Standard

R State Standard £ Institutionally Developed College: N/A

PSY 2250 – Abnormal Psychology

Course Description

Studies the nature and causes of various forms of behavior disorder. Topics include: types of abnormalities; psychopathology; assessment and classification of mental disorders; symptomatology of major mental disorders; and critical evaluation of current theories.

Competency Areas	Hours
Types of Abnormalities	Class	5
Psychopathology	D. Lab	0
Assessment and Classification of Mental Disorders	P. Lab/O.B.I.	0
Symptomatology of Major Mental Disorders	Credit	5
Critical Evaluation of Current Theories

Prerequisite:	PSY 1101
Corequisite:

Course Guide

Competency	After completing this section, the student will be able to:	Hours
		Class	D.Lab	P.Lab/ O.B.I.

Types of Abnormalities		12	0	0
Usually found in infancy, childhood, or adolescence.	Identify and describe disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
General medical condition not elsewhere specified	Identify and describe mental disorders due to a general medical condition not elsewhere specified as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Substance-related disorders	Identify and describe substance-related disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders	Identify and describe schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Mood disorders	Identify and describe mood disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Somatoform disorders	Identify and describe somatoform disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Factitious disorders	Identify and describe factitious disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Dissociative disorders	Identify and describe dissociative disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Sexual disorders	Identify and describe sexual disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Eating disorders	Identify and describe eating disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Sleep disorders	Identify and describe sleep disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Impulse-control disorders	Identify and describe impulse-control disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Adjustment disorders	Identify and describe adjustment disorders as depicted by the current publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) or other publications approved by the instructor.
Psychopathology		7	0	0
	Describe the components of the central nervous system (CNS).
	Define autonomic nervous system (ANS), sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
	Describe functions of each.
Assessment and Classification of Mental Disorders		9	0	0
Treatment	List and describe the sources of available treatment (e.g., group therapy, private counseling, group homes, hospitalization, and medication).
Symptomatology of Major Mental Disorders		7	0	0
Anxiety	Describe the kinds of anxiety disorders that lead to emotional disorders.
Fears and phobias	Differentiate between fears and phobias.
Emotions	Describe the role of emotions in psychopathology.
Mental retardation	Describe the levels of mental retardation.
	List the causes of mental retardation.
Critical Evaluation of Current Theories		15	0	0
	Evaluate the current theories of abnormal psychology.
Psychodynamic	Describe psychoanalytic theory according to Freud, structural approach, developmental approach, anxiety, and defense mechanisms.
Behavioral perspective	Describe classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and vicarious conditioning.
Cognitive perspective	Describe the stages of memory.
	Define sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
Biological perspective	Describe the brain structure and hormones (limbic system).
Humanistic self-actualization perspective	Differentiate between the humanistic position and the self-actualization position.
Family systems approach	Describe communication patterns and relationship structures in family dynamics.
Integrative approach	Define technical eclecticism and theoretical integration.
	Describe common factors of the integrative approach.

Suggested Resources

Media Print Audio/Visual Web Other	Note: Please adhere to the APA Formatting and Style Guidelines. Examples: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher. Duncan, G.J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up poor. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Print	Barlow, David. H. & Durand, V. Mark. (2008). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach. (5^th ed.). New York: Brooks Cole.
	Bootzin, Richard. R., Acocella, Joan R., and Alloy, Lauren B. (1999). Abnormal psychology: Current perspectives. (8^th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill.
	Holmes, David S. (2000). Abnormal psychology. (4^th ed.) New York: HarperCollins.
	Nevid, J. S., et al. (2005). Abnormal psychology in a changing world. (6^th ed.) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
	Sarason, Irwin, G., & Sarason, Barbara R. (2004). Abnormal psychology: The problem of maladaptive behavior. (11^th ed.) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

Posted: 10/08/08