Karl Hoblitzelle Hall 2.402 Thursday Lectures 7:00-9:45 PM
Course Information Professor Contact Information Course number: PSY 4343 Professor’s name: M. Matthew Housson, Ph. D. Course title: Abnormal Psychology Email: housson@utdallas.edu Meeting times: Thursday 7:00-9:45, HH 2.402 Office location: GR 4.307 TA: Melissa Amos Office hours: By Appointment, GR 4.307 Email: mla08200@utdallas.edu Undrgrd TA: Maxine Lisot mdlisot@hotmail.com Melissa’s Office Hours Thursday 5:00-6:45 Melissa Easley mre051000@utdallas.edu
Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions
The only firm prerequisite for this course is PSY 2301, Introductory Psychology. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Course Description: Exam Grading Policy This course is intended to acquaint you with the There will be three exams. scientific study of maladaptive human behavior. Issues Exam I Thursday 2/12/09 33% of Course Grade in the conceptualization and classification of abnormal Exam II Thursday 3/26/09 33% of Course Grade psychopathology will be covered, as well as major Exam III Thursday 5/7/09 33% of Course Grade theories of etiology and treatment. Final Grades will be determined as follows: Student Learning Objectives: A+= 97 or above C+= 77-79 After completing the course, students should be able to: A= 94-96 C= 74-76 A- 90-93 C- 70-73 • Explain the nature of psychology as a scientific discipline, compare and contrast the methods of psychology with those of B+= 87-89 D+= 67-69 other disciplines B= 84-86 D= 64-66 • Describe and analyze major theoretical perspectives B- 80-83 D- 60-63 (behavioral, biological, cognitive, , humanistic, F <60 psychodynamic, and sociocultural) and explain the overarching theme of the interaction of mind and body in understanding Course & Instructor Policies psychopathology It is important to attend the lectures since no lecture • Understand psychological disorders and their causes notes will be posted on the web and no study guides or • Describe how various research designs address different types of questions and hypotheses, distinguish the nature of designs instructional materials will be provided for students that permit causal inferences from those that do not. who are absent. • Integrate theoretical perspectives and empirical findings to produce comprehensive and multi-faceted explanations of DON'T MISS AN EXAM! Make-up exams will be mental health and mental illness given only if: (a) you were seriously ill and have • Use critical thinking to determine how well reasons support conclusions and identify weak, contradictory, and verifiable documentation from a physician, or (b) you inappropriate assertions were detained the day and time of the exam, or (c) you • Understand how scientific research on psychopathology can made arrangements prior to the exam to attend an guide the prevention of behavioral and mental health problems urgent family affair (e.g., funeral). In any of these and the treatment of abnormal behavior cases, you must notify the professor in advance of the • Demonstrate how psychological principles can explain social scheduled time of the exam (Use email). Otherwise, issues and inform public policy you will receive an F. It is the student's responsibility Required Textbook and Materials: to make sure that an exam is made up within one week Abnormal Psychology in a Changing World, Nevid, J.S., of the scheduled time. MAKE UP EXAMS ARE Rathus, S.A., Greene, B., 7th Edition (6th Edition is O.K.) ENTIRELY ESSAY FORMAT. Exams and Assignments: Faulty Exam Questions: Occasionally, I write faulty Exams: We will have three exams based on the lectures exam questions. If you encounter such a question, let and reading, which will include multiple choice or short me know immediately after the exam period. (You may answer questions. Material from lectures, readings, talk to me or leave a note with the secretary in the videotape presentations and guest lectures will appear on Associate Dean’s Office, GR 4.528). I will consider the exams. your arguments before grading the exams, and if necessary throw out the question for everyone. Exam answer forms: Exam System II, Form 229630 Class Attendance: I will not take attendance regularly. Class Environment: I encourage your However, if you miss a class, it is your responsibilityparticipation in class. Please be on time to class. to contact a peer for the notes. I will not make my If you need to leave class before the end of the lecture notes available to individuals who miss class. period, please make arrangements with me prior Please find a buddy in the class whom you can contact to class. Students entering and leaving in the if you have a question about a missed class. I often middle of class are distracting to other students. give extra credit to individuals who attend class. Please turn cell phones off before coming to class.
Topics and Reading Assignments:
Date Topic Reading
January 15 Historical Overview and Research Methods Chapter 1
January 22 Theoretical Perspectives and Classification Chapters 2 and 3
January 29 Treatment Chapter 4 February 5 Mood Disorders and Suicide Chapter 8
February 12 EXAM I
February 19 Anxiety Disorders Chapter 6
February 26 Substance Abuse and Dependence Chapter 9
March 5 Stress, Dissociative and Somatoform Disorders Chapters 5 and 7
March 12 Personality Disorders Chapter 13
March 19 SPRING BREAK
March 26 EXAM II
April 2 Gender and Sexual Disorders Chapter 11
April 9 Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders Chapter 12
April 16 Childhood Disorders Chapter 14
April 23 Eating Disorders and Sleep Disorders Chapter 10
April 30 Class Discussion
Additional Topics/Review May 7 Comprehensive Final Exam Student Conduct & Discipline resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals registered students each academic year. Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties. The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University interpreting the rules and regulations. of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Incomplete Grade Policy Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391). has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and grade of F. administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or Disability Services whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct. The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Academic Integrity Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is: his or her scholastic work. The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22 PO Box 830688 Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or Richardson, Texas 75083-0688 omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, (972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY) and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings. disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may plagiarism and is over 90% effective. need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance. Email Use The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email contact the professor after class or during office hours. address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to Religious Holy Days maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts. The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. Withdrawal from Class The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if exam or assignment. you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled. If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar Student Grievance Procedures disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the Procedures. institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, take into account or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be