8 page literature review on a
topic related to child psychopathology. This paper will be completed in three stages. Guidelines for
each assignment will be provided in class and uploaded on D2L.
Stage 1: Submit a summary of your research topic and an initial supporting
reference list containing at least 5 scholarly articles that you will review in your paper. You will also
be required to submit a PDF file of each article. The summary should be several sentences that
describe the topic of your literature review. Your reference list should be written in APA style.
Topics must be relevant to the class, and will be approved at the instructor’s discretion.
Stage 2: Submit a complete first draft of your literature review, including a PDF of each
article you cite. The goal of this draft is to receive feedback from the instructor that you should
incorporate into your final draft.
Stage 3: Submit the final draft of your literature review, including a PDF of each article you
cite. The goal of this draft is to incorporate the feedback you received in the first draft. You will be
asked to turn in your first draft with the instructor’s editorial comments, so please be sure to keep
your first draft.
Note: Detailed information will be provided in class about the literature review.
Final Paper: Case Study. You will be required to complete a 5-7 page paper on Reality Boy by
A.S. King. You will choose one of the characters in the novel and write a brief case study including
the character’s pertinent historical information, diagnosis, and suggestions for treatment. Your
case study should be informed by and include citations for both the novel and relevant
readings/lectures.
Note: Detailed information will be provided in class about the final paper.
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GRADING
Grade
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.0
%
> 90%
85-90%
80-84%
75-79%
70-74%
65-69%
60-64%
< 60%
Assignment
In-class writing (6)
Quizzes (4)
Topic & References
First Paper Rough Draft
First Paper Final Copy
Second Paper
Points
Points % of Total
30
100
10
30
70
100
OTHER POLICIES
Policy regarding attendance. Your attendance at each class meeting is not required. That
said, you are most likely to succeed in this course if you attend each class session, as there will be
material in lectures that will not be covered in the assigned readings (and vice versa). Quizzes will
cover material from both. You may also miss unscheduled in-class writing assignments (described
above) if you fail to attend class, for which you will receive a grade of 0. If you need to miss a
lecture, please ask a classmate for his/her notes, as I will not provide you with any additional notes.
I will be happy to answer any questions you might have after reading your classmate’s notes.
Policy regarding missed exams and late assignments. Excused absences from quizzes may
be granted by the instructor in cases of medical or other emergencies. Proper documentation will
be necessary, and granting of make-up exams is solely at the discretion of the instructor. Late
assignments will be penalized 20% for each day following the deadline (20% for 0-24 hours after
the deadline, 40% for 25-48 hours after the deadline, etc.).
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Course management: This course will use Desire 2 Learn (D2L) for on-line course management
and communication. You can access the D2L website by going to https://d2l.msu.edu/. You will
be asked to log on using your MSU log in and password (same as your MSU webmail log in). Look
under the “My Courses” section for PSY 424 and announcements and materials related to this
course. If you have trouble using D2L you can contact the helpdesk 24/7 at (517) 355-2345 or 1800- 500-1554. If you have not used D2L before it is your responsibility to become familiar with it.
Classroom format: This class will include a combination of lecture, discussion, activities, and
multimedia presentations. In an effort to make the material interesting and compelling, I will
frequently use case examples from my own clinical work to provide examples of the symptoms,
disorders, and treatments discussed in class. Brief videos, films, or stories will occasionally be used
to provide additional illustrations of the course content and to enrich in-class discussion.
I will use PowerPoint slides for each of my lectures. I will post these on D2L by 8PM the evening
before the lecture. Note that these PowerPoint slides will include minimal information (the “bare
bones”) of the lecture and will therefore constitute an outline for the topics to be discussed in class.
I do this to strongly encourage class attendance and engagement throughout the length of each
lecture. Studying only information presented on these outline slides will not be sufficient to do well
on the exams.
Classroom behavior: I strongly encourage you to ask questions during the lectures. If you need
me to slow down, provide additional examples, repeat an important concept, etc., just ask! My goal
each lecture is to ensure you understand the course material. I would love to answer many
questions and engage with you in discussion each class period. I do ask, however, that you be
respectful of your fellow classmates and me. If you would like to present a dissenting
view/opinion, please do so in a courteous and respectful manner. If I feel you are not treating your
classmate(s) or me with respect, I will politely interrupt you and remind you of the class guidelines.
Please note, Article 2.III.B.4 of the Academic Freedom Report (AFR) for students at Michigan State
University states: "The student's behavior in the classroom shall be conducive to the teaching and
learning process for all concerned." Article 2.III.B.10 of the AFR states that "The student has a
right to scholarly relationships with faculty based on mutual trust and civility." General Student
Regulation 5.02 states: "No student shall . . . interfere with the functions and services of the
University (for example, but not limited to, classes . . .) such that the function or service is
obstructed or disrupted. Students whose conduct adversely affects the learning environment in
this classroom may be subject to disciplinary action through the Student Judicial Affairs office.
Please come prepared to attend to the lecture and actively engage in class discussion. Out of
respect for me (and your classmates), I ask that you refrain from engaging in other activities (i.e.,
text messaging, using Facebook, playing games online, etc.) during class. Please use laptops solely
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for the purpose of taking notes. You are most likely to be successful in this course if you structure
your learning environment such that you are able to fully focus and engage during the lectures.
Email communication: Email (rather than phone) is the best way to reach me directly with
questions or concerns about the course. I will make every effort to respond to emails within 24
hours during the week. I may not be able to respond to emails over the weekend, but will respond
to your email by the following Monday. I will regularly email the class with course updates,
information regarding upcoming assignments/exams, and important announcements. In the rare
case that I decide a change must be made to the syllabus, I will inform you of this change in class
and via email (with as much notice as I can to ensure you can make any necessary adjustments).
Furthermore, I also expect that you will check your email at least once every 24 hours to ensure
that you receive updates in a timely manner.
Drops and Adds: The last day to add this course is the end of the first week of classes. The last
day to drop this course with a 100 percent refund and no grade reported is (8pm on 5/29/14). The
last day to drop this course with no refund and no grade reported is (8pm 6/10/14). You should
immediately make a copy of your amended schedule to verify you have added or dropped this
course.
Commercialized Lecture Notes: Commercialization of lecture notes and university-provided
course materials is not permitted in this course.
Policy regarding academic integrity. Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that
“The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship,
grades, and professional standards”. In addition, the Department of Psychology adheres to the
policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of
Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and
Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or
the MSU website: www.msu.edu).
Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are expected to complete all course
assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests, and exams, without assistance from any
source. You are expected to develop original work for this course; therefore, you may not submit
course work you completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Also, you
are not authorized to use the http://www.allmsu.com web site to complete any course work in PSY
424. Students who violate MSU rules may receive a penalty grade, including – but not limited to –
a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact your instructor if you are unsure about
the appropriateness of your coursework. (See also
http://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/honestylinks.html).
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Policy regarding extra credit. There will be no extra credit opportunities given under any
circumstances.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (from the Resource Center for
Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). Michigan State University is committed to providing equal
opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities. Requests for
accommodations by persons with disabilities may be made by contacting the Resource Center for
Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or on the web at www.rcpd.msu.edu. Once your
eligibility for an accommodation has been determined, you will be issued a verified individual
services accommodation (“VISA”) form. Please present this form to me at the start of the term
and/or two weeks prior to the accommodation date (test, project, etc.). Requests received after this
date will be honored whenever possible.
Limits to confidentiality. Essays and other materials submitted for this class are generally
considered confidential pursuant to the University’s student record policies. However, students
should be aware that University employees, including instructors, may not be able to maintain
confidentiality when it conflicts with their responsibility to report certain issues to protect the
health and safety of MSU community members and others. As the instructor, I must report the
following information to other University offices (including the Department of Police and Public
Safety) if you share it with me in person or in writing:
1. Suspected child abuse/neglect, even if this maltreatment happened when you were a
child,
2. Allegations of sexual assault or sexual harassment when they involve MSU students,
faculty, or staff, and
3. Credible threats of harm to oneself or to others
These reports may trigger contacts from a campus official who will want to talk with you about the
incident that you have shared. In almost all cases, it will be your decision whether you wish to
speak with that individual. If you would like to talk about these events in a more confidential
setting you are encouraged to make an appointment with the MSU Counseling Center.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
Note: Elements of this syllabus are subject to change per the discretion of the instructor. Students
will be notified of any changes to this syllabus in writing with plenty of time to make adjustments.
Date
Topic
Reading
Assignment Due
Tuesday
May 19
Wednesday
May 20
Thursday
May 21
Intro to issues in child
psychopathology; Finding and
reading a research article
Theories of psychopathology;
Assessment and diagnosis
Scientific writing
Please bring a
laptop if you have
one!
Sroufe (2009)
Topic and
References
Developmental and Learning Disorders
Tuesday
May 26
Wednesday
May 27
Intellectual disability;
Communication and Learning
Disorders
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Shevell (2008)
Rutter (2011)
Quiz #1
Externalizing Disorders
Thursday
May 28
Tuesday
June 2
Wednesday
June 3
Thursday
June 4
Tuesday
June 9
ADHD
Frick & Nigg (2012); p.
77-89
Frick & Nigg (2012); p.
89-101
Frick & White (2008)
ODD and CD
CU traits
Substance Use
Children and adolescents in the
justice system
Hawkins, Catalano, &
Miller, 1992
Losel & Farrington (2012)
Review Paper Draft
Due
Quiz #2
Internalizing Disorders
Wednesday
June 10
Thursday
Eating Disorders; Depression and
Bipolar disorder
Depression and Bipolar disorder;
Silk et al. (2012)
DeFillipis & Wagner
Review Paper Due
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June 11
Tuesday
June 16
Wednesday
June 17
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders; Psychopathology
in action: diagnosing Reality Boy
Suicide and self-harm
(2013)
King (2014); Ost &
Treffers
Hawton, Saunders, &
O’Connor (2012)
Cross-disorder Issues
Thursday
June 23
Tuesday
June 24
Wednesday
June 25
Thursday
June 30
Tuesday
July 1
Wednesday
July 2
Peer networks and bullying
Powell & Ladd (2010)
Domestic violence and trauma
Trickey et al. (2012)
Child maltreatment
Afifi & MacMillan (2011)
Community factors: poverty and
violence
Psychopathology in action: Case
example
Course wrap-up
Lynch (2003)
Quiz #3
Final Paper Due
Quiz #4
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Afifi, T. O., & MacMillan, H. L. (2011). Resilience following child maltreatment: a review of
protective factors. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 56(5), 266272.
Cohen, J. R., Young, J. F., & Abela, J. R. (2012). Cognitive vulnerability to depression in children:
an idiographic, longitudinal examination of inferential styles. Cognitive therapy and
research, 36(6), 643-654.
Cranford, J. A., McCabe, S. E., & Boyd, C. J. (2013). Adolescents’ nonmedical use and excessive
medical use of prescription medications and the identification of substance use
subgroups. Addictive behaviors, 38(11), 2768-2771.
DeFilippis, M. S., & Wagner, K. D. (2013). Bipolar depression in children and adolescents. CNS
spectrums, 18(04), 209-213.
Frick, P. J., & Nigg, J. T. (2012). Current issues in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. Annual Review of Clinical
Psychology, 8, 77-107.
Frick, P. J., & White, S. F. (2008). Research review: The importance of callous‐unemotional traits
for developmental models of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Journal of Child Psychology and
Psychiatry, 49(4), 359-375.
Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and
other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: implications for substance abuse
prevention. Psychological bulletin, 112(1), 64.
Hawton, K., Saunders, K. E., & O'Connor, R. C. (2012). Self-harm and suicide in adolescents. The
Lancet, 379(9834), 2373-2382.
Powell, M. D., & Ladd, L. D. (2010). Bullying: A review of the literature and implications for family
therapists. The American Journal of Family Therapy,38(3), 189-206.
Lynch, M. (2003). Consequences of children's exposure to community violence.Clinical child and
family psychology review, 6(4), 265-274.
Shevell, M. (2008). Global developmental delay and mental retardation or intellectual disability:
conceptualization, evaluation, and etiology. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 55(5), 1071-1084.
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Silk, J. S., Davis, S., McMakin, D. L., Dahl, R. E., & Forbes, E. E. (2012). Why do anxious children
become depressed teenagers? The role of social evaluative threat and reward
processing. Psychological medicine, 42(10), 2095-2107.
Sroufe, L. A. (2009). The concept of development in developmental psychopathology. Child
development perspectives, 3(3), 178-183.
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