MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title: Abnormal Psychology 245 Semester: Summer 2009
Instructor: Patricia J. Sawyer Credit Hours: 3
Course No. 2099 Department: Social Science
Course Prerequisite: Psychology 111 Course Location:
Online
Meeting Time (days/hours): 6/22 – 8/6/09 Online
You are expected to log on a minimum of three days weekly at your convenience to complete assignments and participate in the discussion board.
Scope of Course: This course examines the major theories of psychopathology and explores the research, classification systems, and intervention strategies relative to each theoretical perspective. Diagnostic categories and processes will also be studied.
Textbook: 
Abnormal Psychology, Sarason,
Irwin & Sarason, Barbara, Eleventh Edition, 2005 Prentice-Hall Publishers.
ISBN 0-13-118111-4
Office Hours: By Appointment, Snow Hall, Room 508
Office Telephone: (860) 343-5813 
Email: psawyer@mxcc.commnet.edu
Use this email address in an emergency only. Please use the email address built into the course.
Attendance Policy: You are expected to log on a minimum of three days weekly and perform tasks and assignments according to the syllabus. Each late assignment will lose one letter grade for each day the assignment is due beginning on the first day after the deadline. Credit will not be given for late postings.
Evaluation (exams, term paper, projects, etc., and percentages toward final grade):
1. Weekly Discussion Board Participation 
30%
In order to receive full credit for the discussion board you must log on a
minimum of three days weekly and respond to the current questions as well as
interact with your classmates. You are required to conduct research on the
discussion questions and post your response and list your sources after your
answer. You must also respond to at least 2 other student postings and conduct
further research to back up your opinions/responses. You will be graded on how
completely you answer the assigned discussion questions and by the quality of
your responses to the other postings. No credit will be given should you log on
after one week. The Discussion Board is available Saturday 3:00pm and closes
the following Saturday 3:00pm.
2. Research Paper 
20%
You are to research a topic related to Abnormal Psychology. You are to use a
minimum of four references. Your research paper is to be 8 pages.Your sources
should not be older than 10 years. All research papers must be cited using APA
documentation. Research papers that are not documented will not be accepted.
Your research paper is due: Saturday, 7/11/09 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time.
Email your research paper to the email built within the course.
3. Two Examinations 
50%
Midterm Examination Due: Saturday, 7/18/09 6:00pm EST.
Final Examination Due: Wednesday, 8/5/09 6:00pm EST.
The examinations will be a series of essay questions. They will be posted on the discussion board one week prior to the due date with instructions. Email your exam to me through the email built within the course.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- understand the terminology, theory, and concepts of abnormal psychology.
- be able to compare and contrast the major psychological theories and their application to behavior.
- apply the major psychological concepts to behavior in general.
- understand the racial, ethnic, cultural and social class backgrounds in determining the nature of a psychological disorder and course of treatment.
Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Abnormal Psychology
1. Define the focus of “abnormal psychology” and “mental health”.
2. Describe differences among adaptive, maladaptive, and deviant behaviors.
3. Discuss the negative effects of stigma on mental health consumers and their families.
4. List several of the methods for treating mental disorders used in the ancient Western world.
5. Explain the differences between the psychological approach and the organic approach.
6. Describe the concepts of risk-vulnerability and resilience-protective factors, specifically with regard to an individual’s ability to cope with stress.
7. Describe the range of mental health treatment facilities available today.
8. Identify different mental health specialists.
9. State four of the ethical responsibilities in human research.
Theoretical Perspectives on Maladaptive Behavior
1. Identify the six theoretical perspectives used to study abnormal behavior.
2. Recognize the importance of genetics in the study of mental disorders.
3. Discuss the relationship between the brain and behavior.
4. Describe modeling and the role it plays in learning adaptive and maladaptive behaviors including cultural and religious influences.
5. Identify the significant contributors to the cognitive, humanistic, and existential perspectives.
Therapy
1. List the concerns voiced about all forms of therapy.
2. List the major characteristics of each of the major psychotherapies including: psychodynamic therapy, humanistic and existential therapies, cognitive psychotherapy, brief psychotherapy and interpersonal.
3. Describe ECT, how it is administered, possible side effects, but its value to the retractable patient.
4. Discuss the use of drug therapy.
5. Discuss the changing practice of hospitalization for the mentally ill and how race, culture and ethnicity influence treatment.
Classification and Assessment
1. Understand the importance of classification in studying the abnormal behavior and the drawbacks involved.
2. Outline the improvements made in diagnoses using the multi-axial approach.
3. Identify the five axes of the DSM-IV.
4. Discuss the four factors important to clinical agreement or disagreement about a diagnosis.
5. Identify the four components of all types of interviews.
6. Gain an understanding of the use of psychological tests and its bias on certain racial/cultural/ethnic groups.
7. Discuss how projective techniques could support objective assessments.
Stress, Coping, and maladaptive Behavior
1. Define coping skills and know how successful coping skills are developed.
2. Outline the process of coping and understand how race, culture, social class and ethnicity affect stress and physical health.
3. Identify various stressful situations and the possible effects they may have on one’s life.
4. List the characteristics of stress-arousing situations.
5. Describe the importance of bereavement, and the grieving process .
6. Define adjustment disorder, acute stress disorder, and dissociative disorder.
7. Enumerate the methods for treating stress-related problems and why certain cultural/racial/ethnic groups do not receive treatment.
Bodily Maladaptations: Eating, Sleeping & Psychophysiological
1. Describe the interaction between biological, psychological, and social (cultural, race, ethnicity) factors as stated in the bio-psychosocial model.
2. Discuss the role stress plays in health and illness.
3. Describe the population most affected by the disorders of anorexia and bulimia.
4. Describe the normal stage of sleep and sleep cycle.
5. Compare the three sleep disorder groups: dyssomnias, parasomnias, and insomnia.
6. Describe the relationship between hypertension and heart attacks.
7. Identify the types of headaches, including tension, migraine, and cluster.
Disorders of Bodily Preoccupation
1. Differentiate between psychophysiological disorders.
2. Describe the disorders that collectively are referred to as Pain Disorders.
3. Describe the five types of coping strategies.
4. Give an example of a situation where biofeedback would be therapeutic.
5. State the criteria for identifying a cluster of symptoms as somatization disorder.
6. Distinguish between conversion disorder and hysteria.
7. Describe the cluster of symptoms in hypochondriasis and the three major characteristics.
8. Differentiate between somatization disorder and factitious disorder.
9. Describe Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen disorder by proxy.
Anxiety Disorders
1. Define anxiety and name the physical symptoms that accompany it.
2. Differentiate between generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
3. Outline the clinical features of Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
4. List the general features of Panic Attack.
5. Describe the effect phobias can have on one’s life.
6. Explain the difference between specific phobias and social phobia.
7. Describe the fears experienced by a person with Agoraphobia.
8. Identify obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms and outline possible treatment programs.
9. Understand the events that precede PTSD and their effects on people who suffer from PTSD.
10. Differentiate between the psychodynamic perspective, the behavioral perspective, the cognitive perspective, and the biological perspective in treating anxiety disorders.
Sexual Variants and Disorders
1. Discuss the origins of sexual behavior.
2. Discuss how society’s views regarding homosexuality affect homosexuals.
3. Describe the effects gender identity disorder in childhood can have on an adult sexual identity.
4. Differentiate transsexual and non-transsexual gender identity disorder.
5. Identify the various paraphilias including fetishism, transvestic fetishism, sadomasochism, voyeurism, exhibitionism, and pedophilia.
6. Describe the different perspectives on the paraphilias.
7. Outline the different forms of sexual victimization including rape, child sexual abuse, and incest.
Personality Disorders
1. Explain how personality disorders are classified in the DSM-IV.
2. Identify paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder.
3. Describe the behaviors associated with histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.
4. Describe several treatment options for personality disorders.
Mood Disorders
1. Define depression and distinguish between depressed mood and depressive disorders.
2. Name the risk factor for depression.
3. Differentiate between dysthymic disorder and major depressive disorder.
4. Explain the role of neurotransmitters in the causes of depression.
5. Outline the various techniques used to search for markers of depression.
6. Identify biologically based treatments including antidepressant drugs and ECT.
7. Discuss the various perspectives on depressive disorders including the psychodynamic theories, behavioral perspective, and the cognitive perspective.
8. Outline the most common form of treatment for bipolar disorders.
Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
1. Outline the characteristics of the principle of psychotic disorders.
2. Identify and define the DSM-IV subtypes of schizophrenia.
3. Differentiate between positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
4. Discuss the possible causes of schizophrenia including genetic factors.
5. Describe the role stress plays in the development of schizophrenia and possible high-risk markers that have been identified.
6. Explain the various treatment approaches to schizophrenia including anti-psychotic drugs, skills training, family programs, and community support.
7. Identify other related psychotic disorders including schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, and shared psychotic disorder.
8. Understand the racial/ethnic/cultural and social class background and its relationships to treatment.
Cognitive Impairment Disorders
1. Describe the factors that may make individuals more vulnerable to brain disorders than others.
2. Outline the techniques used to assess brain damage.
3. Explain the symptoms of delirium and delirium tremors.
4. Identify and describe the various forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and the dementias associated with brain trauma.
5. Discuss the research being conducted to characterize, diagnose, and treat Alzheimer’s disease.
6. List coping strategies that help caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients.
7. Differentiate between cognitive impairment disorders including cerebrovascular disorders, Korsakoff’s syndrome, and epilepsy.
Substance-Related Disorders
1. Differentiate between substance dependence and substance abuse.
2. Describe the symptoms associated with substance-induced disorders.
3. Outline the criteria for excessive alcohol abuse and include factors such as one’s culture, ethnicity, race and social class.
4. Identify and define the various perspectives and treatment options for alcohol related disorders.
5. Discuss possible prevention programs for alcohol related disorders.
6. Describe the effects of commonly abused drugs including cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, cannabis, and caffeine.
Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
1. Describe Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
2. Discuss the general etiologies of tic disorders.
3. Compare the behavioral differences between oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder.
4. Discuss the situations and family factors that are most often involved in separation anxiety disorder.
5. Identify and define anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
6. Understand the implications and long-term effects major depressive disorder can have on children.
7. Outline different therapy options for children including play therapy, behavioral therapy and family therapy.
Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Mental Retardation
1. Identify and define the various pervasive developmental disorders including autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, Rett’s disorder, and childhood disintegrative disorder.
2. Identify several of autism’s “red flags” for parents.
3. Differentiate between the diagnoses of autistic disorder and Asperger’s disorder.
4. List the causes of mental retardation.
5. Identify the physical characteristics associated with fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
6. Describe the impact psychosocial disadvantages can have on a child’s cognitive development including race, ethnicity and gender.
7. Describe some of the issues that families face when they have a child with mental retardation.
Society’s Response to Maladaptive Behavior
1. Outline the different levels of prevention and give examples of each.
2. Describe the importance of the family, the school, and the community in preventing disorders.
3. Understand the importance of paraprofessionals, self-help groups, and community psychology in prevention.
4. Discuss the legal aspects of treatment and prevention including institutionalization, and the rights of patients.
5. Understand the insanity defense.
Competence/Assessment:
Competence will be demonstrated in each chapter by:
1. Critiquing weekly assigned readings
2. Examinations
3. Research paper
4. Discussion Board Research
Helpful Hints: 
1. Don’t fall behind – the most important factor for achieving success in this course is to follow the schedule closely, and complete your assignments correctly and on time.
2. Share your opinions – the chapter readings/lectures are largely based on your application to the psychological principles you will learn. While the actual principles and theories are based on research, your answers to the questions are based on your personal application to these principles and theories.
3. Ask questions – if you are having trouble understanding any parts of this course, let me know as soon as possible. I will gladly answer any questions you have about this course, materials, lessons, resources and the assignments. So, if you have a question, please ask! I am only an email away.
ADA Accommodation Statement:
“Students with physical or learning disabilities who may require accommodations are encouraged to contact the counseling office. After disclosing the nature of the disability, students are urged to discuss their needs with individual instructors. This should be done at the beginning of each semester. Instructors, in conjunction with appropriate college officials, will provide assistance and/or accommodations to those students who have completed this process.”
Academic Ethics and Classroom Behavior:
“At Middlesex Community College we expect the highest standards of academic honesty. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in accordance with the Board of Trustees’ Proscribed Conduct Policy in Section 5.2.1. of the Board of Trustees’ Policy Manual. This policy prohibits cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, unauthorized access to examinations or course materials, plagiarism, and other proscribed activities. Plagiarism is defined as the use of another’s idea(s) or phrases(s) and representing that/those idea(s) as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally.” (Board of Trustee Policy 5.2.1)
Abnormal Psychology 245
Class Schedule
Summer 2009
Week 1 Abnormal Psychology Ch 1
6/22 – 6/27 Theoretical Perspectives on Maladaptive Behavior Ch 2
Therapies Ch 3
Week 2 Classification and Assessment Ch 4
6/28 – 7/4 Stress, Coping & Maladaptive Behavior Ch 5
Bodily Maladaptation: Eating, Sleeping, and
Physiological Ch 6
Week 3 Disorders of Bodily Preoccupation Ch 7
7/5 – 7/11 Anxiety Disorders Ch 8
Sexual Variants and Disorders Ch 9
Research Paper Due: Saturday, 7/11/09 6:00pm EST
Week 4 Personality Disorders Ch 10
7/12 – 7/18 Mood Disorders Ch 11
Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders Ch 12
Mid-Term Exam Due: Saturday, 7/18/09 6:00pm EST
Blackboard will be off-line Midnight Thursday, 7/16 to Noon Monday, 7/20/09.
Week 5 Cognitive Impairment Disorders Ch 13
7/19 – 7/25 Substance-related Disorders Ch 14
Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence Ch 15
Week 6 Pervasive Developmental Disorders and
7/26 – 8/1 Mental Retardation Ch 16
Society’s Response to Maladaptive Behavior Ch 17
Week 7 Final Examination Due: Wednesday, 8/5/09 6:00pm EST
8/2 – 8/6
PSYCHOLOGY 245: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Summer 2009
CRN: 2099
Distance Learning
Patricia Sawyer, Instructor
This course is important because it will strengthen the student’s critical thinking skills and help them make the connection between abnormal psychology and everyday life. It will provide the student with a better understanding of why people behave the way they do, why psychologists conduct research, and be cognizant of the theories that guide research and identify mental disorders. The student will become acquainted with the breadth of the field of abnormal psychology and will obtain the core competencies as stated below, as well as a wealth on knowledge that will excite the student’s curiosity and increase their understanding of the etiology of abnormal behavior and its social significance. The core competencies will provide the tools that will maximize the student’s ability to learn and retain the subject matter of abnormal psychology.
Middlesex Community College
Core Competencies
1) Communication Skills: Communication skills include reading, writing, speaking and research. We expect our graduates will have good critical reading skills so that they can discriminate between primary and secondary sources and between more and less important ideas in what they read. We expect our students to write and speak clear, correct expository English to communicate their ideas as well as to frame sensible arguments to support their points of view in an intelligent, thoughtful and civilized way. Communication is an interactive process through which there is an exchange of verbal and/or nonverbal information.
2) Conceptual Skills / Critical Thinking Skills: Conceptual skills refer to organized, responsive and critical thought. Many educators and philosophers define critical thinking as skillful, responsible, reflective thinking that facilitates good judgment because it: a) relies upon criteria developed or assessed, b) is self-correcting, and c) is sensitive to context. Critical thinkers can distinguish between fact, inference, and opinion; construct worthwhile questions; arrive at and justify conclusions; prioritize ideas; apply strategies for dealing with error, improbability and ambiguity; value, and access information including that derived from textbooks, lectures and electronic media; give and accept criticism constructively.
3) Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative reasoning helps us learn about reality by applying measurement, mathematics, data collection and evaluation to the study of specific problems. Quantitative reasoning involves several skills or abilities: 1) to describe research problems or questions in terms of numerical, symbolic, and visual representation; 2) to solve problems by collecting and analyzing data, formulating alternative theories, and making reasonable conclusions based upon a body of evidence; 3) to communicate and critique quantitative arguments.
4) Technological Literacy: Technological literacy requires us to understand the potential and limitations of technology and to identify and effectively use the appropriate technology to achieve a desired outcome.
5) Information Literacy: Information literacy encompasses skills that enable individuals to determine when information is needed, efficiently access information, critically evaluate information and its sources, apply legal and ethical standards in using information, and appropriately apply information to one’s needs.
6) Aesthetic Perspective: The most elusive area in a well rounded education is that of aesthetics. Students should be aware of aesthetics both in daily life and in the context of their academic studies. Aesthetics encompasses forms of personal expression both in the natural world and in the world of man-made things (buildings, objects of art, etc.). In addition, aesthetics can be seen in more abstract, universal constructs such as the symmetry of an equation or the balanced physical structure of an atom. Students should be able to analyze and formulate opinions about the principles of design behind these formal and expressive structures.
7) Understanding of Diversity: Diversity means difference. People may be different with respect to their ethnicity, race, culture, religion or national origin. Or these differences may be social and personal such as class, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or appearance. We hope our graduates are able to recognize and appreciate these and other differences. Abnormal Psychology embraces a global perspective in presenting issues of diversity concerning cultural awareness, gender, ethnicity, sexuality and age.
8) Values, ethics, and responsible citizenship: Abnormal Psychology will help the student to recognize and analyze ethical issues, make and defend ethical decisions, demonstrate ethical behavior and social responsibility by engaging in community, social, civic, or cultural service.
These core competencies are important personally, academically, and professionally. The learning outcomes, as stated in the syllabus are covered in this course.