Psychology 3301F 001 FW23

Clinical Psychology

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY 

LONDON               CANADA 

Department of Psychology 

2023-2024 

 

Psychology 3301F    Section 001 

Clinical Psychology  

 

 

  1. CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

 

This course offers a survey of major topics in clinical psychology, including assessment and intervention approaches; experimental psychopathology; ethical, professional and theoretical issues; and emerging trends. 

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 2301A/B.  

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course. 

 

Prerequisite: Both Psychology 2801F/G and Psychology 2811A/B, or the former Psychology 2820E, or both the former Psychology 2800E and the former Psychology 2810, and one of Psychology 2310A/B or Psychology 2320A/B. 

3 lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.5 

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. 

 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Dr. Jesus (Jesse) Chavarria                                                    

       Office and Phone Number: Westminster Hall Rm. 220E                            

       Office Hours:  By appointment                                            

       Email: jchavarr@uwo.ca                                                         

 

       Teaching Assistant: Kendall Schmidt  

       Office:    N/A                                                     

       Office Hours:  N/A                                              

       Email: kschmi46@uwo.ca 

 

Time and Location of Classes: 9:30a-12:30p. Rm: UCC 59 

Delivery Method: In-Person 

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. 

 

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also contact Accessible Education at aew@uwo.ca  or 519-661-2147. 

 

3.0 TEXTBOOK 

 

Required: Plante, T.J. (2020). Contemporary Clinical Psychology (4th Ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 

 

 

 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

The goal of this course is to familiarize you with contemporary clinical psychology. We will learn about the historical roots and scientific basis of psychotherapy and what it means to have “empirical support.” We’ll discuss the different theoretical models and common approaches to conducting psychotherapy. Assessment and treatment will be a main focus of this course, including the types of assessment and treatments commonly used and the skills and strategies used to effectively implement psychological assessments and treatments. We will discuss common psychotherapeutic issues, areas of specialization, and the different ethical and professional responsibilities of a clinical psychologist. Finally, we will briefly cover graduate training and the application process. 

 

Learning Outcome 

Learning Activities 

Assessment 

Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes relevant to clinical psychology  

Lectures and required textbook readings 

Exams / Essay 

Identify concepts and current states of knowledge based on scientific research in clinical psychology 

Lectures and required textbook readings 

Exams / Essay  

Recognize the commonly used assessments, treatments, and techniques used in clinical psychology 

Lectures and required textbook readings 

Exams / Essay  

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives. 

 

 

Exams: Exams will be closed-book and consist of items in multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, and/or short answer format. The final exam is not cumulative per se, but answering some questions correctly will require integration of conceptual material covered prior to the midterm. Exams will be completed and proctored in-person during our scheduled meeting time (with the exception of the final exam, which will be administered at a time and room TBD).  

 

 

Essay Assignment: You will be required to submit a paper that reviews a topic in clinical psychology of your choice (e.g., psychological theory, treatment, etc.). The paper should follow an essay format, which means it should contain an introduction with a thesis statement, a main body detailing the research and references to support the statement, and a summarizing conclusion. Your paper can be must be a minimum 2500 words and a maximum of 10 pages long, excluding title page and references (1 inch margins, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Ariel font).  

 

You will review empirical research and theory related to your chosen topic. You must cite at least 10 peer-reviewed empirical journal articles or book chapters in your paper. Many psychology journals can be accessed online through Western Libraries, and your course textbook has a list of major journals relevant to clinical psychology that you may find useful. Format your paper, references, and in text citations according to APA style (7th ed): these guidelines are available online through Western Libraries under “Publication manual of the American Psychological Association.” The overall format of your paper should follow the APA style guidelines, but you do not need to include an abstract. 

 

 

Some suggested journal sources: 

Addiction 

American Psychologist 

Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 

Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine 

British Journal of Clinical Psychology 

British Medical Journal 

Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 

Clinical Psychology Review 

Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 

Development and Psychopathology 

Journal of Abnormal Psychology 

Journal of Behavioral Medicine 

Journal of Child Clinical Psychology 

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 

Journal of Clinical Psychology 

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 

Journal of Pediatric Psychology 

Journal of the American Medical Association: Psychiatry 

Journal of Pediatrics 

Psychological Assessment 

Psychological Bulletin 

 

A good paper demonstrates evidence of critical thinking and discussion, and is not only a summary of the findings and opinions of others. Critical thinking involves comparison and contrast of related points from different sources, or discussion of the strengths and weakness of arguments, evidence, and theory. In order to incorporate critical discussion in your paper, you may wish to choose a topic in clinical psychology where there is conflicting evidence, different theories, or different expert opinions. You should also choose a topic that you can cover in sufficient detail in 10 pages. If you find that your topic of interest is too broad, you may choose a narrower or more specific issue within this topic for your paper. Conversely, if you can find almost nothing in the empirical literature on clinical psychology to address your topic of interest, you should choose a different area or expand your focus. 

 

You will be evaluated on the following criteria:  

 

  1. Accurately and clearly demonstrating your understanding of the topic and relevant surrounding issues 
  1. Critically evaluating and discussing empirical research 
  1. Organizing information and presenting your points logically 
  1. Selecting high quality, relevant, and current references 
  1. Presenting thoughtful and sophisticated ideas 
  1. Writing your essay in an academic/professional style (e.g., avoid typos, adhere to APA style, etc.) 

 

Please proof read your papers before submitting, as you will lose points for grammar and spelling errors that make it difficult to read or understand your writing. 

 

Essays should be submitted via OWL.  

 

 

5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK 

 

Should you miss the week’s lecture for any reason, it is your responsibility to coordinate with a classmate for the lecture notes.  

 

If you miss an exam for a valid reason (please read section 11.0 for information on valid absences), it is your responsibility to contact the instructor within 24 hours to make-up the exam ASAP. 

 

The essay is due by the beginning of the final lecture (Dec 5th, 9:30a). Late essays will have 10% points deducted per day late (a day late = 90%/100% maximum score, 2 days late = 80%/100% maximum score, etc.). Essays submitted at 9:31a on Dec 5th will be considered late.  

 

This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty. 

 

Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments must be at least 50%. 

 

The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages: 

 

70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses 

72% 2100-2999-level courses 

75% 3000-level courses 

80% 4000-level courses 

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf 

 

A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level 

A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average 

B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory 

C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements 

D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable 

F below 50 Fail 

 

Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components. 

 

Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course. 

 

6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

  

Exam or Assignment 

Date 

Weight 

Mid-Term Exam  

Tuesday Oct. 24th, 2023  

33% 

Essay Topic  

 

 

Final Essay (complete) 

Due Tuesday, Oct. 17th, 2023 (by the beginning of lecture [9:30a])  

 

Due Tuesday, Dec 5th, 2023 (by the beginning of lecture [9:30a]) 

34% 

Final Exam 

TBD – Fall Examination Period 

33% 

 

 

 

Total 

100% 

 

7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE 

 

 Date 

Topic 

Textbook Chapter 

Sep. 12th   

What is Contemporary Clinical Psychology? 

Chapter 1 

Sep. 19th  

Foundations and Early History of Clinical Psychology / Recent History of Clinical Psychology 

Chapter 2 & Chapter 3 

Sep. 26th   

 Research Design and Outcome 

Chapters 4 

Oct. 3rd    

The Major Theoretical Models: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Humanistic, & Family Systems 

Chapter 5 

Oct. 10th  

Integrative & Biopsychosocial Approaches to Contemporary Clinical Psychology (Essay Topic Due) 

Chapter 6 

Oct. 17th  

 Review for Midterm 

 

Oct. 24th  

Mid-Term  

Chapters1-6 

Oct. 30th – Nov. 5th  

Fall Reading Week 

 

Nov. 7th   

Contemporary Psychological Assessment I: Interviewing and Observing Behavior  

Chapters 7  

Nov. 14th    

Contemporary Psychological Assessment II: Cognitive and Personality Assessment 

Chapter 8 

Nov. 21st   

Psychotherapeutic Intervention 

Chapter 9 

Nov. 28th   

Psychotherapeutic Issues & Areas of Specialization 

Chapters 10 & 11 

Dec. 5th  

 Ethical Standards & Becoming a Psychologist (ESSAY DUE) 

Chapter 12 & 15  

TBD, 2023  

Final Exam 

To Be Scheduled 

Chapters 7-12 &15 

 

8.0 LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

 

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. 

 

With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service. 

 

 

9.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES 

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com). 

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. 

 

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.  

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University. 

 

10.0 POLICY ON THE USE OF EXAM PROCTORING SOFTWARE 

 

If a remote proctoring service is used, the service will require you to provide personal information (including some biometric data). The session will be recorded. In the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance. More information about remote proctoring is available in the Online Proctoring Guidelines. Please ensure you are familiar with any proctoring service’s technical requirements before the exam. Additional guidance is available at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf 

 

* Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor in advance of the test or examination. See this link for technical requirements: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us   

 

11.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES 

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:  
https://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12 

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:  

  1. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;  
  1. For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate. 

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation.  

 

https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;   

  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence 

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term. 

 

12.0 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN: IN-PERSON & BLENDED CLASSES 

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence or any other event that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor. 

 

13.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE 

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting 

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise). 

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately. 

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

14.0 OTHER INFORMATION 

 

Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca   

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca  

 

Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html 

 

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf 

Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca). 

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent. 

 

Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.