Course Syllabus Introduction to Clinical Psychology. 1 Syllabus: Psychology 1210 – Fall Semester 2016, Dr. William J. Hawthorne III, University of Pittsburgh Course Syllabus Introduction

pg. 1 Syllabus: Psychology 1210 – Fall Semester 2016, Dr. William J. Hawthorne III, University of Pittsburgh

Course Syllabus Introduction to Clinical Psychology

Psych 1210 Dr. William J. Hawthorne III Fall Semester 2016

Course Description:

This course is intended primarily for upper-level psychology majors, typically in the Junior or Senior year

of studies. In this respect, it is designed to provide exposure for students considering graduate studies in

Clinical Psychology. Students in other majors may take the course, providing that they have met

background course requirements. I have structured the course with the goal of making the course relevant,

real-world oriented, interesting, and interactive. I have designed this to be a challenging course worthy of

upper-level students.

An essential element of this course is an exploration of the scientific basis of Clinical Psychology and the

critical interface between clinical practice and clinical psychological research. In the best of worlds, each

informs the other. The very concept of science rests on the principle of falsifiability: a dialectic, in which

the process of constant questioning and debate leads to discovery, growth, and new knowledge. In this

way, Scientist-Practitioners and Practitioner-Scientists must embrace controversy and maintain an

environment that is conducive to constant questioning, change, and exploration; what we accept as fact

today will be overturned and replaced by a new understanding tomorrow through this process of

challenge, research, and re-examination. Without this process, of questioning, there is no science – merely

a system of beliefs. From this perspective, it is my view that the areas of controversy we will examine in

this course represent the constant process of change that keeps Clinical Psychology vital and relevant and

useful. You, as students, and as future researchers and clinicians, represent the future.

Course Goals:

To provide an introduction to the field of clinical psychology related to:

1. The realistic impact of a changing healthcare environment and evolving role of Clinical

Psychology as a healthcare specialty.

2. Methods of research in the arenas of assessment and intervention, with a focus emphasizing the real-

life complexity of defining and studying outcomes from multiple perspectives.

4. The growing importance of Culture and Diversity in contemporary Clinical Psychology along with the

appreciation of the impact of both historical and current racism and immigration-related trauma in

contemporary American society.

5. Methods of assessment and intervention in clinical psychological practice within the contemporary

healthcare environment.

6. The integration of new empirically tested paradigms into mainstream Clinical Psychology.


Course Structure and Format:

Text: I have selected a textbook that provides excellent coverage of a range of core issues in

contemporary Clinical Psychology. This text, now in its third edition, has been well-reviewed by my

students for the past four semesters. The new update that we will be using this semester was released in

mid-November of 2014 addressing the transition from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5.

Preparation/Presentation:

I would like you to prepare the assigned chapter and prior to the class meeting so that you may bring any

questions or points of discussion that you have to class. A semester passes quickly and, even if we only

attempted to cover material in the text, there would not be enough time! Although we will not address

everything in the text, you will be responsible for the material in the assigned chapters and I will leave

room in each class for you to bring up issues, observations, and questions from your reading.

Focus and Structure:

The class presentation/lecture will not simply be a repetition of the text but will focus on new or related

material or more in-depth treatment of a particular topic. I have in this course some topics that I believe

are essential to understanding the evolving world of contemporary Clinical Psychology; these topics

include a more in-depth view of immigration, culture and racism, the topic of substance use disorders and

addictions, and core issues in psychotherapy outcome research.

I have incorporated a number of documentary and clinical vignette videos, as well as some artistic,

dramatic, and literary materials that I feel enhance my coverage of important issues in contemporary

clinical psychology and make for interesting discussion and, perhaps encourage a bit of divergent

thinking.

In the syllabus, the readings for each class meeting are identified and consist of chapters or sections of

chapters in the text, journal articles, and literary essays. I have kept the number of required articles or

essays to a minimum; some of them were used preparing my lectures and are provided as primary source

materials. Certain articles will be ‘required’ reading while others will not. At the end of each chapter, the

author of the text provides supplementary readings available on the Sage Publishing Website; these

articles are optional and will not be covered on the exams. Any articles or essays identified as “optional”

will not be covered in exam content, but those identified as “required” will.

Other Activities:

You may also be invited to engage in a little research, discussion, and experiential learning. I have a

particular interest in Mindfulness Practice and meditation. This is an area of research that is currently

exploding and has garnered strong empirical support and is integral part of the new ‘third-generation’

empirically based behavioral approaches, e.g. MBSR, MBCBT, DBT, and ACT. In the course, you’ll

learn a little about Mindfulness practice through a series of experiences and experiments and, as we

progress in the course, we’ll examine the relevance of these practices to psychotherapy (particularly

cognitive, and metacognitive approaches) as well as to life skills, resilience, and enhancing quality of life

in general.


Keeping up and showing up:

In order to meaningfully participate in the class, it is important to keep up with readings and assignments.

You are invited to actively contribute to class discussions – your ideas are important and make the class

interesting! Over the course of the semester, you will self-assess your participation in class and this will

be contribute to your final grade.

Class Sessions:

There will be three components to each class this semester. Each class begins with a mindfulness

exercise. I’ll give you a little experiment each week and we’ll discuss it in the next class session. In some

class meetings there may also be an experiential exercise related to the topic we are taking on that week.

The second component of our class meeting is the formal presentation in which I will focus on a

particular topic or issue to explore in depth. Before starting the formal presentation for the evening, you

are invited to bring up any questions or thoughts that you have about material in the chapter. The third

component of a class meeting is discussion – hopefully we will share ideas and experiences on these

topics and this will enable our class to come to life. I hope to create an atmosphere of acceptance and

inquiry where all ideas are important and worthy of consideration.

Class Attendance:

Because I introduce material that is not in the text, it is important that you attend class. Because your

ideas are important, so is your attendance. In a number of class sessions, video, case, and artistic material

will be presented and discussed and the only way to have benefit of this material is to be present in class;

exam content will contain questions specific to these elements of the class presentations.

Exams:

There will be 3 Exams this semester. The purpose of exams is to facilitate acquisition and to reinforce

learning – not to be difficult or “tricky.” Each exam covers one and only one of the sections into which

the course has been divided: 1). Training, Practice, and Issues, 2). Assessment, 3). Intervention.

After the exam is completed, we immediately review the questions and answers. The purpose of this

review is to provide immediate feedback and to reinforce learning through review and discussion of the

domains covered by the exam. Often this provides an opportunity to ‘dig deeper’ into the material

covered by the exam. Previous classes have indicated that they appreciated this approach to the exams.

At the end of the semester and as a part of each exam, you will complete a self-assessment of your

participation in the course. This self-assessment does not contribute to the exam grade but is considered in

the attendance and participation grade at the end of the semester.

Course Materials:

1. Text: Pomerantz, Andrew M. Clinical Psychology, Science, Practice, and Culture, Third

Edition, DSM 5 Update 2014, Sage Publications

2. Articles will be posted on Courseweb. I have noted which articles are “required” versus

“optional.

3. Video Materials for reaction and comment are posted on the Discussion Board


Course Requirements and Grading:

Exams and Grading:

Computation of Final Grades: Exam scores will constitute the largest portion of the class grade.

Attendance and participation will contribute to the final grade and will consist of a combination of student

self-rated evaluation, as previously described, plus my evaluation.

Grade cutoffs are as follows - this applies to exams and to final grades:

A-: 90- 93 B-: 80-83 C-: 70-73 D-: 60-63

A: 94-97 B: 84-86 C: 74-76 D: 64-66

A+: 98-100 B+: 87-89 C+: 77-79 D+: 67-69

Course Policies:

Academic Integrity ( University Policy):

Students in this course will be expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh's Policy on Academic

Integrity Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the semester will be

required to participate in the procedural process, initiated at the instructor level, as outlined in the

University Guidelines on Academic Integrity. This may include, but is not limited to, the confiscation of

the examination of any individual suspected of violating University Policy. Furthermore, no student may

bring any unauthorized materials to an exam.

Disabilities (University Policy):

If you have a disability that requires special testing accommodations or other classroom modifications,

you need to notify both the instructor and the Disability Resources and Services no later than the 2nd

week of the term. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to determine the

appropriateness of accommodations. To notify Disability Resources and Services, call 648-7890 (Voice

or TTD) to schedule an appointment. The Office is located in 140 William Pitt Union.

G Grade Policy:

It is extremely rare that I give a "G" grade. My experience is that students who get these grades rarely

complete the work. Therefore, if you are having any sort of problem with the class or events in your life

that impact your participation in class, it is incumbent upon you to contact me as soon as possible, not at

the end of the semester. I am always available to my students.

Statement on Classroom Recording (University Policy):

To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion

and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly

approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private use. I do not permit any recording of

the class presentations or discussions.

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http://www.pitt.edu/~provost/ai1.html

http://www.pitt.edu/~provost/ai1.html

http://www.drs.pitt.edu/policies.html


A class meeting-by-class meeting agenda follows. Please note that, for each class meeting, I have noted

the Text Chapter(s) and readings that correspond to the class meeting. Readings (articles) are categorized

as Required or Optional. On exams, be accountable only for the articles designated as Required. All of

the articles are accessible via your Courseweb.

Course Schedule:

August 29: First Class Meeting:

Topics:

1). Course overview

2). Clinical Psychology Practice in the Managed Care Environment and its impact on Psychological

Research, Intervention, and Practice.

3). Introduction to Clinical Psychology Training Models

Readings: Text: Chapter 1, and some of Chapter 3

Chapter 2 will not be covered.

No Required Articles

Supplementary Articles:

1). Rozensky: Health Care Reform: Preparing the

Psychology Work force,

2). McDaniel & Fogarty: What Primary Care

Psychology Has to Offer the Patient-Centered Medical

Home

We will start out with introductions and I will present an outline for the semester. After introductions and

an introduction to the course, we will begin by we’ll look at Clinical Psychology in the contemporary

(Managed Care) practice environment. I will introduce some of the defining characteristics of

contemporary practice environment, managed healthcare, and the topic of primary care integration.

Finally, we will also take brief a look at the primary training models within Clinical Psychology.

September 5: Labor Day

No Class Meeting this week

Please review the chapter on Ethics and Read the two Self-Care Articles so that we may discuss this issue

in class on the 12th. Think of why one would view self-care as an Ethical issue, rather than just as a ‘good

thing.’ Think how these principles might be useful in your present roles and circumstances (even though

you are not yet full-fledged ‘Psychologists.’

September 12:

Topics:

1). Ethics: Focusing on Self-care as an Ethical Obligation

2). An Introduction to Mindfulness Practice

Readings: Text: Chapters 5 – entire chapter focus on p104-107,

and p115-125

Required Articles:

1). Norcross & Barnett: Self-Care as an Ethical

Imperative


2). Wise, Hersh, Marks-Gibson: Ethics and Self-Care, a

Developmental Lifespan Perspective

3). Germer: What is Mindfulness

Optional Articles:

1). Richard, Lutz, Davidson: Mind of the Meditator

2). Drummond, Cromarty,et al: Privacy in the Digital

Age: Implications for Clinical Practice

1). Health care providers are often individuals who do a great job caring for others yet often do

considerably less well caring for themselves. Often human service and health care professionals work too

many hours, failing to set limits, engage in unhelpful compensatory mechanisms of coping with stress

such as substance use, poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, unhealthy relationship, and fail to make time

for family relationships, exercise, play, or creativity. In John Norcross’s excellent article, self-care is

presented as an ethical obligation. Wise, Hersh, and Gibson approach self-care from a developmental

perspective, focusing on the distinctive concerns that, from a lifespan developmental perspective, that

characterize the particular issues and stressors confronting the professional and personal lives of students,

trainees, interns, early career psychologists, and late career psychologists. This is a fascinating article the

findings of which may surprise you!

2). Mindfulness and Meditation are front and center in contemporary psychological research and practice.

With origins dating back 2500 years in Eastern, Buddhist, and Yogic practices, Western medicine and

psychology have adapted many of the principles, empirically tested, and applied these practices in a

number of therapeutic arenas in medicine and behavioral health. In everyday life, Mindfulness practice

has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing stress, increasing quality of life, and enhancing

effectiveness in a number of areas of endeavor. Last year, the University of Pittsburgh initiated The Pitt

Mindfulness Institute with broad missions in the areas of service, research, and education. In this session,

I will introduce the topic and present basic principles of Mindfulness practice. Each week following, you

will have the opportunity to experiment and engage in a little personal research into Mindfulness and, as

the semester progresses, we will explore how many of these practices and principles may have direct

utility in the arena of psychological intervention, as well as to enhancing quality of life - in those either

identified or not identified as ‘patients.’

September 17:

Topic:

Culture, Immigration, Racism, and Clinical Psychology

Readings: Text: Chapter 4 – entire chapter

Required Articles:

1). Perez-Foster: When Immigration is Trauma,

2). Harrell: Multi-dimensional conceptualization of

racism-related stress

Presentation of Graphic and Artistic Work: featuring

Gordon Parks (photography) & Ralph Ellison

(literature), and others

Have you been watching the primary and presidential speeches and debates, the news, reading the paper

over the past year? (Of course you have) Daily, the media present us with the message that we should be

afraid of ‘terrorists’, illegal immigrants, and “those people” who are in some way differenct from

ourselves (you supply national origin, race, disability, sexual preference, or color here). This clearly

impacts our personal and collective ‘psychology’ and lived experience. Particularly affected are those


who are on the ‘outside’ of dominant society and who are non-privileged. Media coverage of police

killings of minority individuals, and even more recently the retaliatory killing of police officers,

‘terrorism-related’ civil rights violations, and related events brings home the reality of racism and fear in

America. America has 5% of the world population yet accounts for 25% of the world’s prisoners, most of

whom are ethnic and racial minorities.

As Clinical Psychologists, are challenged to address the increasingly complex issues of social justice,

racism and oppression along the lines of race, culture, nationality, and class in the populations we serve.

In the context of contemporary life, cultural competence becomes an ethical obligation and necessary skill

in order to provide clinically competent services.

Clearly, the controversies over ‘Immigration Reform’ speaks to the reality that immigrants to this country

face particular issues related to the multiple hardships associated with the immigration process. I have

provided you with a two excellent articles on this topic, please be sure to review them prior to our class

meeting. In this session we will examine both the present and historical effects of racism and related

trauma as well as the research addressing cultural differences and how they may impact assessment and

intervention in Clinical Psychology. We will also explore some very interesting research in language and

the relationship of traumatic experience and language development to intervention.

September 26:

Topic:

Manualized Therapies, Efficacy vs. Effectiveness and Outcomes in Assessment and Psychotherapy

Readings:

Text: Chapter 3: p54-64, Chapter 6: p130-133, 139-145,

Chapter 11: p264-277

Required Articles:

1). Tolin, McKay, et al. Empirically Supported

Treatment: Recommendations for a New Model

2). Chambless: Identification of Empirically Supported

treatments into the 21st Century

Supplementary Articles: National Register of Health

Service Providers in Psychology (Register Report):

Evidence-Based Practice Resources

This session focuses on the issue of how to study psychotherapy outcome. How do we know that a

particular intervention, or any intervention for that matter, is effective? We find this issue popping up in

several places in the textbook. You are referred to Chapters 3, 6, and 11 (pages listed above). This is a

highly controversial area; it is clear the profession (indeed all healthcare professions) are moving rapidly

to develop and adopt methods of assessment and intervention that are empirically supported. There are

also economic forces that compel the professions to adapt efficacious and (ultimately) effective efficient

(short-term) models of intervention. Within Clinical Psychology there has been considerable debate about

the adequacy of current research for compel such practices. For example, there is inadequate research in

EBTs (empirically-based therapies) and ethnic minorities or children. Within the domain of cognitive and

personality assessment, there is inadequate research on the role of language and culture as determinants of

outcome. There is even considerable controversy as to what constitutes ‘good’ outcomes in either

assessment or intervention. The selected sections of the text provide some of the parameters. The Articles

I have selected here (McKay at al. especially) are a bit dense but adequately demonstrate the complexity

of these issues. Please do read the material before class so that we may really ‘dig in’ to the issues.

October 3: Exam I


October 10:

Topic

Diagnosis and Classification: Normality, Abnormality and what lies between

Readings:

Text: Chapter 7 – entire chapter

Required Articles and Essays:

1) Barber: The Medicated Americans

2). Kriss: The Book of Lamentations

Class Video Presentations

Please read the chapter before class to get you thinking on the issue of what constitutes ‘normality’ and

‘abnormality.’ How does someone become a ‘patient.’ This is a great starting point to begin considering

the underlying assumptions and principles that underlie diagnosis, assessment, and intervention. We’ll

start this part of the class meeting with an interesting video that will get us into the issue. This session will

not be a review of the DSM-5 or ICD-10, but will deal with some of the issues inherent in nominal

classificatory systems and we will touch on some of the alternatives to this type of system. However, the

focus will be on the clinician’s task of arriving at an understanding of “who” the patient is – what is their

‘story’ – how did they come to be a patient. In this respect, our attention will turn to both the broad and

the very specific issues inherent in the concept of “Abnormality” vs. “Normality,” as it relates to the

clinician’s task of arriving at a useful understanding of the patient and eventually translating that

understanding to an interventional strategy. As well, we will touch on the perhaps more philosophical

issues related to human nature and the nature of human suffering as well as to the ultimate goals of

psychotherapy.

October 18:

Topic:

The Clinical Interview

Readings: Text: Chapter 8 – Entire Chapter


1). Steere: “On Listening to Another,” essay presented

in class – text will be made available after presentation

Class Video Presentation

In this session, we address the goals of assessment with an emphasis on the clinical interview as a starting

point of both assessment and intervention. This is generally our first encounter with a patient/client and

forms that basis of all that follows. Good first encounters (i.e. interviews) set the stage for assessment or

therapy, alleviate initial anxieties, clarify issues, and prepare the individual for therapy. Being a ‘good

interviewer’ requires considerable skill. In this class, we explore these goals, principles, and skills. I will

read an essay written by Quaker author and University Professor of Philosophy, Douglas Steere, Ph.D.,

entitled “On Listening to Another.” I describe this as the best essay I ever read about psychotherapy that

wasn’t written about psychotherapy. Dr. Steere’s insights into the process of effective listening and the

transformative processes that occur within the optimal listening situation are profound and directly apply

to both assessment and intervention models that we will examine in this course.


October 24:

Topic

Neuropsychology and Cognitive Assessment (Including Intellectual Functioning)

Readings:

Text: Chapter 9- entire chapter


Optional Articles may be added during the semester

Clinical Case Presentations and Demonstrations

In this section we will begin with the role of clinical neuropsychological assessment in the diagnosis and

treatment of neurobehavioral conditions and disorders as well as the evolution of Clinical

Neuropsychology as a sub specialty within Clinical Psychology. We will also explore the assessment of

Intellectual functioning (“IQ Testing”) and will examine some issues and controversies within this

domain of assessment, including cultural and racial issues, models of intelligence (i.e. what is

intelligence?) and we will look at some of the research on cognitive aging and neural plasticity. In this

section, I will utilize case examples and clinical test protocols from my practice to illustrate the principles

being presented.

October 31:

Topic

Personality Assessment

Readings:

Text: Chapter 10


Optional Articles May be Added during the Semester

In this section we cover the psychometric assessment of emotional and personality functioning. Starting

with the principles of evidence-based Assessment and multi-method assessment, we will also explore

specific issues of test standardization and applicability within a multi-cultural context. Within the domain

of psychometric assessment, we will explore both Projective and Objective measures and the underlying

assumptions that distinguish the two types of assessment. I will also present research and examples of the

utility of standardized psychological measures in the process of clinical decision-making. Material

presented in this session will be illustrated by clinical case material from my practice.

November 7: Exam II

A note on the next section – Interventions.

Material in this session will be illustrated by video vignettes that illustrate the basic approach and the

vignettes will enable us to explore the core elements of each approach. In this section, I hope that we will

be able to actively discuss the principle involved in each of the approaches and the manner in which the

intervention follows from the theoretical assumptions that form the theory.


November 14

Topic

1). Interventions: Introduction to Common Factors and Theory-Driven Factors – the research

2). Psychodynamic and Interpersonal Approaches

Readings: Text: Chapters 11 (related to eclecticism,

p 283-285, )Chapter 12- entire chapter, we will not

cover Chapter 13


1). Tobin: My 50 Minute Hour (literary essay)

2. Messer-Wampold: Face Facts, Common Factors are

More Potent than Specific Therapy Ingredients

3). Lacewing: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Insight,

and Therapeutic Action

Video Vignettes

1). All psychological interventions are driven by a theory that explains the problem and by a series of

procedures (interventions) that follow from the theory. However, psychotherapy outcome research

consistently points the presence of factors which are not driven by any particular theoretical perspective

or theory but which appear to be present across a number of theoretically driven interventions. For

example, the factor often referred to as the ‘therapeutic alliance’ consistently appears in the research to

contribute significantly to outcome and, in fact, in many studies appears to account for most of the

variance in outcome. Nonetheless, each theoretical approach also contains particular theory-driven

factors. In this section of the lecture, we will explore the research on the ‘Common Factors’ and in the

next section and subsequent sections, will explore the theory-driven factors associated with each brand of

therapy.

2). The dynamic and interpersonal therapies are in many respects foundational and include

Psychoanalytic, Short Term Psychodynamic approach and their modern variants, such as Interpersonal

Therapy. These approaches described by Dr. Pomerantz as the initial “waves” of psychotherapy,

emphasize intrapsychic and interpersonal functioning and the unconscious as a basis for understanding

and intervening in psychopathology. In this section, we will review the basic theory and discuss in depth

two different video vignettes that present psychotherapy from the psychodynamic perspective.

*Please read the chapters before class as the session will be very oriented to the vignettes and, in this

context, we will focus on the relationship of the underlying model of psychopathology to the form of the

intervention, examining both theoretical and empirical supports for these approaches, as well as your

observations and reactions to the vignettes.

November 21:

Topic:

Cognitive, Metacognitive, and Behavioral Interventions

Readings: Text:

Chapter 14, p.340-359, Chapter 15, whole chapter

Required Articles:


1). Hayes, Stossel et al: Experiential Avoidance and

Behavioral Disorders

2). Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness-Based Interventions in

Context: Past, Present, and Future

Video Vignettes and Video Metaphor Material

It is important to note also, that the Behavioral Perspective (Chapter 14) is critical for appreciating the

foundations of Cognitive-Behavioral, Metacognitive, and “Third Generation” Behavior therapies. In this

session, we primarily focus on Cognitive-Behavioral and the newer (Third Generation) Cognitive and

Metacognitive approaches, including MBSR, MBCBT, DBT, which incorporate metacognitive process

and mindfulness principles and processes. We examine the underlying theoretical assumptions of

psychopathology and treatment and the manner in which this is utilized in the intervention, along with the

empirical support for the models.

We will review video material featuring Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. (DBT) and Arron Beck, M.D. (CBT)

November 28:

Topic

The Treatment of Addictive Behavior – emphasizing Motivational Interviewing and the Transtheoretical

Model, New approaches to Substance Use, Addictions, and problems typically encountered in medical

settings

Readings: Text: Chapter 18 on Health Psychology, p455-

466

Required Article:

1).Stathapolou, Powers, et al: Exercise

Interventions for Mental Health: A Quantitative

and Qualitative Review

Pomerantz lists William Miller’s Motivational Interviewing as an existential therapy because it centers on

the dimensions of Choice and Responsibility are primary areas of focus and is often presented along with

Norcross, Prochaska, and DiClemente’s Transtheoretical Model of behavior change. In this session we

will examine these approaches applied to the treatment of addictions as well as the types of problems

typically encountered in the Primary Care environment. We will also explore the issues that complicate

the treatment of addictions, particularly addictions to substances, that contribute to the generally poor

treatment outcomes for these problems. Finally, we will look at other life style related behavior changes

and health-oriented interventions, such as exercise and their impact on treatment outcomes.

**Recommended Video: Dr. Miller’s lecture on Motivational Interviewing in our Courseweb Video

Section

December 5:

Topic:

Family Therapy and Group Therapy

Readings: Text: Chapter 16

Video Vignettes


1). Modern family therapy has evolved from functioning as an adaptation or extension of the

traditional therapies to an approach that appreciates complexity of the family from the

perspective of Systems Theory, which holds a fundamentally different of assumptions about the nature of

psychopathology, suffering, and dysfunction than individual-based psychotherapy approaches. In this

section we will explore family therapy from the Systems perspective, exploring concepts such as: the

Identified Patient, Homeostasis, Family Developmental perspectives, and communication models. We

will also examine the research on the indications and contra-indications for family therapy interventions.

1). Group therapy has long been appreciated as a powerful intervention. We will also examine the

research on the indications, contra-indications, and structure of group interventions in a number of

settings. The in-class presentation will revolve around an excellent/powerful video vignette utilizing a real

group therapy in the medical setting. We’ll talk about the group from the perspective of Irvin Yalom’s

perspective. The video vignette we will view and discuss is particularly powerful and does a wonderful

job of demonstrating Yalom’s Curative Factors.

December 12: Final Exam

The Final exam follows the same format as the other exams. At the end of the exam, you will complete a

self-assessment of your attendance and participation over the course of the semester. I will also give you a

short questionnaire to ask for your suggestions for the next semester. This is different than the OMET

survey you complete near the end of the semester.

Documents

Course Syllabus Introduction to Clinical Psychology. 1 Syllabus: Psychology 1210 – Fall Semester 2016, Dr. William J. Hawthorne III, University of Pittsburgh Course Syllabus Introduction