PSYS 271: Introduction to Clinical Psychology

PSYS 271 Syllabus
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PSYS 271: Introduction to Clinical Psychology
Fall 2015
Class Times:
Classroom:
Instructor:
E-mail:
Phone:
Office:
Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:50 – 4:05 pm
Hills 228
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 using empiricallybased approaches.
(4) Identify the major tasks and responsibilities of clinical psychologists as health
care professionals.
(5) Engage with the ethical framework for the practice of psychology.
(6) Demonstrate basic understanding the different specialties in clinical psychology.
(7) Articulate the steps to pursuing graduate education in clinical psychology.
Textbook (Required)
Trull, T. J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2013). Clinical Psychology (8th Edition). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. (ISBN: 978-0-495-50822-9)
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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
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
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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% of final grade, 15% 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 15% of final grade)
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 9/17/15 for my approval. Failure to do so will result in
losing 10% on this assignment. Your final intake report should be no more than 6
double-spaced typed pages using 12-point font with 1-inch margins all around. Submit
your intake report via Blackboard no later than 8:00 pm on 11/19/15.
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% of final grade)
The class will create (or be assigned to) teams, typically of 4 or 5 students/team.
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 9/24/15 for my approval. Failure to do so will result in losing 10% on
this assignment.
D. “Clinical Controversy” Debates (worth 20% of final grade)
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 4-5 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 11/5/15.
Failure to do so will result in losing 10% on this assignment. 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
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or her weight during this project. Grades will be given individually to each student in the
class, not to the teams.
E. In-Class Response Papers (worth 10% of final grade)
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 and this average will be posted on
Blackboard. 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, displayed as raw scores (out of 100), will
be posted on Blackboard as soon as they are available. Your final grade will be based
on the following distribution:
Course Requirement
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Intake Report
Clinical Science in the Media Presentation
Debate
In-Class Response Papers
% of your final grade
15
15
15
15
10
20
10
Final grades will be calculated by entering your raw scores into the following
formula, consistent with the percentage allocated to each component:
Final Grade = (Exam 1 × .15) + (Exam 2 × .15) + (Exam 3 × .15) + (Intake Report × .15)
+ (Media Presentation × .10) + (Debate × .20) + (Class Response Papers × .10) + extra
credit points (= up to 5 points)
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The following scale will be used to determine your final letter grade:
A-Range
B-Range
C-Range
D-Range
100+ A+
89 - 87 B+
79 - 77 C+
69 - 67 D+
59 and below F
99 - 94 A
86 - 84 B
76 - 74 C
66 - 64 D
93 - 90 A83 - 80 B73 - 70 C63 - 60 DThe grade point distribution is final. Please do NOT approach me with requests
to change the point distribution or to raise your grade on assignments or your final
grade. My answer is always “No.”
Opportunities for Extra Credit
During the semester, students can earn extra credit for participating in
psychology research studies using the online system for finding studies, called Sona.
Students have the opportunity to earn up to 5 total extra credit points, meaning that
you can improve your final grade by as much as half-a-letter (e.g., if a student with a Bgrade earns 5 points, the final grade will improve to a B or a B+). The extra credit points
(a maximum of 5 total allowed) will be added to your final grade at the end of the
semester. Generally, every 1 hour of study participation equals one Sona extra credit
point. Students interested in participating should log in to the Sona system at the
following address: https://uvm.sona-systems.com/ Students with a Sona participant
account are welcome to continue using it. Otherwise, click on “Request Account” from
the login page. Students should use their UVM email address for Sona, but choose a
user ID that is different from their UVM NetID in order to avoid security issues. Sona’s
prescreen questions are optional to complete, but opting out of the prescreen will limit
which studies a student is able to participate in. The list of eligible studies each student
sees depends on the prescreen responses. Some studies have no inclusion criteria
and therefore do not depend on the prescreen (anyone can participate). Other studies
rely on the prescreen to determine who is eligible. Watch a brief (9-minute) tutorial
video for Sona participants at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1OnT2ZU6QQ
I receive a list of all PSYS 271 students who participated in extra credit studies
with the number of Sona points earned at the very end of the semester. You can check
Blackboard at the very end of the semester, but not sooner, to view extra credit points.
Participation in extra credit opportunities is entirely voluntary. You are under no
obligation to do any extra credit experience.
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
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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
silenced (or turned off) and completely concealed (i.e., in a backpack or purse) and
must remain that way for the entire duration of class. If you have a family or healthrelated emergency that requires you maintain access to your phone, please notify Dr.
Rohan 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).
The first violation of this technology policy (e.g., using your phone in class, your
phone rings, or inappropriate laptop use) will result in prohibiting you from bringing
these devices into the classroom at all. The second and each subsequent offense will
result in loss of 5 points from your final grade.
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
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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
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).
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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.”
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.
PSYS 271 Syllabus
Date
Topic and Assignments Due
Tues., Sept. 1
Thur., Sept. 3
Tues., Sept. 8
Thur., Sept. 10
Tues., Sept. 15
Thur., Sept. 17
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
Clinical research methods (cont.’d)
Diagnosis and classification
“Clinical science in the media”
articles due in class for approval
Exam 1
Clinical interviewing
Intelligence testing
Personality assessment
Behavioral assessment
Clinical judgment
Evidence-based treatment and
practice
Evidence-based treatment and
practice (cont.’d)
Exam 2
Cognitive-behavioral interventions
“In the Media” Presentation 1
Cognitive-behavioral interventions
“In the Media” Presentation 2
Cognitive-behavioral interventions
Debate points and references due
in class from each team
“In the Media” Presentation 3
Subspecialties in clinical psychology:
Overview
“In the Media” Presentation 4
“In the Media” Presentation 5
Tues., Sept. 22
Thur., Sept. 24
Tues., Sept. 29
Thur., Oct. 1
Tues., Oct. 6
Thur., Oct. 8
Tues., Oct. 13
Thur., Oct. 15
Tues., Oct. 20
Thur., Oct. 22
Tues., Oct. 27
Thur., Oct. 29
Tues., Nov. 3
Thur., Nov. 5
Tues., Nov. 10
Thur., Nov. 12
Tues., Nov. 17
Thur., Nov. 19
Guest Lecture TBD
Subspecialty: Forensic psychology
Guest: Victoria Marini, Ph.D.
Grad school for clinical psychology
“In the Media” Presentation 6
Intake report due (must be submitted
by 8:00 pm via Blackboard)
Chapter Supplemental
Readings
-1
2
3
-APA Code
4
*
5
Insel
6
7
8
9
10
11
*
14
*
*
Explore
http://www.apa
.org/ed/graduat
e/specialize/re
cognized.aspx
18
19
Calhoun
10
PSYS 271 Syllabus
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Tues., Nov. 24
Thur., Nov. 26
Tues, Dec. 1
No Class—Thanksgiving Recess
No Class—Thanksgiving Recess
Debate 1: “Prescription privileges”
Prinstein (skim
Grad school for clinical psychology
this)
Thur., Dec. 3
Debate 2: “Diagnostic systems”
Grad school for clinical psychology
Tues., Dec. 8
Exam 3
*Helpful Hint: As there is no new assigned reading for this date, I suggest you get a
jump on your reading by reading ahead or allocate the time to work on upcoming course
assignments.
Other Important Dates:
Add/Drop, Audit, Pass/No Pass Deadline: Mon., Sept. 14
Last Day to Withdraw: Mon., Nov. 2
Resource for Learning about Graduate School for Clinical Psychology
The Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) has
assembled the most useful links and resources on the web to guide you through the
process of choosing and applying to graduate school: http://clinicalpsychgradschool.org/