Psychology 2310A 650 SU24

Psychopathology

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

Summer 2024

 

Psychology 2310A    Section 650

Psychopathology

  • CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

 

This theory course is designed to introduce the wide-ranging theories of psychopathology in adults. Topics will include the major DSM diagnostic categories, as well as research and treatment. The course is empirical, with an emphasis on recent research findings with this population.

 

            Antirequisite: PSYCH2030A/B, PSYCH3310F/G, PSYCH3311

 

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: A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits in Psychology at the 1000 level

           

Course Weight: 0.5

            Lecture: 2 hours per week

            Tutorials: 1 hour per week (see section 5.0)

 

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.

  • COURSE INFORMATION

 

Instructor: Eric Collins, PhD

Office and Phone Number: Virtual (via Zoom)

Office Hours: By appointment (weekends and holidays excluded)

Email: ecollin9@uwo.ca (48-hour response on weekdays and 72-hours during exams)

 

 

Time and Location of Classes: Asynchronous

Delivery Method: Online

 

 

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.

 

2.1 ONLINE LEARNING NOTICE

 

Please note: For courses delivered in an online format, include an online component, or are required to pivot online, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements. Some courses may also require the use of a remote proctoring platform to ensure assessments are taken fairly in accordance with Western’s policy on Scholastic Discipline for Undergraduate Students and Scholastic Discipline for Graduate Students. Please refer to the course syllabus for further information.

 

  • TEXTBOOKS (REQUIRED)

 

Dozois, J.A., D. (2022). Abnormal Psychology: Perspectives (7th Edition). Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada Inc.

  • COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

The concept of “psychological disorder” is a frequent topic in the popular media, but how realistic are these depictions? What really is a psychological disorder and what are the various types? What do we really know about their causes and treatments? How do we go about finding the answers to these questions? These are all important issues, because these types of problems touch many people’s lives, and society as a whole, either directly or indirectly. In this course, we will explore these questions with respect to some of the most common and controversial topics in the field. The general objectives of this course are to help students learn to think critically about and attain a basic level of understanding of what is known and what is not known about: 1) the definition of “abnormal” psychological functioning; 2) biological, psychological, and environmental factors that affect psychological functioning; 3) how scientists study and obtain knowledge about the occurrence, causes, and treatment of psychological disorders; 4) how we categorize psychological disorders; 5) the nature, prevalence, causes, and treatments of many of the syndromes.

 

  • STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

Learning Outcome

Learning Activity

Assessment

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.

Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes relevant to psychopathology

Recognize the general diagnostic features of adult psychological disorders within the DSM-V

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

 

Lectures

Readings

Forum Questions

Forum Responses

Quizzes

Exams

Knowledge of Methodologies.

Students will improve their understanding of the various quantitative and qualitative methods and methodologies concerning psychopathology

 

Lectures

Readings

Forum Questions

Forum Responses

Quizzes

Exams

Application of Knowledge.

Students will learn to think critically psychopathology and demonstrate an ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios

Lectures

Readings

Forum Questions

Forum Responses

Quizzes

Exams

Communication Skills.

Students will sharpen their writing skills and improve their ability to articulate complex concepts

Forum Questions

Forum Responses

 

 

 

  • 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.

 

        Component

        Weight %

Forum

10

Quiz 1

5

Quiz 2

5

Midterm Exam 1

17.5

Midterm Exam 2

17.5

Final Exam

45

 

Forum: Ten questions will be posted to the Communications (Discussions) tool on Brightspace throughout the term. Questions will be generated from the PowerPoints and assigned readings. Each student is required to contribute an original response to each week’s posting and provide a response to a fellow student’s original response. Each week’s original response and response to a fellow student’s response are worth a total of 1%. There are no part marks. “I agree” or “I disagree” are insufficient responses and will not be awarded marks. Students are expected to provide thoughtful responses that demonstrate critical thinking and an understanding of theoretical concepts. Each post must include a minimum of 80 words each (160 words in total). Examples of original responses can be found on Communications (Discussions) tool.

Tutorials: This course includes optional weekly tutorials. Tutorials are asynchronous, facilitated through Brightspace (Assessments à Surveys), and will each be available over a period of four days (see section 6.0). Tutorials are not mandatory or evaluated. However, they give students an opportunity to ask questions about course content and to deepen their understanding of the material. Tutorials include asynchronous Q&A, multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks.

Quizzes: There are two online quizzes in this course. These assessments are asynchronous, open book, and non-proctored. Each quiz contains 15 questions taken from the PowerPoints and assigned readings. However, there will be a 20-minute time limit for each quiz (unless you have approved academic accommodations for extra time). Quiz 1 takes place on May 29, covers lectures 1-2, and is worth 5%. Quiz 2 takes place on June 26, covers lectures 5-6, and is worth 5%. Quizzes are formatted as multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. Quizzes will be completed via the Assessments (Quizzes) tool on Brightspace.

Exams: There are three online exams in this course. Midterm Exams are asynchronous, open book, and non-proctored. These assessments cover material from the PowerPoints and assigned readings. Midterm Exam 1 takes place online on June 8, includes 30 questions, covers lectures 1-4, and is worth 17.5%. Midterm Exam 2 takes place online on July 6, includes 30 questions, covers lectures 5-8, and is worth 17.5%. The Final Exam is synchronous, open book, and non-proctored. This assessment is cumulative, contains 75 questions, covers lectures 1-11, and is worth 45%. The specific date and time will be announced in the coming weeks. All exams are formatted as multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK

 

Unless you receive academic accommodations for missed course work, you receive a grade of zero for that component. The weight of accommodated missed course work is re-distributed to an assessment of equal weighting. Alternatively, you are permitted a re-write for missed course work, as long as it is within one week of the original closing date. There are no extra assessments for missed course work without accommodations.

 

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: 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        < 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE

 

Open Date

Due Date

Assessment

May 13

May 27

Forum Posting 1

May 21

May 28

Forum Posting 2

May 28

June 4

Forum Posting 3

May 29

May 29

Quiz 1

June 4

June 11

Forum Posting 4

June 8

June 8

Midterm Exam 1

June 11

June 18

Forum Posting 5

June 18

June 25

Forum Posting 6

June 25

July 2

Forum Posting 7

June 26

June 26

Quiz 2

July 2

July 9

Forum Posting 8

July 6

July 6

Midterm Exam 2

July 9

July 16

Forum Posting 9

July 16

July 23

Forum Posting 10

TBA

TBA

Final Exam

 

Open Date

Due Date

Assessment

Associated Chapter

May 15

May 19

Tutorial 1

1

May 22

May 26

Tutorial 2

2

May 29

June 2

Tutorial 3

3

June 5

June 9

Tutorial 4

5

June 12

June 16

Tutorial 5

6

June 19

June 23

Tutorial 6

8

June 26

June 30

Tutorial 7

9

July 3

July 7

Tutorial 8

10

July 10

July 14

Tutorial 9

11

July 17

July 21

Tutorial 10

12

July 24

July 28

Tutorial 11

13

 

  • CLASS SCHEDULE

 

Week

Date

Lecture Topic

Readings (Chapters)

1

May 13

Concepts of Abnormality Throughout History

1

2

May 21

Theoretical Perspectives on Abnormal Behaviour

2

3

May 28

Classification and Diagnosis

3

4

June 4

Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Trauma-Related Disorders

5

5

June 11

Dissociative and Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

6

6

June 18

Mood Disorders and Suicide

8

7

June 25

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

9

8

July 2

Eating Disorders

10

9

July 9

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

11

10

July 16

The Personality Disorders

12

11

July 23

Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders

13

 

8.0  LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Chonnonton Nations, 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 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

 

Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.

 

 

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.

Statement on Use of Electronic Devices

Use of AI

The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.

Multiple Choice Exams

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.

 

10.0 ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION

 

View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.

 

Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.

If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information.  Email: aew@uwo.ca  Phone: 519 661-2147

 

11.0 ABSENCE & ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION

 

View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link

 

Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html

 

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

Medical Absences

Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.

Nonmedical Absences

Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

Religious Consideration

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 OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

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.

 

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 in writing 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 the learning sessions for this course may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers. 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.