Course Syllabus: PSY-259 Abnormal Psychology

Fall 2023, T/Th, 11:00 - 12:15 PM, HH 106

Instructor: Emily Denne, PhD, (she/her) Office: Hyde Hall 217-B

E-mail: [email protected]
Office hours: Tuesday: 8-11am. Wed:9-1pm; Thursday 8-11am

Course Description:
Examines abnormal behavior with emphasis on mood disorders, affective
disorders, and schizophrenia. Examines the biological and psychological
bases of psychopathology and those factors involved in diagnosis and
treatment of mental disorder. Prerequisite: Psychology 121

Credit Hour Policy: This course meets the federal requirements of 15 in-class
hours plus an expected 30 hours of out-of-class work per credit hour.

Course Objectives:

 Gain a better understanding of the field of abnormal psychology both

historic and current.
 Become knowledgeable of the research methodology commonly used
by psychologists.
 To become familiar with the scientific method and how it is used to
explain behavior and mental processes.
 Possess a basic understanding of the biological bases of behavior.
 To become familiar with the theories concerning psychological health
and disorders as well as human behavior.
 Further develop writing skills in conjunction with the use of American
Psychological Association (APA) format.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast theories of abnormal psychology.

2. Apply theories underlying abnormal psychology to case examples.
3. Describe symptoms of major psychological disorders.
4. Identify testing and assessment procedures employed in diagnosing
psychological disorders.
5. Explain treatment approaches for various disorders.
6. Evaluate research relevant to abnormal psychology.
7. Recognize the reciprocal interaction between individual mental health
and society.

Required Text
Jennings. H. (2023). Nolen-Hoeksema’s Abnormal Psychology 9th Edition.
McGraw-Hill. ISBN:
9781265316037
Brown, T. A. & Barlow, D. H. (2017). Casebook in Abnormal Psychology 5th
Edition. Cengage.

Grades:

Type of Assignment Total Points

Participation in Class 50 points
3 Case study assignments – 25 points 75 points
each
3 Exams – 50 points each 150 points
Case analysis paper 125 points
Class presentations 100 points
Total = 500 points

Attendance and Class Participation (50 points; 10% of final grade)

This course is challenging, and it is to your advantage to be in class to obtain

the necessary information to succeed. Your overall level of participation and
professionalism will be assessed throughout the semester. You are strongly
encouraged to actively participate in class, as contributions are necessary
and will enable you and the class to get the most out of this course. This
means that you should come to class prepared by having read and
completed assigned materials. Participation also includes respectfully asking
questions, making comments, giving feedback, reflecting aloud, and in
essence, being active in the experience of our class. Additionally, you are
expected to communicate in a respectful, professional manner with your
classmates. By doing so, you will help to create and maintain an open
learning environment.

Being absence from class does not mean that private instruction of the
missed material will be delivered. If you miss class, it is YOUR responsibility
to obtain any information covered in class. Class participation points cannot
be made up if you miss class. The importance of attendance also extends to
being on time to class. It is impossible for lectures to cover everything
contained in the textbook; therefore, some of the material in the text will not
be dealt with in class. Also, information not addressed in the text might be
discussed in lectures, so it is important to be present to make sure you
understand all that is covered in this course. Course reading should be done
prior to class to maximize comprehension and facilitate discussion.

Case Study Assignments (75 points; 15% of final grade)

Throughout the course you will read three case studies. Each case study
assignment consists of reading the assigned case in Brown and Barlow
(2017) and describing how the person meets each DSM-5-TR diagnostic
criterion for the specified disorder. In addition to simply stating the person
meets each criterion, you will provide examples from the case study to
support that each criterion is met. These assignments are designed to help
you practice breaking down the diagnostic criteria for a disorder. You must
submit your assignment by 11:59pm on the due date indicated in the course
schedule below.

Exams (150 points; 30% of final grade)

There will be three exams during the semester. Each exam is worth 50
points. The exams consist of a combination of multiple-choice and short
answer questions. Each of the exams will cover information presented in
class and on assigned readings since the previous exam; the exams are non-
cumulative.

There will be no early exams given. Further, there will be no make-up exams
except in cases of a personal, family, or medical emergency. You will need to
provide documentation to justify a make-up exam such as:

There are NO exceptions to these exam policies. In particular, vacations of

any kind are NOT considered an excused absence – even those scheduled
prior to the first day of class. Please keep this in mind and remind family
members of this as well.

Make-up exams will be scheduled between the instructor and student and
must be taken within 1-week of the original exam date or a zero will be
given.

The final is NOT a cumulative exam.

Case Analysis Paper (125 points; 25% of final grade)

The case analysis paper is a semester-long writing assignment that will allow
students to become experts on a particular subject of psychopathology that
is of interest to them. Students will write a case history on a fictional
character with a psychological disorder. The case history will include
reporting on the person’s personal history focusing on the significant factors
related to a psychological disorder as well as reporting all the signs and
symptoms of the disorder that the person exhibits. Then, students will
provide a conceptualization of the person from their case history. The
purpose of the case conceptualization is to explain the psychological disorder
of the fictional character from the case history. You will choose a specific
model/theory of psychopathology (e.g., biological, behavioral, cognitive,
integrative, or another orientation with my approval) and summarize the
important aspects of the model/theory and how it relates to the persons
presentation. Students must get their selected fictional character
approved by me via email.

Student Presentations (100 points; 22% of final grade)

There will be student oral reports during the last few class periods to review
myths and facts related to a mental illness related to the disorders we have
discussed during the semester. The formal, prepared part of the report
should last no more than 12 minutes (you must practice beforehand so that
you do not go over 12 minutes), although the class discussion you generate
can last longer. In fact, the best presentations will encourage and involve
class discussion!

**Attendance Caveats: You should NOT come to class in any of the

following situations:

 You have a temperature above 100.4

 You are ill or you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
headache, sore throat, body aches, chills, loss of smell and taste, etc.
 You have tested positive for COVID-19 or are awaiting a test result
 You are unvaccinated and have been in close contact with someone
who has tested positive for COVID-19 (close contact = fifteen or more
minutes within less than three feet of someone who tests positive, with
or without a mask)
 You have been instructed to self-isolate by a health professional or you
have been instructed by a certified contact tracer to self-isolate or self-
quarantine.

As a general rule of thumb, in order to succeed in this class, plan on

spending at least 2 hours reading/studying outside of class for
every hour spent in class.

Course Policies

1. Read this syllabus and all assignments carefully. Students sometimes

lose points because they do not follow simple instructions. To be fair to
all students, there are no exceptions to these policies except as noted
in this syllabus.

2. If you unfortunately experience a documented personal

emergency (e.g., serious illness, family death), e-mail/contact
 Dr. Denne immediately. She will work with you to help you complete
the class.

3. Students who miss classes are still responsible for all notes,
announcements, and handouts for that class. If you miss a class, you
should get the notes from another student.

Class Environment
To create a conducive learning environment, I expect that you respect your
peers’ thoughts and opinions, as well as their learning environment.
Although technology can be very helpful in the classroom, it can also be very
distracting for both your peers and me. Please limit your distractions by not
using your cell phone during class. The use of computers is allowed, but if
you are using your computer for something other than class, I may ask you
to put your computer away.

Email & Professionalism

In addition to my office hours and availability after class, I’m also available to
answer questions via email. To help me answer emails more promptly,
please include “PSYC 259” in the subject line; I will do my best to respond to
emails within one business day. Please keep in mind that emails are an
opportunity to develop your professional skills. This means you should
include a salutation (e.g, Hello Dr. Denne) and closing (e.g., thank you,
Morgan) in addition to using appropriate language (i.e., not texting language
or slang).

WITHDRAWAL POLICIES: A course may be dropped without a designated

grade during the first two weeks of a term of the regular academic year.
From the third to the eleventh weeks, a grade of ‘W’ is assigned. After the
eleventh week, a grade of ‘F’ is assigned. Discontinuance of attendance does
not automatically constitute a withdrawal. Students failing to file a proper
drop/add form by the appropriate deadline must complete classes for which
they are registered or received a grade of ‘F’. Withdrawal from a course after
the deadline requires petition to and approval of the Admissions and
Standards Committee and/or the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
- Last day to drop without a grade and without a W is 1/25.
- Last day to drop and receive a ‘W’ is 4/16.

INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY: All coursework is to be completed within the

semester it is attempted. If an emergency prevents a student from
completing some portion of the required assignments, as instructor may give
an ‘I’ or incomplete grade only if the following circumstances are met:
1. The student’s other work in the course could earn a passing grade.
2. The outstanding task can be completed without further class
attendance.
Outstanding course work normally should be completed within six weeks of
the class ending, but the instructor may allow up to one year from the end of
the term for which the ‘I’ grade is granted. It is the student’s responsibility to
have this deficiency removed within the agreed upon time period or whining
one year, whichever is less. If no grade change has been submitted by the
instructor after the maximum one year grace period, the registrar is
authorized to change all grades of ‘I’ to ‘F’.

ACADEMIC HONOR CODE: University of Evansville Academic Honor Code. "I

understand that any work which I submit for course credit will imply that I
have adhered to the Academic Honor Code: I will neither give nor receive
unauthorized aid nor will I tolerate an environment which condones the use
of unauthorized aid." Failure to adhere to this code will result in receiving an
‘F’ for the course. In fairness to the vast majority of students who take their
college career seriously, no form of cheating will be tolerated. Cheating
includes, but is not limited to, looking on others’ tests or letting them look on
yours, copying or giving tests answers, and plagiarism which includes
copying the words of a fellow student or any other author in your papers,
copying even short phrases from written work that you are using as a
reference (even if you cite it properly), handing in work you have handed in
for another class, handing in papers you’ve gotten from the internet or other
students, etc.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: It is the policy

of the University of Evansville to make reasonable accommodations for
students with properly documented disabilities. Written notification to
faculty from the Office of Counseling and Health Education is required for
any academic accommodations. If you are eligible to receive and
accommodation and would like to request it for this course, please discuss it
with me and allow two weeks notice. Otherwise, it is not guaranteed that the
accommodation can be received on a timely basis. If you have questions
about services for students with disabilities or procedures for requesting
services, you may contact the Office of Counseling and Health Education at
488-2663.

Psychology majors must achieve a C- grade or higher in all

psychology courses that apply to the major (2011-2013Catalog, p.90).

TENTATIVE COURSE AGENDA

You should read entirely each chapter in the textbook as listed below before
the lecture date listed.
DATE TOPIC & READINGS

1/9 Introduction, Course overview

1/11 Chapter 1: Looking at Abnormality

1/16 Chapter 2: Theories and Treatment of Abnormality

1/18 Chapter 3: Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality

1/23 Chapter 4: The Research Endeavor

1/25 Guest Speaker

1/30 Review for exam, group work time Case Study #1 Due
2/1 Exam 1

2/6 Chapter 5: Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, Trauma, and

Stressor-Related Disorder’s
2/8 Chapter 5: Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, Trauma, and
Stressor-Related Disorder’s

2/13 Chapter 7: Mood Disorders and Suicide

2/15 Chapter 8: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

2/20 Guest Speaker

2/22 review for exam

2/27 Exam
2/29 Chapter 12: Eating Disorders

3/5 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS

3/7 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS

3/12 Tour of Evansville Children’s Psychiatric Center

3/14 Presentation from NAMI

3/19 Chapter 11: Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders

3/21 EASTER BREAK – NO CLASS

3/26 Chapter 13: Mental Health and Law

3/28 Chapter 9: Personality Disorders

4/2 Review for Exam; group work time

4/4 Exam 3

4/9 Student Presentations

4/11 Student Presentations

4/16 Student Presentations

4/18 Mental Health Day – NO CLASS
4/22 Student Presentations
4/25 Reading Studying Day

Final Exam: Tuesday, April 30th at 11:00am

Non-Discrimination Statement

The University of Evansville expects all members of its community to treat

each other with respect and civility. Harassing behaviors directed towards
any member of our community will not be tolerated. As part of its
commitment to non-discrimination, the University specifically prohibits
harassment based on any other characteristics set forth in its
nondiscrimination statement as follows: including race, color, gender, gender
identity and expression, sexual orientation, creed or religion, national origin,
age, disability, veteran status and all federally protected groups/classes. Any
form of harassment undermines the mission of the University and negatively
impacts the University community as a whole.

Prohibited Conduct and Confidentiality

The University of Evansville is committed to fostering an atmosphere free

from harassment and discrimination. This commitment includes identifying
problems that may lead to sexual harassment and misconduct, as well as
other forms of harassment and discrimination, by creating an atmosphere in
which the entire University community is sensitive to preventing prohibited
conduct. Additionally, the University is committed to providing support and
resources to individuals who have experienced prohibited conduct. This
commitment includes effectively responding when a student, visitor, guest or
program participant is the victim of prohibited conduct.

All campus employees, students, and guests are required to abide by the
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy, the Harassment and
Discrimination Policy, and the Consensual Sexual or Romantic Relationships
Between Employees and Students policy. Violation of these policies could
result in disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion for students and
termination for employees.

Faculty members at the University of Evansville are considered “Responsible

Employees” under the applicable federal guidelines and the University’s
policies. This means that I am unable to offer you confidentiality if you report
any incidence of prohibited conduct to me as defined by Title IX statute. If I
am made aware of a violation, I am required to report any known information
to the Office of Institutional Equity.

You may choose to report the violation yourself the following ways:
Email:
 Annie Shackelford, Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator:
[email protected]
 Keith Gehlhausen, Executive Director of HR and Institutional Equity:
[email protected]
 Title IX: [email protected]

Phone: 812-288-5261

Online: https://www.evansville.edu/safety/report.cfm

You may also choose to speak with a Confidential Resource. Confidential

Resources are required to maintain confidentiality and cannot report
violations to the Office of Institutional Equity:
 Counseling Services: [email protected] , 812-488-2633
 Health Center Professionals: [email protected], 812-488-2033
 University Chaplain: [email protected]