Psychology 3301F-001 (Online for 2020-21)

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.

1.0    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.

Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E or both Psychology 2800E and Psychology 2810, and one of Psychology 2310A/B or Psychology 2320A/B.

 

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.

Antirequisite: Psychology 2301A/B.

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So 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.

3 lecture/seminar hours; 0.5 course 

2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor:                                          Dr. Erin Kaufman, Ph.D.

                                                            Assistant Professor of Psychology

Office, Phone Number:        WH 311; 519-661-2111 ext 83665

Office Hours:                                     By appointment (please email)

Email:                                                 ekaufma5@uwo.ca

 

Teaching Assistant:               Samantha Withnell

Office:                                                WH 216

Office Hours:                                     By appointment (please email)

Email:                                                 swithnel@uwo.ca

 

Meeting Time:                       Tuesdays 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Meeting Location:     Zoom

                                                                                   

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western

http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ 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 wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.

We will send out announcements and reminders via email, so please make sure your email address listed through the OWL is current and accurate.

 

Course syllabus updates will be posted on OWL. Should discrepancies exist between the syllabus below and that posted on OWL, the current version on OWL will prevail.

3.0  TEXTBOOK

Reading assigned for this class will be drawn from one required text book: Lee, C.M. & Hunsley, J. (2018). Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

 

The textbook comes in both paperback and e-book versions. It can be ordered from the Western bookstore here:   https://bookstore.uwo.ca/product/cebcodeid24878

 

As with all of your classes, I strongly encourage you to keep current on the reading. This will help you to understand class material and perform better on graded assignments. 

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course you should be able to:

 

  1. Describe major historical influences on the study and practice of clinical psychology
  2. Articulate key concepts, principles, and themes in clinical psychology.
  3. Describe areas of controversy and summarize current states of knowledge in clinical assessment, intervention, and research.
  4. Describe major research methods in clinical psychology
  5. Interpret, critically evaluate, and synthesize research findings relevant to clinical psychology
    6.  Describe major approaches to clinical assessment, including diagnosis and the assessment of intelligence, personality and behaviour

7.  Describe major approaches and empirical support for intervention methods used by clinical psychologists
8.   Describe subspecialties within clinical psychology including neuropsychology, forensics, paediatric and child psychology


   4.1    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Learning Outcome

Learning Activities

How Assessed

1. Depth & Breadth of Knowledge

1.1 Articulate key concepts, principles, and themes in clinical psychology.

 

1.2 Understand and describe identified areas of debate and current states of knowledge in clinical psychology.

·         Readings

·         Online lectures

·         Online discussions

·         Written assignments

 

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Chapter Quizzes

·         Written assignment

2. Knowledge and Application of
Methodologies

2.1 Identify and access appropriate research in psychology.

 

2.2 Interpret, critically evaluate, and synthesize research findings and articles relevant to clinical psychology in scholarly publications.

·         Readings

·         Online Discussion

·         Citing sources for written assignments

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Written assignments

3. Application of Knowledge

3.1 Use evidence to support claims in written work.

 

3.2 Engage in critical scholarly discussions and debate on clinical psychology topics and utilize course material to critically assess a controversial issue in clinical psychology.

 

3.3 Critically evaluate the presentation of scientific ideas/ scholarly material.

·         Readings

·         Online Discussion

·         Citing sources for written assignments 

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Written assignments

4. Communication Skills

4.1 Using written communication to clearly articulate ideas and argue opinions within a scholarly framework and with solid scientific grounding.

 

4.2. Present evidence, express opinions, and articulate arguments relevant to clinical psychology.

 

4.3 Present and critically discuss scientific findings and their implications.

·         Readings

·         Online Discussion

·         Citing sources for written assignments  

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Written assignments

5. Awareness of Limits of Knowledge

5.1 Recognize the limits of one’s own knowledge, as well as available knowledge in broader field of clinical psychology, and how these limitations influence our analyses and interpretation of scientific evidence.

 

5.2 Identify and discuss research issues in need of further investigation.

 

5.3 Discuss and critically evaluate a current issue in clinical psychology using scholarly sources.

·         Readings

·         Online Discussion

·         Written assignments

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Written assignments

6. Autonomy and Professional Capacity

6.1 Demonstrate initiative, personal responsibility and accountability in all course work.

 

·         Online discussion

·         Written assignment

·         Contribution to online discussions

·         Written assignments

·         Chapter Quizzes

 

5.0     EVALUATION

Your grade in this course will be based upon your performance on essays, quizzes, and discussions with your classmates. Each of these assignments is described in detail below. Your grade is calculated as the total number of points you earn divided by the total number of possible points (540).

 

Assignments                                                                                    Possible Points      % of Grade

    Quizzes (8 throughout the semester worth 20 points each)             160 points                                 32

    Essay 1                                                                                              100 points                                 20

    Essay 2                                                                                              120 points                                 24

    Discussions (3 throughout the semester worth 40 points each)       120 points                                 24

                                                                                                              500 points total                  100

PLEASE NOTE: This is an essay course. 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%.

 

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.

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:

70%     1000-level and 2000-level courses
72%     2190-2990 level courses
75%     3000-level courses
80%     4000-level courses
   
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://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

Grades will be rounded only to the nearest whole number, that is, marks ending in a 4 or a 9 (e.g., 74 and 79) will not be rounded up a mark. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade, nor will any requests be considered for additional marks because they are needed for a grad/law/med school application, etc. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every component during the course.

 

Quizzes:

Eight quizzes will be given throughout the semester. Each quiz will consist of 10 multiple choice questions from the textbook and will be worth 20 points total. You may use your textbook but are limited to 15 minutes for each quiz. Quizzes can be taken only once, with items displayed one at a time. You will not be able to go back to a question after answering it. It will be to your benefit to know the material prior to beginning the quizzes, which can be accessed via the course website on OWL. Quizzes are due by the start of class each week, in an effort to make sure you are prepared to participate in class discussions.

 

Discussions:

Students are divided into small groups. At three points during the semester, you are assigned questions designed to help you demonstrate your engagement with course material. I recognize that multiple-choice quizzes are not everyone’s strong suit and these discussions are an excellent opportunity to communicate your understanding of the concepts presented in class. You will post written responses to discussion prompts and comment on at least one other student’s post. Please attend to your grammar and spelling, and make sure you are fully answering the questions posted in the prompt. This is your opportunity to interact with each other, with Sam as your TA, and with me as your instructor. Take full advantage and be sure to put substantial effort into your posts.

 

Please remember to be professional and respectful toward one another. Please refrain from disclosing personal experiences with mental health problems or discussing other extremely personal information, as I cannot protect those disclosures from being shared outside of the classroom. These discussions are designed to expose you to diverse thoughts, questions, and opinions and spur your intellectual growth. Please participate thoughtfully.

 

Essay Assignments

You will complete two essay assignments during this course.

 

A satisfactory paper demonstrates evidence of critical thinking and discussion. Therefore, these assignments should not only summarize others’ findings and opinions, but rather present your own analysis. Critical thinking involves comparing and contrasting related points from different sources, discussing the strengths and weakness of arguments, evidence, and theory, and highlighting the gaps in our knowledge based on current scientific evidence. Please also 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.

 

Citations, references, and writing style should follow APA guidelines (7th ed). These guidelines are available online through Western Libraries under “Publication manual of the American Psychological Association.”  

 

Evaluation Criteria:

Papers will be graded based on your ability to:

 

  1. Accurately and clearly demonstrate your understanding of the topic and relevant surrounding issues
  2. Critically evaluate and discuss empirical research
  3. Organize information and present your points logically
  4. Select high quality and relevant references
  5. Present thoughtful and sophisticated ideas
  6. Compose your thoughts/argument in academic style (e.g., avoid typos and passive voice, adhere to APA style, follow specific instructions, etc.).

 

Essays should be submitted via OWL. They should be typed, with 1-inch margins, double spaced, and use 12-point Times New Roman font. Please do not include a title page or lengthy headers.

 

Late papers will be penalized by deduction of 10 points per day past the deadline (e.g., those turned in one day late can earn a maximum of 90/100 point; 2 days late can earn a maximum of 80/100, and so on).

 

Essay 1 (Due October 13th by the beginning of class)

For your first essay assignment, you will evaluate a research study published in a high-impact clinical psychology journal. Using the steps outlined in Exhibit 4.12 of your textbook, you will critically review one of two possible studies provided for this assignment on OWL. In 7-8 pages, you will discuss how the article addresses threats to internal, external, and statistical conclusion validity, and evaluate the authors’ design choices. Provide sections for the title and introduction, method (covering participant-related considerations, measurement selection, operationalization, and the appropriateness of study procedures), results, and discussion/conclusions.

 

Essentially, this assignment is giving you a taste of what it is like to peer review others’ work for publication. This essay is intended to engender critical thinking about research design and how we present our results to the “public.” You will be expected to bring in empirical evidence from other scientific sources to support your conclusions. For example, if you find that the authors’ introduction overlooked relevant findings from other studies, cite examples and discuss why these studies matter for framing the study rationale. If the authors’ method is poorly described, what additional information would you have liked to see reported and why? 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.

 

Essay 2 (Due December 8th by the beginning of class)
For this assignment, you are to write a paper 9-10 pages in length on a topic of your choosing relevant to the discipline of clinical psychology (examples listed below). You will write a review of recent research findings and theoretical developments relating to an aspect of the field you find particularly interesting or important. The relevancy to some aspect of the discipline of Clinical Psychology should be explicit. Please note that the amount of existing research varies widely by domain of interest, so the breadth or specificity of your topic will depend on the particular issue in question. Do not choose a topic so broad or narrow that you cannot complete the assignment well within the given length.

Your essay should include references to at least 10 empirical journal articles or book chapters. Referencing websites is rarely advisable. Many psychology journals can be accessed online through Western Libraries.

 

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. The overall format of your paper should follow the APA style guidelines, but you do not need to include an abstract.

 

Possible Essay Topics

(If you do not select an approved topic from the list below, please get approval for your essay topic from Dr. Kaufman by October 20th at the latest.)

  • Ethical challenges in clinical psychology
  • What makes psychotherapy effective?
  • Emerging roles for clinical psychologists
  • Should clinical psychologists seek prescription privileges?
  • How does our increasing understanding of neuropsychology influence therapeutic intervention?
  • Technology and therapy – online therapy, teletherapy etc.
  • Publication-bias/positive results bias in psychology and its effect on the theory and/or practice of psychology
  • Participatory research/activist research and its role in the field of psychology
  • Challenges in accessing psychological help in Canada
  • Is there a role for projective measures in contemporary assessment?
  • The impact of client-report progress monitoring and outcome measures in therapy
  • Examine the efficacy of a given treatment for a particular disorder, population, etc.
  • Compare the efficacy of two or more treatments for a particular disorder, population, etc.


6.0  ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE

Assignment Schedule

Assignment

Deadline

Grade (%)

Quizzes

Ongoing (see class schedule)

32%

Discussions

Oct 6th, Nov 10th, Dec 1st

24%

Essay 1

Oct 20th

20%

Essay 2

Dec 8th

24%

 

7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

This is the schedule that we will follow. However, it is subject to modification. Minor changes will be announced on OWL. If major changes ensue, a revised schedule will be posted.

 

QUIZZES and DISCUSSIONS: Open Wednesdays at 8 a.m. before they are due for the following week. Assignments must be completed on OWL by 9:30 a.m. on the Tuesday they are due.

Session/Date

Topic

Chapters

Assignments Due

1 – Sept 15

 

Course Orientation

History of Clinical Psychology

 

1

 

2 – Sept 22

Contemporary Clinical Psychology

2

Quiz 1

3 – Sept 29

Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

4

Quiz 2 Discussion 1

4 – Oct 6

 

Classification and Diagnosis

Assessment: Overview

3

5

Quiz 3

 

5 – Oct 13

Assessment: Interview and Observation

6

Quiz 4

6 – Oct 20

Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures

Assessment: Self-Report and Projective Measures

7

8

Essay 1

7 – Oct 27

Assessment: Integration and Decision-Making

Prevention

9

10

Quiz 5

Discussion 2

READING WEEK, No class

 

8 – Nov 10

Intervention: Overview

11

Quiz 6

 

9 – Nov 17

Intervention: Adults and Couples

12

Quiz 7 due

10 – Nov 24

Intervention: Children and Adolescents

13

Quiz 8 due

11 – Dec 1

Intervention: Elements of Change

14

Discussion 3

12 – Dec 8

Clinical Health Psych, Neuropsych, and Forensic Psych

Graduate School Admission Process

15

Essay 2 due

8.0     STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link:  http://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 offenses. 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 may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.

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



9.0    POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

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

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf


Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

 

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. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
  2. 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;

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. The self-reported absence form may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

Students seeking academic consideration:

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;  
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;

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



10.0        OTHER INFORMATION

Office of the Registrar web site:  http://registrar.uwo.ca

Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

    http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2020-2021 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, 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 lecture notes, wiki material, and other course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.

Sensitivity to Cultural Issues and/or Discrimination:

The University does not tolerate any behavior by administrators, faculty, staff, or students which constitutes unlawful harassment of students on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, veteran status, age, sexual or gender orientation, or physical or mental disability—whether or not the level of conduct rises to unlawful harassment or discrimination. Such forms of harassment have been recognized as discriminatory and, as such, violate University policy. Exposure to discrimination, harassment (including sexual or religious harassment), and/or insensitivity to cultural issues impairs the University’s goals of transmitting knowledge, the pursuit of truth, and student development.

 

Content-Related Disclaimers:

Often, people who study psychology find themselves searching their own experience of the world and diagnosing themselves, their friends, or their children with X, Y, or Z disorder. Students who come to find that studying this particular course material elicits thoughts or feelings that begin to affect healthy functioning are encouraged to engage with appropriate mental health services (https://www.uwo.ca/health/). If needed, I can help direct you. Further, one’s own experiences with mental disorders and therapy—for yourself, family members, or friends—are incredibly personal. Therefore, students should carefully consider the long-term ramifications of disclosing personal information in a public setting, such as an online classroom or discussion board. While, at times, these experiences may indeed be relevant, I typically discourage personal disclosures because of the possibility of subsequent negative consequences.

 

Finally, please be aware that the causes of psychological problems are very complex. After completing this course you will have less than 5% of the knowledge of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Although it is tempting to describe psychological problems in simple terms, it is inaccurate and potentially harmful.

 

Course Behavior: 

An academic classroom (online or otherwise) is a professional environment and, thus, professional decorum is expected at all times. It is important to know that the “classroom environment” is broadly defined and includes the online course discussion board. In addition, while enrolled in this course you are expected to write and speak respectfully and non-judgmentally about psychopathology in all public contexts, including hallways, other courses, online forums, conferences, and any place where you could be overheard. Students with relevant concerns about classroom management should email me to make an appointment.

 

Please read the syllabus thoroughly and revisit it before contacting me with questions about due dates, exam dates or set up, or other information that has already been provided.