ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
SPRING 2008 COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE INFORMATION PSYC 4430 Number: 02 Section: Credit Hours: 3.0 Wed, 6:30 – 9:15 Time: SO 3007 Location:
CONTACT INFORMATION John W. Wilson, Psy.D. Professor: SO 3007 Office: Office Hours: Before or after class by appt johnwilson404@yahoo.com Email: 404-246-1257 Phone:
The syllabus will be discussed on the first day of class. However, students will not be provided a hardcopy of the syllable in class per KSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences policy. Students are encouraged to print out a copy of the syllabus for their records. NOTE: Students are required to submit in class a signed copy of the statement found at the end of this syllable not later than the second day of class. Until that signed statement is submitted to the instructor, the student will receive a zero on all work including but not limited to assignments and exams, and will have no opportunity to make up the work. Email is the best way to contact me to set up an appointment. You are also welcome to email simple questions regarding assignments. However, the question should be able to be answered with one or two sentences maximum. More complex questions should be discussed in a scheduled meeting with me. CAUTION: Although this course reviews some techniques and applications, students are not to view this course as “training.” Practicing in this area requires significant and substantial advanced training at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels as well as licensure as a psychologist in the respective jurisdiction.
KSU Catalog Course Description: PSYC 4430 involves “a comprehensive study of the various forms of mental illness and maladjustment.” Prerequisites: “C” or better in one 3000 level PSYC course Course Overview: This course is designed to provide you with a broad introduction to abnormal psychology. We will explore the history, theories, concepts, and issues represented in psychopathology, as well as the various scientific approaches and research findings that have shaped its evolution. While doing do, the course will foster skills of critical, analytical, and creative thinking in the context of psychopathology and assist students in integrating newfound knowledge into their broader educational and personal development.
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Learning Objectives/Goals: I. The primary learning objective is for you to develop foundational knowledge in the area of abnormal psychology. This knowledge will expand the breadth of your understanding in the field of psychology as a whole and the depth of your understanding in areas related to psychopathology. In meeting this objective, you should be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of: 1. central issues involved in the study of psychopathology a. how normal and abnormal behavior can be defined and differentiated b. how abnormal behaviors can be classified and diagnosed c. how abnormal behaviors can be explained and treated 2. core concepts involved in the study of psychopathology a. the importance of context in defining and understanding abnormality b. the continuum between normal and abnormal behavior c. cultural and historical relativism in defining and classifying abnormality d. the advantages and limitations of diagnosis e. the principal of multiple causality in behavior f. the connection between mind and body 3. the major behaviors and symptoms associated with psychopathology 4. the major classifications of abnormal behavior utilizing DSM-IV-TR criteria 5. the major theoretical perspectives on defining, classifying, explaining, and treating disorders 6. key terminology 7. the functions and applications of research methodology in the study of psychopathology 8. how to integrate and apply knowledge acquired towards understanding human behavior II. The secondary learning objective is for you to expand your academic and critical thinking skills as applied to the area of abnormal psychology. Further development of these skills will enhance your understanding of psychology and will serve you well throughout your academic and professional careers. This learning objective is directly assessed through the course requirements. In meeting this objective, you should be able to demonstrate the ability to: 1. carefully read, summarize, and understand an introductory text 2. carefully read, summarize, and understand theoretical and empirical articles 3. develop and articulate reactions to readings, experiences, and related topics that integrate and apply this information 4. apply critical thinking skills to psychopathology theories, concepts, issues, and research 5. effectively use written language 6. correctly use APA Style III. A final objective is for you to develop curiosity about abnormal psychology while beginning to recognize areas of your life impacted by a greater understanding of its related concepts. This objective is not directly assessed by specific course requirements. However, I believe it is a key component of effective teaching and learning in the field. In meeting this objective, you will hopefully experience: 1. enjoyment from learning about psychopathology 2. greater curiosity about psychopathology, relevant research, and clinical applications 3. a greater appreciation for applications of the scientific method to an applied area of psychology 4. a deeper appreciation for the complexity of human behavior 5. increased tolerance and empathy for the range of behavior exhibited by others Instructional Methods: The course is taught in a combined lecture and seminar/discussion format. The learning objectives/goals are accomplished by combining your independent study of the readings with lectures, class discussions, activities, and requirements. Because of the style in which this course is taught, being prepared for and actively engaged in class meetings is an integral part of meeting the learning objectives/goals and performing well on the course requirements. Also, because of this format, the readings will introduce
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material not covered in lecture, and lecture will introduce material not covered in the readings. You are responsible for both. The recording of class meetings is prohibited, but I will consider special circumstances on an individual basis. Primary Text: Comer, Ronald J. (2007). Abnormal psychology (6th ed). New York: Worth Publishers. Supplemental Readings: Additional readings assignments will be made throughout the course as warranted. Recommended Text: American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Requirements: 1.) Syllabus Review Statement and Signature Form: Upon carefully reading and reviewing this syllabus, and after having the opportunity to discuss its contents and obtain clarification, complete and submit the review statement and signature form. This requirement is not graded, but you cannot earn points on any other requirements unless it is completed. 2.) Research Paper: (see attached description) ▪ You will complete a research paper during this course in which you will assume the role of an individual with a particular diagnosis. Please see attached description for instructions and details. Also see the attached Course Schedule for deadlines. Although this is an involved project which will likely require the duration of the course for adequate completion, it is also meant to be fun, educative, and enlightening. ▪ This paper is worth a maximum of 100 points (20% of final grade). 3.) Exams: Exams are one method of assessing your progress in meeting many of the course learning objectives. Exams are designed to measure the degree to which you understand critical information and can analyze and integrate this knowledge. Therefore, exams will cover course material from lectures, readings, and class discussions. Guidelines for this requirement are as follows: Due to the density of material in this course, you will complete five in-class exams. This will limit the amount of material covered for each exam. Exams may be comprised of multiple choice, short answer, and/or essay items. Exams will be given during the 1st half of the designated class period, followed by new lecture material. Each exam is worth a maximum of 100 points. I will drop the lowest exam score. Each of the four remaining exam scores will comprise 20% of final grade. Exams are together worth a maximum of 400 points (80% of final grade).
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Examination Policy: Exams will be given on the dates and for the time periods scheduled. If you arrive late, you will be given the remaining portion of the allotted time to complete the exam. You are responsible for bringing a supply of #2 pencils and a valid form of picture identification (e.g., state-issued driver’s license, KSU identification card) with you to each exam. All personal belongings must be stored out of sight and reach during exams. Cell phones and electronic devices are not permitted on your person. The professor reserves the right to assign and/or reassign seating during exams. Late/Miss Policy: All written requirements must be submitted during the class period in which they are due. If you know you will be unable to attend class when a written requirement is due, I will accept it early if it is submitted to me in person or in the Psychology Department office. Otherwise, exceptions for due dates are only given for significant extenuating circumstances (e.g., major illness, traumatic events) and at the professor’s discretion. Such an event must be discussed with the professor as soon as possible and you must provide appropriate documentation. Because there are multiple days to submit reading reaction papers and observational journal entries, no due date exceptions will be given for these requirements, regardless of the reason. A component of the outline and introductory paragraph requirement involves inclass peer reviews that must be completed on the scheduled day. Literature review papers that are submitted after the deadline without a granted exception will incur a penalty of -10 points for each 24 hour period they are late. Exams must be taken at the time they are administered. Exceptions for exam dates are only given for significant extenuating circumstances (e.g., major illness, traumatic events) and at the professor’s discretion. Such an event must be discussed with the professor as soon as possible and you must provide appropriate documentation. Make-up exams will be scheduled at the professor’s convenience. Missed exams not handled in this manner will result in 0 points earned. At the beginning of the course, examine your semester schedule carefully to determine whether you will be able to complete the course requirements as scheduled. If not, consider taking another section of the course or take the course during a later semester. Extra Credit: You have the option of attempting to earn a maximum of 12 points of extra credit. Extra credit must be submitted by the end of class on 4/23/08, and may be available in some or all of the following forms: 1.) Opportunities to participate in research projects in the Department of Psychology may be available during the term. If available, these projects can be reviewed and accessed through the online Research Participation System. Instructions for using this system can be found on the WebCT Vista homepage for this course. You will earn “credits” for your participation in these research projects. For this course, each “credit” you earn is worth 4 points of extra credit to be added to your final score. 2.) For students who do not wish to participate in research projects, or for those who wish to earn extra credit in an alternative way, you have the option of completing a Movie Review paper (see attached instructions for Movie Review). Papers must be in APA style, typed, Times New Roman or Courier font size 11-12, double-spaced, with 1” margins. Satisfactory completion of this paper will earn up to 8 points of extra credit to be added to your final score. 3.) During lecture and class discussion, questions sometimes arise that cannot be answered based on the combined knowledge of the professor and students. At such times, the professor may ask for volunteers to investigate this issue. If you are assigned this task and successfully research the issue and verbally report your findings during the next class lecture, you will earn 2 points of extra credit.
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Student Evaluation/Grading Policy: I will evaluate your performance on each of the course requirements to assess the degree to which you have met the learning objectives/goals. You will earn points for graded requirements, resulting in an overall point total for the entire course. You can earn a maximum of 500 points based on combined points from all requirements. Requirements will be graded according to their specified guidelines. Points earned will be posted regularly to WebCT Vista. Requirements will be returned to students during a subsequent class for review. Written requirements may be kept, but all exams must be returned. The course grading scale and a sample course grade follow below: Grade A B C D F Point Total 448 - 500 398 - 447 348 - 397 298 - 347 0 - 297 Percentage 89.5 – 100 79.5 – 89.4 69.5 – 79.4 59.5 – 69.4 0 – 59.4 Requirement Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4 (dropped) Exam 5 Research Paper Extra credit (movie review) Earned 88 90 85 75 95 80 8
Total =
446 B
Professor Availability: I believe it is essential that students have access to assistance in the course when needed. Because I am an adjunct professor and do not have an office at KSU per se, you may contact me via email (preferred) or telephone to schedule a time to meet with me before or after class. I strongly encourage you to meet with me early in the semester if you are having or anticipate having difficulties in the course. In addition to meetings, you are welcome to contact me through email or through the “Questions for Dr. Wilson” discussion area on WebCT Vista. I encourage you to use email for course issues that are unique to you (e.g., questions about your grades) and to use WebCT Vista for course issues that might apply to other students (e.g., questions about a reading or requirement). Course Expectations: As your professor, I expect you to: ▪ be aware of, familiar with, and abide by the course syllabus ▪ attend all scheduled classes, arriving on time and staying throughout ▪ come to class prepared, having read and reviewed the corresponding readings ▪ be attentive and actively participate in class lectures, discussions, and demonstrations ▪ review and study lecture and reading materials in preparation for classes and requirements ▪ complete all requirements on specified dates ▪ take action if you are having difficulty in the course (e.g., meet with me, form study groups) ▪ behave in the dignified and respectful manner of a mature and responsible college student ▪ respect the rights of your peers to attend class in an environment conducive to learning ▪ maintain the highest level of academic honesty and integrity ▪ as soon as possible, present to me any concerns that arise
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As my student, you can expect me to: ▪ uphold the objectives, policies, requirements, and schedule described in the course syllabus ▪ be present, punctual, prepared, and attentive during each class ▪ be genuinely concerned about your ability to perform well in this course ▪ behave in the dignified and respectful manner of a college professor Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend all classes, arriving on time and staying throughout. You will have considerable difficulty in the course if you do not consistently attend class. This is due to several factors. First, the extensive course material presented in readings and lectures will be narrowed and clarified during class. Second, course material not contained in the readings will at times be introduced during lecture. Third, important announcements are made during class. You are responsible for knowing and complying with all information conveyed and distributed in class meetings, even those you do not attend. Although attendance is not a graded requirement, I do take attendance in the course. KSU Academic Integrity Statement: Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University's policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating; unauthorized access to University materials; misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work; malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library materials; malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities and/or services; and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an "informal" resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct's minimum one semester suspension requirement. Department of Psychology Plagiarism and Cheating Statement: No student shall receive, attempt to receive, knowingly give, or attempt to give unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any work to be submitted for credit as part of a course including, but not limited to, examinations, laboratory reports, essays, themes, and term papers. When direct quotations are used, they should be indicated, and when the ideas, theories, data, figures, graphs, programs, electronic-based information, or illustrations of someone other than the student are incorporated into a work product, the source should be duly acknowledged. All faculty members have access to electronic resources that instantly identify papers containing unoriginal material. These programs are used to promote originality in student work and to deter students from plagiarizing. Although the Psychology Department supports multidisciplinary and focused scholarly interests, we do not ordinarily allow students to turn in (or modify) a paper from a previous course or use the same paper for multiple courses. Students should meet with their course instructor(s) to clarify their individual policies regarding this matter as well as to ensure violations do not occur. Also, refer to the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for specific guidelines on APA format regarding citations and references.
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Course Plagiarism and Cheating Information: Plagiarism and cheating are violations of the KSU Student Code of Conduct. As a student in my course, you are responsible for following this code. You are also responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the information provided in this section of the syllabus concerning plagiarism and cheating. If you have any questions about this information, ask before turning in an assignment. Ignorance of or failure to understand this information will not be accepted as excuses for plagiarism or cheating. It is your responsibility to ensure that the work you submit in this course is entirely your own. Plagiarism occurs when you present another person’s work as if it were your own. Plagiarism can occur in any of the following forms: 1.) blatant copying – This occurs when you deliberately copy material from a source without giving the proper citation. 2.) inappropriate paraphrasing – This occurs when you use text from a source and change a few words in a sentence, such as reordering phrases or substituting synonyms. Even if you properly cite the source, this is plagiarism. To paraphrase correctly and avoid plagiarism, be sure you: ▪ understand the material in its original context ▪ take notes in your own words on the source material, being sure to note the source ▪ integrate information from your notes and cite accordingly as you write your paper ▪ do not write your paper with the source text in front of you ▪ review your sources after completing a draft to be sure that you have paraphrased correctly 3.) inappropriate citation – This occurs when you fail to properly cite a source after using information from it in your paper. Any information you present that is not clearly your opinion or general knowledge must have originated from a source and that source must be correctly cited using APA style. Note that other citation and writing styles exist but are not acceptable in this course. 4.) excessive quoting – This occurs when you repeatedly use direct quotes or include lengthy quotes from your source(s). In APA style, quoting directly from a source, even with appropriate punctuation and citations, is strongly discouraged. Each quote results in less of your paper being your original writing. You should use quotations sparingly, and only when the source text conveys an idea in a way that is particularly meaningful or that cannot successfully be summarized. Collaboration on any course requirements, unless it is a stated aspect of the requirement (e.g., group projects), is cheating and academic misconduct. Although you are encouraged to form study groups, your performance on requirements must be solely your own. Also, previous, simultaneous, or future submission of work in/for this class (e.g., turning in the same or similar assignment for two courses) is a violation of the KSU Academic Integrity Statement and Department of Psychology Plagiarism and Cheating Statement. Procedures for Academic Misconduct: Any student who plagiarizes or cheats on a requirement in this course may receive a grade of 0 for that requirement. At my discretion, you may also receive a grade of 0 for the course. If I suspect you have plagiarized or cheated, I will contact you to schedule a meeting. A KSU representative (e.g., dean, department chair, University Judicial Officer) may be present at this meeting at my request. If you wish to have someone accompany you to the meeting, you must obtain prior permission from the University Judicial Officer, who will then notify me. During this meeting I will discuss the evidence of your misconduct and give you an opportunity to respond. At this point, one of three outcomes is possible: 1.) You may deny the misconduct occurred. If I agree, the matter is resolved. If I disagree, the matter will be referred to the University Judiciary Program for a hearing. You will be assigned a grade of “Incomplete” until the matter is resolved. 2.) You may admit to the misconduct and I decide not to seek suspension or expulsion. In this situation I will first contact the Office of Judiciary Programs to determine whether you have a prior record of academic misconduct. If you do, the current case is required to go to the University Judiciary Program for a hearing, even if you admit to the misconduct. If you have no prior record, I will
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determine the appropriate academic sanctions in my course. We will submit a signed report to the Office of Judiciary Programs detailing the misconduct and resolution in my course. This will create a record of your academic misconduct, but KSU will not take action for this type of first offense. 3.) You may admit to the misconduct and I decide to seek suspension or expulsion. In this situation I will inform you that the case is being referred to the University Judiciary Program for a hearing. I will determine the appropriate academic sanctions in my course. We will submit a signed report to the Office of Judiciary Programs detailing the misconduct and the resolution in my course. Diversity Statement: As your professor, I am committed to creating an atmosphere of learning that is intentionally inclusive, respectful, and welcoming of individuals with varied personal experiences and backgrounds. The course will not espouse, foster, or harbor discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, language, geographic region, resident status, religious/spiritual and secular beliefs, family structure, socioeconomic status, gender identity/expression, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, or health status. Teaching Assistants: There may be a teaching assistant for this course. Teaching assistants are typically junior or senior level KSU students majoring in psychology. Their role is to provide assistance to me with course related tasks such as grading, record maintenance, and materials preparation. Because of this role, all teaching assistants sign confidentiality agreements regarding their work in the course and have been approved by the department chair. Teaching assistants cannot provide you with any information concerning course grades or requirements. All requests for such information should be directed to me. Special Needs & Accommodations: Kennesaw State University provides program accessibility and reasonable accommodations for persons defined as disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Disabled Student Support Services via Ms. Carol Pope, ADA Compliance Officer for Students, at 770-423-6443 (V) or 770-4236480 (TDD). Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Disabled Student Support Services. Student Resources: There are several excellent resources on campus for students who need assistance in both academic and personal matters. Those that may be of particular use to you in this course include the following: ▪ Personal and Career Counseling (CAPS Center): http://www.kennesaw.edu/caps/ ▪ The Writing Center: http://www.kennesaw.edu/english/WritingCenter/index.shtml ▪ ESL Study and Tutorial Center: http://www.kennesaw.edu/university_studies/esl/center.shtml Syllabus Change Policy & Unexpected Events: Every effort will be made to adhere to the syllabus in its current form. While no changes in course objectives, policies, and requirements are expected, alterations in course content may occur at the professor’s discretion when necessary and will be announced in class. In case of inclement weather, class meetings occur according to the University’s open/closed status. If the University is closed on the day of an exam or the day a requirement is due, the date will be moved forward to the next scheduled class meeting that the University is open.
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Course Schedule:
CLASS 1 DATE 1/9 CLASS TOPICS & REQUIREMENTS DUE Introduction & Syllabus Overview Assign Research Paper topics Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present Models in Abnormality Turn in: Syllabus Review Statement and Signature Form Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Exam 1 : Abnormal Psychology in Science & Practice Anxiety Disorders Stress Disorders Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders Exam 2: Problems of Stress & Anxiety Mood Disorders Treatments for Mood Disorders Spring Break – NO CLASS Suicide Exam 3: Problems of Mood Eating Disorders Substance-Related Disorders Sexual Disorders and Gender Identity Disorder Schizophrenia & Treatment Exam 4: Problems of Mind & Body, and Problems of Psychosis Personality Disorder Exercise Personality Disorders Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence Disorders of Aging and Cognition Turn in Research Paper Turn in any extra credit work Exam 5: Personality Disorders & Life-Span Problems Chpt 10 Exam: Chpts 8, 9, and 10 Chpt. 11 Chpt. 12 Chpt. 13 Chpts 14 & 15 Exam : Chpts 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 READING Syllabus Chpt. 1 Chpt. 3
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1/16 1/23 1/30 2/6 2/13 2/20 2/27 3/5
Chpt. 4 Exam: Chpts. 1, 3, and 4 Chpt. 5 Chpt. 6 Chpt. 7 Exam: Chpts 5, 6, and 7 Chpt. 8 Chpt. 9
9 10 11 12 13
3/12 3/19 3/26 4/2 4/9
14
4/16
Chpt 16 Chpt 17 Chpt 18
15
4/23
16
4/30
Exam: Chpts 16, 17, and 18
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Syllabus Review Statement and Signature Form
Course Name: Number & Section: Term: Professor: Abnormal Psychology PSYC 4430.02 Spring 2008 John W. Wilson, Psy.D.
I have read and reviewed all of the information contained in this syllabus. I have had the opportunity to ask Dr. Wilson any questions I may have about the syllabus and its contents. I understand the contents of this syllabus, including all described requirements, expectations, policies, and procedures. As a student in this course, I agree to abide by the policies and requirements set forth in this entire document.
_________________________________ Printed Name
_________________________________ Signature
______________ Date
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RESEARCH PAPER You have just been assigned the following mental illness: (Students fill in the randomly assigned diagnosis here): _______________________________________________ For the remainder of the semester you are to imagine that you are an individual with the above disorder. The disorder is causing you a high amount of distress and you are highly motivated to become well. Please find information that addresses the following questions. You must turn in a written paper and a folder/binder with your supporting documents. (This includes the first page of all web pages, articles, etc. and a complete bibliography.) You have the option of doing the paper in either a diary or academic/research format. In addition, clip any relevant newspaper or popular media articles and reports on television segments that appear this semester on your disorder and include them in your final paper. You do not need to answer the questions in the order they are presented here. This paper should be well researched, organized, written, and all references must be documented in the text and in a separate reference page. DO NOT CUT AND PASTE FROM THE INTERNET!! 1. What health insurance coverage (payment, length of coverage, etc.) do you receive on your current insurance plan for this disorder? If you do not have insurance, how would this impact the treatment you are able to receive? Does your health insurance offer any special programs or treatment options for someone with your disorder? 2. Where would you go for in-patient (hospital) treatment in your county of residence? (Is this private or public and would you be covered by your insurance?) Does your disorder usually lead to hospitalization? 3. Is there a national treatment facility for your disorder or a "best place to go" for treatment? If not, what is a typical course of action for someone with your disorder? 4. Where would you go for outpatient treatment in your county of residence? Public or private? 5. How would you go about locating a mental health professional to treat your disorder? Do any licensed mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, MFT'S, LCSW'S) advertise treatment services for your disorder? 6. If you had a psychiatric emergency related to your disorder, where would you go for help in your county of residence? 7. Are there any self-help groups for your disorder in your county of residence? If so, where are they and how often do they meet? If not, how far would you need to travel? 8. What resources are available to someone with your disorder on the Internet? Find the four best resources and report the specific URL addresses in your paper. Write an evaluative paragraph about each site. 9. What is the history of your disorder? Include a brief summary. Has the name changed over the years? 10. Go to a local bookstore. What information is available on your disorder? Would you be inclined to purchase any? Include four titles in your paper. Maybe your disorder only appears as a chapter in a book.
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11. Go to a library. What books are available on your disorder? Include at least four titles in your paper. Use different titles than #11 above. 12. How would people at work respond to you if you told them about your disorder? Imagine telling your boss, co-workers,. What would change if anything? 13. How would your relatives respond to your disorder? How would people at school respond? 14. What information is published in the discipline of psychology or psychiatry on the treatment of your disorder in the last five years? Use a psychological database to locate at least four relevant articles that focus on treatment. Include paragraph summaries of these articles in your paper and the first page of each article to document your research. 15. What form of treatment would you be inclined to try? Give a rationale based on your reading. 16. Are medications being used to treat your disorder? If so, which ones are used currently and most frequently? 17. Are there any non-traditional methods (e.g. nutritional, spiritual, etc.) available to specifically treat your disorder? 18. Compare and contrast two different approaches to treating this disorder (use any of the above resources, class notes, and the textbook to support your ideas) 19. Include a section on your personal reactions to having this disorder during the semester and the impact of doing this assignment on your views of mental illness. To do a great job, this assignment requires a semester. I want you to have FUN with this project!
Grading Scale: 90-100 points Papers in this range meet all of the criteria at a high level. Such papers cover each the required content thoroughly; demonstrate exceptional thought and reflection; integrate information from source in a skilled manner; adhere closely to APA Style; are clear, coherent, and well organized; and contain almost no surface errors (i.e., grammar, spelling, punctuation). 80-89 points 70-79 points 60-69 points 0-59 points Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a high level. Such papers are somewhat underdeveloped in one or two areas or have significant problems in one area. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at an average level. Such papers are underdeveloped in several areas or have significant problems in two areas. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a low level. Such papers are underdeveloped in most areas and have significant problems in one or two areas. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a very low level. Such papers have significant problems in most areas.
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOVIE REVIEW (Optional extra credit): The following is a list of potential films to review for your movie review requirement. It is not an exhaustive list of feature films in the area of psychology, yet it represents a number of films that deal with major themes in the abnormal psychology course. You may elect to choose another film, but you must discuss it with course instructor first. As Agnes of Good Benny Amadeus Awakenings Barfly Birdy Blue Sky God as it and Joon Gets I Never I’m Clean Don Good Promised Dancing and Juan de Eating Eqqus Frances Will you a as Fast Sober Marco Hunting Rose as I Can Garden Madness of Inside King of Mosquito Mr. Interiors King Nell Nuts Moves Hearts Coast Jones George One Flew Prince Ordinary Smooth She’s So Sophie’s Over the of Rainman Slingblade People Talk Lovely Choice Cuckoo’s Tides Nest The The The Three Thelma Truly, The Unstrung Sybil Dream Snake Faces of and Madly, Fisherking Heroes Team Pit Eve Louise Deeply What’s When a What Whose Life Women Eating Man Beautiful Ya Ya about is it Under the Gilbert Loves a Mind Sisterhood Bob Anyway Influence Grape Women You may also want to visit the following web page for further descriptions of movies that are relevant to abnormal psychology: http://www.epix.net/~tcannon1/psychopathmovies.htm SOME GUIDELINES FOR WRITING THE ABNORMAL PSYCH. MOVIE REVIEW: Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to observe an individual(s) who is struggling with abnormality. The story may be fiction or non-fiction. To potentially receive a high grade, the focus of your paper will be on the individual, not on the plot or theme of the movie. In some rare cases, the focus of the movie review paper may be on a faulty mental health or family "system." 1. Focus on the individual: A. What do you observe about the person, their thoughts, feelings, behaviors? B. According to the definition(s) presented in both the lecture and the reading, is this person acting abnormal? What are their difficulties? C. Is a diagnosis given in the film? Is it correct? How was it made? How would you alter the
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diagnosis? What do you think the diagnosis is? D. What are the primary, predisposing, or precipitating causes of their disturbance? E. How does their history relate to the disturbance? F. Take a particular model of causality (e.g. biological, psychodynamic) and apply it to this case. 2. Focus on the environment: A. Are there any environmental influences that you believe are influential to the person's disturbance? (e.g. the era, the institution, the dysfunctional family, the therapist's practice) B. Does the movie accurately portray the person? Or, do you believe the case is distorted by "Hollywood" C. How do others respond to this person? Focus on both mental health professionals and family members. D. If treatment was given, was it helpful, harmful? E. What do you believe would have helped the person improve/change? These are just some questions to ask yourself. Be creative. Each movie, each story is different and should provide a different focus to your paper. Work from your own experience and current knowledge base. Do not feel that you have to do "research." To potentially receive a high grade, you should not simply answer the above questions, but rather address your main character with these prompting questions in your mind. Papers must be in APA style, typed, Times New Roman or Courier font size 11-12, doublespaced, with 1” margins. Grading Scale: 7 - 8 points: Papers in this range meet all of the criteria at a high level. Such papers cover each the required content thoroughly; demonstrate exceptional thought and reflection; integrate information from source in a skilled manner; adhere to APA Style; are clear, coherent, and well organized; and contain almost no surface errors (i.e., grammar, spelling, punctuation). 6 - 7 points: Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a high level. Such papers are somewhat underdeveloped in one or two areas or have significant problems in one area. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at an average level. Such papers are underdeveloped in several areas or have significant problems in two areas. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a low level. Such papers are underdeveloped in most areas and have significant problems in one or two areas. Papers in this range meet most of the criteria at a very low level. Such papers have significant problems in most areas.
4 - 5 points:
2 - 3 points:
0 - 1 point:
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