Psychology

The course examines the definition, assessment, prevalence, manifestation, etiology, and treatment of abnormal behavior.  The symptomatology and prevalence of various types of psychopathology are presented along with the most current theories and research on the possible causes of these disorders. Also discussed is research on the effectiveness of interventions and mental health services designed to treat a particular disorder. Specific issues addressed include the sociocultural context of normal and abnormal behavior, historical perspectives to abnormal behavior, empirical approaches to studying deviant behavior, the diagnostic classification system, differing models and theories of psychopathology, culture-bound syndromes, symptoms, etiology, and course of illness for each major mental health disorder, the development and evaluation of treatments for certain disorders, and the legal and ethical responsibilities of the mental health profession. Special emphasis is given to examining important ethnic, cultural, gender, and age influences on the patterns and symptoms of different types of mental health disorders and how issues of diversity may affect a person's response to mental health treatment and care. 

Course Requirements

1. Regular class attendance and completion of required reading.

2. A midterm exam (45% of course grade) and a final exam (55% of course grade) each involving multiple-choice questions.  The final exam will be cumulative. Grading will be done on a curve. Extra credit may be available.