The DSM-V was released May 27th 2013. The most

recent version of the DSM was published

almost 20 years ago! The DSM-IV and the new DSM-V are both

acceptable as references.

This course deals with subjects that are at the very core of what it means to be “human.” This is a course many

students relate to on a personal level!

Welcome to Abnormal Psychology!

Step 1: Please be sure you completed the course prerequisite; to be enrolled in this course, General Psychology (PSC 150) is required!

Step 2: Obtain the require text.

Step 3: Read through this entire document prior to completing any assignments.

Step 4: Explore the course site in CANVAS! This is a relatively new learning management system for many of you, so do not be afraid to explore the course, use the help feature, and ask questions.

Step 5: Complete the course orientation. This orientation contains several parts, so be sure to follow directions in the course site to complete this successfully. The orientation can be found under the first module.

Step 6: How much do you remember from General Psychology? Your understanding and application of the psychological theories covered in that course are vital to your success in this course. The refresher and helpful notes can be found in the orientation module and the welcome announcement.

Getting Started

Inside This Syllabus

1 Instructor and textbook

information, and course prerequisite

1 Course description,

purpose, and student learning outcomes

2 Course Goals,

Assignments and late policy

3 Grading Scale,

expectations, and how to make this a GREAT experience

4 Reflections, academic

policies, and some VERY helpful websites.

It has been suggested that

trephining or the burrowing of

holes into the skull was used to

rid the body of evil spirits or

demonic possession, which was

believed to cause mental illness in

early history.

Syllabus

Abnormal Psychology

Jennifer Hawley All assignments must be submitted through links

provided in Canvas

Online Student Conversation Hours on Tuesday 1:00-3:00

Please click on my picture for F2F student conversation hours! Of course you can always make an appointment if none of these options work for you!

“Life is not what it’s

supposed to be. It’s what it

is. The way you cope with it

is what makes the

difference.” –Virginia Satir The purpose of this

course is to provide in-depth information on the complexities of psychopathology,

including the application of general psychological theories

to etiology and treatment.

Fall 2014

Course Description: This course is a study of major

aspects of deviant behavior including

psychoneurosis, psychosis, personality disorders and

mental health. [FALL/SPRING] Three

hours per week.

Prerequisite: PSC 150

2nd Edition

ISBN: 9781133956358

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Summarize the history of mental illness.

2. Explain the etiology and treatment of mental disorders from the multipath approach (biological, psychological, social and sociocultural dimensions).

3. Recognize ethical and legal issues impacting families and individuals who are mentally ill.

4. Describe how society and technology influences perception of mental illness.

Student Learning Outcomes

Page 2 PSC 255 Syllabus

Many celebrities have openly discussed their personal

experiences with mental illness, which has led to a greater

awareness.

What do I do first?

(1)Orientation (50 points): You should start with the orientation; this includes sending an introductory conversation to the instructor from Canvas email (10 points), posting and responding to the “communicating mental illness through music” discussion (20 points), and completion of both the APA quiz (10 points) and the syllabus quiz (10 points). The orientation is worth 50 points toward the course grade. Please look in the first module for more information.

(2)PSC 150 “refresher” (40 points): General Psychology (PSC 150) is a prerequisite for this course, which means that you should already be familiar with basic psychological theory. Completing this “refresher” will help you identify any areas of weakness that may require further reading or discussion with me. This course examines psychopathology from a multipath model which includes many of the psychological theories discussed in General Psychology. Please look in the first module for more information. Since the goal of this assignment is mastery, you will have TWO attempts.

Quizzes: (200 points): There will be 6 quizzes in the course; each will contain multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short essays. Each quiz will be based on chapter readings from the text as well as instructor notes provided in the course. Quizzes will be worth 40 points and students will have the option of dropping the lowest quiz grade provided every quiz has been completed. There will be no make-up quizzes or late quizzes accepted.

Discussions (150 points): There will be 3 discussions; each discussion will be worth 50 points, since quality discussions only occur if we are all communicating during the same time period, no late discussions will be accepted. Access to Microsoft Office and/or Adobe is required!

Positive Psychology Activities (60 points): Too often the study of abnormal psychology has focused on what is wrong with an individual (the disease model) as opposed to what strengths individuals may possess to help them cope; we have ignored those who are relatively healthy. These empirically-based assignments are designed to encourage personal reflections and positive feelings. No late activities will be accepted. Access to Microsoft Office and/or Adobe is required!

Case Analysis through Film (100 points): Since it is important that you understand how the information you are learning in the course can apply to life situations, you will apply legal and ethical issues of mental illness that you are learning to a film. Please review the appropriate module for more information; it is your responsibility to obtain a copy of the required film, so please plan accordingly. No late application papers will be accepted. Access to Microsoft Office and/or Adobe is required!

Learning Assessment Your overall course grade will be determined by your level of success on each of the learning assessments identified below.

Did you know that the insanity defense is pleaded in less than 1% of all felony cases in

the US and of those only ¼ of those are successful AND in many cases individuals who are successful are

kept in an institution longer than if they were convicted? In short, the

insanity defense is not advantageous!

LATE POLICY: No late assignments will be

accepted! Since there is typically an

assignment due each week, it is imperative to your success in the course that you stay current so

please plan accordingly!

Demi Lovato has openly discussed non-suicidal self

injury (NSSI) as well as her struggle with

Bipolar Disorder. “Click” picture for

more.

Carrie Fisher discussed her battle with addiction and bipolar in her production of “Wishful Drinking,” which aired on HBO in 2010. Click on her picture for more.

1. To apply the etiology and treatment of various psychological disorders to the multipath approach. 2. To develop a critical ability to analyze the present state of knowledge of mental illness and compare that to what is represented in media. 3. To describe the ethical and legal issues facing families and individuals with mental illness.

Course Goals

PSC 255 Syllabus Page 3

Letter Percentage Points Equivalent

A 90-100 537-600

B 80-89 477-536

C 70-79 417-476

D 60-69 357-416

F Less than 60 Less than 357

You can expect me to:

Provide complete and well-organized course material

Encourage questions and other communications

Maintain one office hour each week and be available for questions during that time

Provide feedback on assignments within 10 days (14 days for papers and reflective writings)

Respond to messages with 24 hours, M-F unless otherwise announced

Be professional and respectful in all communication with you.

Grading Scale

Recommended Films

“He prefers the security of the

known misery to the misery of

unfamiliar insecurity”-Sheldon

Kopp

Recommended Reading: If

You Meet the Buddha on the

Road, Kill Him: The Pilgrimage

of Psychotherapy Patients

Elyn Saks is a Professor of

Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry at USC. She has recently written her own memoir on her personal

struggle with Schizophrenia. “Click” her picture for more!

Expectations

“I Have It Too! The Medical Student Syndrome: There is a tendency, when learning about psychopathology, for students to believe that they, themselves, have a particular disorder or that family members may have particular disorders, when this is indeed not the case. This is usually compounded by easy access to the internet, the fact that many disorders involve a cluster of physical symptoms, the universality of the human experience, and our tendency to compare or own functioning with our perception of how other people are functioning. If you do begin to feel strongly that you or a loved one may be experiencing psychological difficulties, please consider discussing this with a friend or with one of your professors. You could just be responding to pressures that you have not encountered previously. If your discussion supports your suspicions then I encourage you to seek

professional help. (Sue et. al., 2013, p. 28).

Psychological difficulties affect all cultures, social classes, and

families. Many of you have been affected by a disorder or have a

parent, sibling, or marital partner coping or struggling with a particular difficulty. I

urge you to show a great deal of consideration. Discussions can and will be energetic at times.

Please be respectful of the challenges that some of your

classmates may be dealing with and engage in the course with a spirit of openness. Let us try to go beyond initial reactions and

try to act as scientists, observing and reporting, not

judging.

HOW TO MAKE THIS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE!

Please Note: An online course demands that students access the course site often (at

least 3-4 times/week and devote at least 2-3 hours in preparation for assignments. (See

“balance” for suggested time commitment). Do not be fooled by the illusion that

working independently is easier than a seated course. Online courses are NOT

easier, but are very REWARDING provided that students follow the course schedule

and communicate with me regularly, especially if you miss an assignment.

I expect you to:

Have access to Microsoft Office and/or Adobe

Complete all assignments by the due dates

Regularly communicate with me and other students as appropriate

Actively engage in all discussions

Check the course site regularly (see Note on page 3)

Be professional and respectful in all communications with me and your classmates

Be honest and responsible.

Be committed to success in the course.

Page 4 PSC 255 Syllabus

Students with Disabilities: If you

have a disability or are seeking services or accommodations through Chesapeake, you must disclose the need for these services to the Office of Disability Services. To be eligible you must have a documented disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the ADA of 1990. For more information on eligibility, visit the student service website (page 3) or contact Judy Gordon, at jgordon@chesapeake.edu.

Deep Thoughts by

Jennifer Hawley

Balance: Select a realistic course load. If you are working a fulltime job, one, possibly two courses, are at most what you can reasonably manage. You are to do a minimum of two hours each week outside of class for every hour in the course site. As a rule of thumb, I typically suggest calculating five-six hours each week (in addition to the time you are in the class site) for each three hour credit course. Although programs are listed as two-year programs, it does not mean you have to complete the program in two years, nor is it feasible in many cases. Make sure that the time commitment is a good fit for your personal and professional schedule.

Preparation: College is VERY different from high school. Assignments are more complex and much of your learning experience is expected to be done by you alone! Due dates are clearly communicated. There are no surprises! Read and review your materials from this course each day; make assignment completion on time a priority.

Effort: If you are having trouble with concepts or navigating the course, please contact me. I want you to do well, but that responsibility also falls on your shoulders! Effort increases performance; utilizing your instructors, office hours, discussions, and college resources can be instrumental in your success in a course, and your overall college success. I want you to succeed, so take an active role in the process!

Click here for LRC help and to access Database and tutorials for APA

format and style

Plagiarism and Cheating will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is the taking of information from

another and passing those ideas off as your own without

giving proper credit to the original sources. This behavior is unethical and a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Evidence of either cheating or

plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the

assignment, an F in the course, and possible disciplinary action by the college. Please do not do it! If you are unsure what

requires a reference, ask!

Academic Instructor Emergency Management Plan In the event that the college needs to close for an extended period of time due to a flu pandemic, severe weather event, or other emergency situation, consideration will be given to the timing and duration of the closure as follows:

1. Closure during the semester for up to one week: there will be an opportunity to make up work missed without significant alteration to the semester calendar.

2. Closure extending beyond one week (or in situations where classes are cancelled on the same days/evenings over multiple weeks) the college may extend the length of the semester. Depending on the timing of the closure, scheduled breaks, end of semester dates, and/or the processing of final grades may be impacted. Students can acquire information about closures on the Chesapeake College Homepage or by calling 410.822.5400 or 410.228.4360. Chesapeake College courses held off campus sites will follow the protocol of the host facility.

Other Useful Chesapeake Resources

Student Services Academic Support

Center

Purdue OWL

APA format

Academic Policies

Useful websites

It has been suggested that Van Gogh suffered from

various forms of mental illness

throughout his life. This work has been

suggested as depicting his state of mind prior to his

suicide in 1890. “Click” picture for

more!

Course Withdrawal: Before you

withdraw from the course, please contact me so that we can

determine, together, if this is the best action for you. If we decide

that a withdrawal is most beneficial, then you must formally withdraw

with the Registrar’s office by completing the necessary forms. This

form must be on file in registration to avoid a failing grade for the

course. Please make note of the last day to formally withdraw in the

current schedule. Academic Calendar