Introduction to Clinical Psychology

PSYC 250 Syllabus
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Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PSYC 250A
Fall 2014
Class Times:
Classroom:
Instructor:
E-mail:
Phone:
Office:
Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 – 11:15 am
Angell B203
Kelly Rohan, Ph.D.
[email protected] (E-mail is the best way to contact me)
(802) 656-0798
224 John Dewey Hall
Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:00 pm or by appointment
Prerequisites: Prior to taking this course, your transcript must show a passing grade in:
PSYC 109 (Psychology Research Methods I) and PSYC 152 (Abnormal Psychology).
Course Description (“What is this course all about?”)
Welcome! The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the science and
profession of clinical psychology. This course will introduce you to the ways that clinical
psychologists approach the conceptualization, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of
clinical problems. An overarching theme in the course will be the scientist-practitioner
model, including evidence-based treatment and assessment approaches and the role
research plays in the everyday practice of clinical psychology. We will also explore
some of the current “hot topics” and longstanding controversies in this field. Upon
successful completion of this course, students will have a good understanding of the
breadth of activities clinical psychologists do and the various settings they work in. You
will also be better prepared as a consumer of psychological science and will be oriented
towards the steps needed to gain additional training in this field.
Major Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
(1) Appreciate the importance of the scientist-practitioner model of clinical
psychology.
(2) Describe the types of questions clinical psychologists ask and the appropriate
research methods used to answer them.
(3) Explain how clinical psychologists approach clinical problems from a variety of
theoretical perspectives.
(4) Identify the major tasks and responsibilities of clinical psychologists as health
care professionals.
(5) Demonstrate basic understanding the different specialties in clinical psychology.
(6) Engage with the ethical framework for the practice of psychology.
(7) Identify diversity issues as they relate to clinical psychology.
(8) Articulate different paths to pursuing a future career in clinical psychology.
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Textbook (Required)
Trull, T. J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2013). Clinical Psychology (8th Edition). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. (ISBN: 978-0-495-50822-9)
Blackboard
Supporting materials (e.g., supplemental readings, partial Powerpoints),
assignments, and the majority of class-wide communications will be presented through
the course website on Blackboard. To log onto Blackboard, go to bb.uvm.edu and enter
your NetID and password. It is your responsibility to stay current with this material. In
other words, check Blackboard frequently, at least 24-hours before each class. Please
do NOT use the email function in Blackboard; rather, email me directly. I generally
respond to emails within 24-hours.
Learning Resources and Teaching Methods (“How am I going to learn all this?”)
A. The Textbook: Your textbook provides a good introduction to the field of clinical
psychology. Assigned chapters are listed on the course schedule. I suggest that you
use the key terms and focus questions in each chapter as self-tests to enhance your
learning and improve your class performance. The textbook readings will provide a
framework that is filled in by the supplemental readings, lectures, and class discussions.
Therefore, students are expected to complete the assigned reading prior to the
corresponding lecture to lay the foundation for our class meetings.
B. Supplemental Readings: Required supplementary readings will compliment some
of the topics covered in the textbook and lectures to give you first-hand accounts of
research, clinical practice, and ethical guidelines. The readings for each lecture are
abbreviated on the class schedule by author name. The supplemental readings may
change from this original list somewhat as new and exciting research is released or in
response to the interests of the class. Supplemental articles will be posted on
Blackboard at least one week before the corresponding lecture. The American
Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code, including amendments, can be
downloaded for free directly from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx.
C. Lectures: Lectures will help clarify main concepts in the textbook and readings, but
add something new (e.g., relevant research findings, discussion of controversial issues,
case examples, videos, etc.). Your questions and comments are welcome and
encouraged during lectures. You will get the most out of the lectures if you strive to be
an active learner who can acquire, digest, organize, and reflect on course material.
Partial Powerpoints for the lectures will be posted online no later than the evening
before each class and will not contain all of the information on the final overheads
presented during lecture. Students who rely solely on the Powerpoints or simply copy
down word-for-word the material presented on the slides during class will not get much
out of the lectures. Instead, you should use the lectures as an opportunity to develop
your active learning skills. Your notes should reflect that you simultaneously listened to
PSYC 250 Syllabus
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the lecture, examined the slides, and actively processed the information. You may find it
useful to bring a printed copy of the partial Powerpoints to class and add your notes.
D. In-Class Exercises: We will be participating in a number of activities during class
time, including small group discussions, brief response papers, student-led
presentations, and class debates. These activities are intended to provide you with a
chance to engage actively with course material, share your ideas, and learn from your
classmates.
E. My Office Hours: I do my best to make sure students who attend my office hours get
the time and attention they need. Therefore, please e-mail me in advance to reserve a
time. If your schedule conflicts with my office hours and you wish to meet with me,
please take the initiative to arrange an alternate time. It would be great to meet you.
Course Requirements (“What work will I do in this class?”)
A. Exams (worth 45 points total, 15 points for each exam)
There will be three non-cumulative exams. Each will cover topics presented in
the textbook, lecture, in-class exercises, and supplemental readings. Exams will
generally include questions in a variety of response formats (e.g., multiple choice,
matching, true/false, short answer, brief essay questions).
B. Intake Report (worth 20 points)
Clinical psychologists conduct thorough assessments of their patients prior to
starting formal treatment. Before beginning treatment, they commonly write an “intake
report” to consolidate information about the case and make treatment
recommendations. You will write an intake report that contains each of the sections
described below for a character you have identified in the popular media (e.g. Batman;
Hannah from “Girls”). You must submit your chosen character and a very brief
description of the character in hard copy (no email attachments) using the form posted
on Blackboard during class by 9/11/14 for my approval. Your intake report should be no
more than 6 double-spaced typed pages using 12-point font with 1-inch margins all
around. Label and include the following sections in your report:
(1) Presenting Problem: Describe the patient (e.g., demographics, occupation,
current living situation, etc.) and the presenting problem(s) (e.g., current
symptoms and problems, why is the patient seeking treatment now).
(2) Background and History: Describe the background and history of the presenting
problem (e.g., what are the factors that might be contributing to the problem, how
long has the problem existed, prior treatment history).
(3) Diagnosis: State and justify the best DSM-5 diagnosis (if any) and any
assessment tools you would use to gather more information about the presenting
problem(s) to clarify your case conceptualization and diagnosis.
(4) Treatment Plan: Propose the treatment plan (e.g., what type of intervention(s)
you would use to treat the problem(s) and why your plan is a good choice for this
patient, what you would assess during treatment and how often in order to know
whether or not your plan is improving the problems).
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C. “Clinical Science in the Media” Presentation (worth 10 points)
The class will create (or be assigned to) six teams of 4 or 5. Each team should
identify an article that deals with clinical psychology in the popular press (e.g., a
magazine, blog, or news article). The news piece must reference a specific scientific
study that was conducted and published in a peer-reviewed journal. Your team must
obtain the original scientific article the news piece was based on. Each team will deliver
a 15-minute in-class presentation discussing the presentation of the article in the lay
media as compared to its presentation in the scientific literature. The presentation
should include: (1) a summary of the conclusions and implications of the study as
portrayed by the popular press piece, (2) the hypotheses posed by the scientific paper,
(3) a description of the sample used in the scientific paper, (4) a description of the
methodology/study design in the scientific paper, (5) a statement of the analytic strategy
(statistics) in the scientific paper, (6) implications of the findings according to the
scientific paper, and (7) a comparison to the implications drawn from the science paper
to those drawn by the popular press piece. Each team should submit a copy of both the
popular press article and the original scientific article in hard copy (no emails) in class
on 9/18/14 for my approval.
D. “Clinical Controversy” Debates (worth 20 points)
We will have in-class debates surrounding two controversies in clinical psychology:
(1) Prescription privileges for clinical psychologists (2 teams): One team will
argue for the status quo (i.e., psychologists should NOT be allowed to prescribe
psychotropic medications) and the other team will argue for change (i.e., psychologists
SHOULD be allowed to prescribe psychotropic medications).
(2) Categorical vs. dimensional models of psychopathology (3 teams): One team
will argue for the status quo (i.e., diagnoses should be categories as in the current DSM
system), and a second team will argue for change (i.e., psychopathology is dimensional
and may be better defined according to an alternate system such as the National
Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). A third team will argue
that both of these systems have inadequacies and both should be tossed altogether or
perhaps elements of the two should be combined. The third team should propose what
an ideal alternative system to DSM or RDoC would look like.
The class will be divided into 5 teams of 5 students. Each team will choose (or
be randomly assigned) to argue for one side in one of these debates. Debate format
details will be distributed closer to the debate. Each team should generate a list of at
least 5 major points that they will touch upon in their debates and provide an APA-style
list of references that inform their position in hard copy (no emails) in class on 10/30/14.
Grades will be assigned based on the quality of scientific thinking that you evidence in
the arguments you make and the way you critique opposing arguments. You will also
submit to me the grade that you think is appropriate for yourself and for each of your
debate teammates. Although teammates will often receive the same grade (determined
by me), I may lower a particular team member’s grade if there is an indication that the
member did not pull his or her weight during this project. Grades will be given
individually to each student in the class, not to the teams.
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E. In-Class Response Papers (worth 10 points)
Our class time will involve plenty of opportunity for discussion in small groups. A
random selection of these discussions (or immediately following a debate) will be
followed by brief in-class response papers. These will be unannounced, so please bring
paper and a writing utensil to every class. During this time, you will have a few minutes
to compose a written response to a question related to the discussion (e.g., to provide
additional commentary on the topic of discussion/debate, to highlight an important point
that you made or did not have a chance to make, to connect the material to that of
another class). Responses are meant to be brief but demonstrate critical thinking and a
synthesis of the information regarding the topic at hand. Legible, well-written responses
are expected. Grades for each response paper will range from 0-2. A 0 corresponds to
an inadequate or illegible response. A 1 corresponds to a sufficient, but not wellformulated, response. A 2 corresponds to a strong response that clearly demonstrates
critical thinking. At the end of the semester, your two lowest response paper grades will
be dropped and the rest will be averaged. If you miss a class involving a response
paper exercise, you will receive a score of 0 for that paper. Acknowledging that
students sometimes miss class due to illness or emergency is one of the reasons I drop
the two lowest scores. Please do not contact me if you miss a response paper, no
matter what the reason.
Grading Scheme
Grades for each assignment and exam will be posted on Blackboard as soon as
they are available. Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn (out
of 105 possible). Here is how you earn points:
Source
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Intake Report
Clinical Science in the Media Presentation
Debate
In-Class Response Papers
Points
15
15
15
20
10
20
10
The following scale will be used to determine your final letter grade:
A-Range
100 - 94 A
93 - 90 A-
B-Range
89 - 87 B+
86 - 84 B
83 - 80 B-
C-Range
79 - 77 C+
76 - 74 C
73 - 70 C-
D-Range
69 - 67 D+
66 - 64 D
63 - 60 D-
59 and below F
Notice that it is possible to earn a total of 105 points whereas the upper limit for a
grade of A is based on 100 points. This structure is intentional as it includes “built in”
extra credit. Therefore, this class will NOT include any additional extra credit
opportunities. The grade point distribution is final. Please do NOT approach me with
PSYC 250 Syllabus
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requests to change the point distribution or to raise your grade on assignments or your
final grade. My answer is always “No.”
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend all classes and participate fully. I understand
that occasionally you may be unable to attend class. However, I would suggest limiting
your absence to times when you are too sick to be present or when you are dealing with
a family or medical emergency because your exams will include a good portion of
lecture material and several unannounced in-class response papers are factored into
your grade. If you must miss a class, be sure to get notes from a classmate. Please do
NOT ask me to provide my class notes or Powerpoints if you miss a class, no matter
what the reason. These materials are my intellectual property, and my answer is
always “No.”
Policy on Course Deadlines and Missed Work
Late work; absences during in-class presentations, debates, and response
papers; or not taking a scheduled exam will result in a grade of zero for the
corresponding course component except in unusual circumstances (e.g., documented
illness, death in the family, or family emergency). Students with extenuating
circumstances should visit their Dean’s Office to seek corroborating documentation.
See me prior to due dates to explain documented extenuating circumstances if you
believe an extension may be warranted. There is no “make-up policy” in this course.
Please be proactive in addressing obstacles.
Technology Policy
Before the start of each class, phones and other electronic devices must be
turned off and completely concealed (i.e., in a backpack or purse) and must remain that
way for the entire duration of class. The first violation of this will result in prohibiting you
from bringing these into the classroom at all. The second and each subsequent offense
will result in loss of 5 points from your final grade. If you have a family or health-related
emergency that requires you maintain access to your phone, please notify me before
the start of class. No technological devices of any kind may be used during exams and
you must leave them turned off inside your backpack.
Use of a laptop computer during class is a privilege, not a right, and you will not
be permitted to use your laptop if it is determined that its use is serving as a distraction
to you or the students around you. You and your classmates will not be able to
effectively learn and participate in class if programs other than those used to view and
write notes are open on your screen. If other programs (e.g., internet browsers, email,
facebook, games, etc.) are open on your computer, you will no longer be allowed to use
your computer to take notes during class. This is a “one strike and done” rule (no
exceptions).
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Confidentiality, Self-Disclosure, and Well Being
The nature of the course material often leads members of the class to disclose
personal information. It is expected that you will commit to keeping all information
discussed in class completely confidential. Confidentiality includes not discussing
disclosures with students who are not members of the class, not discussing personal
material outside of class, and not discussing such material in public locations. I ask that
all students respect the privacy and support the well-being of their classmates. Although
we can all do our best to make this a safe environment, full and complete confidentiality
cannot be guaranteed. Students are advised to use their best judgment when
disclosing personal information. It can be helpful to quietly ask yourself, “Do I want all
of my classmates and professor to know this information?” before such a disclosure.
In addition, the course material may prove distressing for some or help others
determine that they may benefit from psychological services. The University of Vermont
Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS) offers free counseling to UVM students.
You are encouraged to contact CAPS (802-656-3340)
(http://www.uvm.edu/~chwb/psych/) if you decide to pursue evaluation or treatment.
Classroom Conduct and Etiquette
This course will uphold the Department of Psychological Science’s Classroom
Code of Conduct. Faculty and students will at all times conduct themselves in a manner
that serves to maintain, promote, and enhance the high-quality academic experience
befitting the University of Vermont. The essential characteristic of this policy is respect.
Student responsibilities
 Students are expected to attend every class, arriving promptly and remaining
alert and involved until dismissed by the instructor.
 Students are expected to come having not only read and completed assignments
but also having thought about them, and prepared to engage in discussion and
pose meaningful questions.
Faculty and student responsibilities
 Faculty and students will promote academic discourse and the free exchange of
ideas by listening with civil attention to all individuals.
 Faculty and students will treat all members of the learning community with
respect and will not discriminate on the basis of characteristics that include race,
color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status,
disability, or gender identity or expression.
 Mutual respect extends to turning off cell phones or other web-enabled devices
prior to the beginning of class, refraining from leaving the room in the middle of
class, and, when authorized, using laptops for course-related activities only.
My Bottom Line: The interpersonal skill set required of a clinical psychologist is to be
present and engaged. I will do my best to model that skill set during class, and I expect
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the same from you and your fellow students. Students behaving inappropriately in
class, including those sleeping, will be asked to leave.
Academic Honesty
The rules that apply to students of the University of Vermont and of the College of Arts
and Sciences in regard to cheating and plagiarism apply in the class as well (see in particular
the UVM Code of Academic Integrity http://www.uvm.edu/policies/student/acadintegrity.pdf).
Note the following site for more information on and examples of what is and is not
plagiarism: http://www.uvm.edu/~agri99/plagiarism.html.
Regarding plagiarism, note that you must paraphrase or use quotation marks
rather than use the phrasing of others, even if citations are included. In nearly all
instances of writing for this class, paraphrasing is preferable to direct quoting.
Violations of this code will be referred to the Center for Student Ethics and Standards
with a minimum faculty-recommended sanction of no credit (zero points) on the
assignment in question, regardless of whether there is evidence of intentional
misconduct. Therefore, you must take great care to ensure that all writing in this class
is your own original work.
Special Accommodations and ACCESS
UVM’s Accommodation, Consultation, Counseling & Educational Support
Services (ACCESS) provides accommodation, consultation, collaboration and education
support services to students with disabilities. Students with special needs that affect
their ability to participate fully in class, to meet all course requirements, or that require
special exam administration should contact ACCESS. If ACCESS recommends specific
accommodations for you in this class, please have them send notification to me within
the first 2 weeks of class so that we can make appropriate arrangements. If you are
certified by ACCESS to take exams in the Exam Proctoring Center, please contact me
at least 1 week before each exam to say that you will be taking the exam in the
Proctoring Center and to notify me of the scheduled time of your exam so I can arrange
for your exam to be there. ACCESS students are expected to take all exams on the
same dates as the regularly scheduled exams.
Contact information for ACCESS: http://www.uvm.edu/access/; [email protected];
(802) 656-7753, A170 Living/Learning Center.
Religious Holidays
We will abide by UVM’s policy on religious holidays: “Students have the right to
practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to
their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious
holiday schedule for the semester (only if any conflict with the class schedule). Faculty
must permit students who miss class for the purpose of religious observance to make
up the course work.”
PSYC 250 Syllabus
Class Schedule
Dates and scheduled topics are tentative and somewhat flexible. We may divert from
this plan depending on time and the interests of the class. Changes will be announced
in class. Please note that the lecture topic titles shown below do not necessarily match
the textbook chapter titles. Deadlines for assignments and exam dates are bolded.
Date
Topic and Assignments Due
Chapter
Tues., Aug. 26
Thur., Aug. 28
Tues., Sept. 2
Thur., Sept. 4
Tues., Sept. 9
Thur., Sept. 11
Course Introduction
What is clinical psychology?
History of clinical psychology
The scientist-practitioner model
Ethics
Clinical research methods
Intake report character approval form
due in class
Diagnosis and classification
Clinical interviewing
“Clinical science in the media” articles
due in class for approval
Exam 1
Intelligence testing
Personality assessment
Behavioral assessment
Clinical judgment
Evidence-based treatment and practice
Interventions: Cognitive-behavioral
Interventions: Cognitive-behavioral
Exam 2
Interventions: Psychodynamic &
humanistic
“In the Media” Presentation 1
Group, family, & couples therapy
“In the Media” Presentation 2
Subspecialty: Community psychology
Debate points and references due in
class from each team
“In the Media” Presentation 3
Subspecialty: Health psychology
“In the Media” Presentation 4
Subspecialty: Neuropsychology
“In the Media” Presentation 5
Subspecialty: Forensic psychology
“In the Media” Presentation 6
Debate 1: “Prescription privileges”
Grad school for clinical psychology
Debate 2: “Diagnostic systems”
Grad school for clinical psychology
Intake report due (must be submitted by
-1
2
3
-4
Tues., Sept. 16
Thur., Sept. 18
Tues., Sept. 23
Thur., Sept. 25
Tues., Sept. 30
Thur., Oct. 2
Tues., Oct. 7
Thur., Oct. 9
Tues., Oct. 14
Thur., Oct. 16
Tues., Oct. 21
Thur., Oct. 23
Tues., Oct. 28
Thur., Oct. 30
Tues., Nov. 4
Thur., Nov. 6
Tues., Nov. 11
Thur., Nov. 13
Tues, Nov. 18
Thur., Nov. 20
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6
Supplemental
Readings
APA Code
Insel
7
8
9
10
11
14
*
12, 13
15
16
17
18
19
Calhoun
Prinstein (skim
this)
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PSYC 250 Syllabus
Tues., Nov. 25
Thur., Nov. 27
Tues., Dec. 2
4:00 pm via Blackboard)
No Class—Dr. Rohan is away (presenting
research at a clinical psychology
conference)
No Class—Thanksgiving Recess
No Class—Thanksgiving Recess
Exam 3
*Helpful Hint: As there is no new assigned chapter for this date, I suggest you get a
jump on reading one of the two chapters assigned for the next class after the exam.
Other Important Dates:
Add/Drop, Audit, Pass/No Pass Deadline: Mon., Sept. 8
Last Day to Withdraw: Mon., Oct. 27
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