Text: Developmental Psychopathology (3rd Edition) by Charles Wenar

Service Learning Coordinators: Jim Penticuff & Ken Weadick
Office Hours: TR 11:00a.m. – 12:00 Noon
W 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. & by appointment

The purpose of this course is to study the development, classification, intervention and treatment of classic childhood behavioral and emotional disorders. Although the title of this course is Behavioral Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence, we will also spend considerable time discussing emotional disorders and their effects on the child and adolescent. We will discuss such issues as causal factors that lead to or promote such disorders, problems in classifying the disorders, methods of treatment, and the advantages and disadvantages of particular treatment strategies. As time in the course permits, we will discuss case histories, and use examples to illustrate key points whenever possible. The issues involved in understanding emotional and behavioral disorders are quite complicated and the issues get further muddied when children and adolescents are involved. Factors within society, families and even the school system foster and perpetuate these problems and these causal issues will be discussed in-depth early on in the course. Once causal factors are understood, then, and only then, can we begin to address issues related to diagnosing and treating the disorders.

Campus Learning Objectives:
Indiana University East has established eight learning objectives for our students. These achievement goals are:
1. An educated person should be exposed to a broad variety of
academic fields traditionally known as the Liberal Arts
(Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences).
2. An educated person should have achieved depth in some field of
knowledge.
3. An educated person should be able to express him or herself clearly,
completely, and accurately.
4. An educated person should be able to relate computational skills to
all fields so that he or she is able to think with numbers.
5. An educated person should be able to identify problems and to find
efficient solutions to those problems in all areas of life.
6. An educated person should develop the skills to understand, accept, and relate
to people of different backgrounds and beliefs.
7. An educated person should be expected to have some understanding
of and experience in thinking about moral and ethical problems.
8. An educated person should have conceptual ability: i.e. the ability
to think rationally, to develop informed opinions, and to
comprehend new ideas.

Of course no single class could accomplish all of these goals. This course is specifically designed to enhance your skills and abilities in achieving learning goals numbers 2, 3, 5, & 6.

Specific Content Learning Objectives: There are many key points that you will be expected to know in this course. To help you to understand those points, I have summarized many of them into categories of learning objectives. These objectives will provide you with a summary of some of the major issues that will be discussed & that you will be expected to know as we progress through the course. We will use exams, quizzes, and other assignments to reinforce the following objectives in the course:

1. Understands the Difference Between “Emotional” & “Behavioral”
Disorders

1.1 defines “abnormal”
1.2 explains the difference between “developmental” & “societal” norms
1.3 explains the importance and problems of using definitions
1.4 describes the criteria used to classify “emotional” disorders
1.5 describes the criteria used to classify “behavioral” disorders
1.6 explains the current National Mental Health and Special
Education Coalition definition for “seriously emotionally disturbed”
1.7 describes the improvements of this definition over previous ones

2. Understands Basic Approaches to the Problems Discussed

2.1 explains the Biogenic model
2.2 explains the Psychodynamic model
2.3 explains the Psychoeducational model
2.4 explains the Humanistic model
2.5 explains the Ecological model
2.6 explains the Behavioral model
2.7 describes the strengths & weaknesses of each approach

3. Understands the Issues Involved in Screening & Classification

3.1 explains the issues that complicate screening
3.2 describes the reasons that screening is so important
3.3 explains the criteria used in selecting a screening procedure
3.4 briefly describes the major screening methods
3.5 describes the behavior rating profile
3.6 describes the test of early socioemotional development
3.7 describes the social-emotional dimension scale
3.8 describes the child behavior checklist
3.9 describes the systematic screening for behavior disorders
3.10 describes the school archival records search

4. Understands the Causal Factors that Create & Perpetuate The Disorders

4.1 describes the biological factors
4.2 describes the family factors
4.3 describes the school factors
4.4 describes the cultural factors
4.5 explains the possible interactions between these causal factors

5. Understands Each of the Disorders Discussed

5.1 explains Infantile Autism
5.2 explains Childhood Schizophrenia
5.3 explains Depression
5.4 explains Attention & Activity Disorders
5.5 explains Conduct Disorder
5.6 explains Delinquency & Substance Abuse
5.7 explains Anxiety-Withdrawal Disorders
5.8 explains Psychotic Disorders
5.9 understands the connections among these disorders

6. Understands Possible Interventions & Treatments for Each Disorder

6.1 describes interventions and treatments for Autism
6.2 describes interventions and treatments for Schizophrenia
6.3 describes interventions and treatments for Depression
6.4 describes interventions and treatments for Attention/Activity
Disorders
6.5 describes interventions and treatments for Conduct Disorder
6.6 describes interventions and treatments for Delinquency &
Substance Abuse
6.7 describes interventions and treatments for Anxiety-Withdrawal
Disorders
6.8 describes interventions and treatments for Psychotic Disorders
6.9 explains unresolved issues for each disorder

7. Applies Course Principles to Service Learning Projects

7.1 describes relationship between course material and service-
learning agencies
7.2 describes specific “problem” being addressed with service-
learning project
7.3 explains course content that relates to possible solutions to
service-learning “problem”
7.4 describes proposed solution to agency for possible implementation

Service Learning Project:
Since a significant part of this course is devoted to understanding individuals suffering from emotional and behavioral disorders, it is especially important that we avoid the temptation to assume that the disorder defines the person. In order to truly understand the impact and significance of these disorders for the lives of those affected, students will work in groups and work in agencies that work with children and adolescents. Specifically, student work groups can choose between a variety of projects at The Mental Health Association in Wayne County or Townsend Community Center in Richmond. Both of these agencies work closely with child and adolescent populations and have worked with us to create projects that will allow student work groups to gather information, volunteer in the agency and work to solve a real problem facing the agency and the population being served.

Each student must volunteer in the assigned agency for 10 hours during the course of the semester. These hours can be completed alone or groups may choose to work their hours together as they work to help the agency complete a task, solve a problem, etc. that is specifically related to emotional and/or behavioral problems of children and adolescents. Students will also be expected to do library research gathering information about the population they are working with and the specific problem they are addressing for the agency. This information, along with any proposals they may arrive at after completing the volunteer hours at the agency, will be compiled in a group project course paper. A copy of this paper will be turned in for grading, one copy will be turned in for course files and another copy will be provided for the agency in which the placement took place. Groups will also do brief presentations of their experience to the rest of the class.

These papers need to be a minimum of 10 pages (with at least 15 references) and need to be written in APA style. Please see me if you need help with APA style writing.

Presentations must be a minimum of 20 minutes long and include at least 2 handouts for the other students in the class.

Students will work in 5 person (maximum) work groups. Although student work groups can choose which of the 2 agencies they would like to work for, a maximum of 3 groups can work for either agency. Agency assignments (and project assignments within agencies) will be on a first come, first serve basis.

Ken Weadick will serve as the Service-Learning Coordinator for the Mental Health Association in Wayne County. Ken will work with groups who choose this agency to decide on a project, make initial contact with the agency, plan the service-learning project (i.e., what the group will attempt to do for the agency), help to solve any problems that might arise, coordinate and provide materials for completion of the project (i.e., office type supplies), advise groups during the writing of the project paper, and attend an exit meeting with the group, myself, and the agency sponsor to complete the project (or update the agency on project progress).

Jim Penticuff will serve as the Service-Learning Coordinator for the Townsend Community Center in Richmond. Jim will work with groups who choose this agency to decide on a project, make initial contact with the agency, plan the service-learning project (i.e., what the group will attempt to do for the agency), help to solve any problems that might arise, coordinate and provide materials for completion of the project (i.e., office type supplies), advise groups during the writing of the project paper, and attend an exit meeting with the group, myself, and the agency sponsor to complete the project (or update the agency on project progress).

The Mental Health Association in Wayne County is a not-for-profit agency whose mission is defined as “working for America’s Mental Health and Victory over Mental Illness”. The Association sponsors many support groups including depression, attention-deficit disorder, incest survivors, Tourette’s Syndrome, anxiety and depression screenings, and others. Prior placements for students have included helping to conduct the “I’m Thumbody” self-esteem program conducted in 3rd grade classes in the county, and various other advocacy programs. The MHA is located at 830 Sim Hodgin Parkway (across from Reid Hospital).

The Townsend Community Center provides individuals in the community with programs and services geared specifically toward at-risk children and adolescents. Students may work to establish new programs for youth, may be asked to conduct a community needs assessment, work to create and conduct a community self-esteem presentation, etc… The Center is located at 855 North 12th Street in Richmond.

Potential Projects:
Projects at the Mental Health Association include:

1.) “I’m Thumbody” Self-Esteem Program
2.) BABES – Children and Adolescent Alcohol Awareness Program
3.) Create & conduct a Junior Mental Health Needs Assessment.

What junior mental health needs exist in the community?
What programs are currently in place to address those needs?
Which needs are not being fulfilled?
Suggestions for new programs and/or changing existing programs to fulfill those needs.

Projects at the Townsend Community Center include:
1.) Changing the Child’s Perception of Authority Figures.
role-playing in authority positions – “what’s it like to be this person?”

2.) Evaluating the effect of “fee for services” programs. Is it effecting utilization? Is there a psychological impact? Does it hinder involvement? How does this influence staff perceptions of the program? What are the problems if exceptions to fees are allowed?

3.) Structured programs for high school age youth. What would it take to get this age group involved? What programs are they interested in? Why have past efforts to get this age group involved failed?

Reflecting Learning from the Service Projects:
I am a firm believer that students gain a significant amount of understanding by reflecting on course content in a variety of ways. This is also particularly important given the applied nature of the service learning projects. For this reason, you will be given multiple opportunities to reflect on what you are learning from the service learning project and how it integrates with what you are learning from the content discussions in this course.

Some of these points are “individual” points, meaning each student does the reflection and each student earns his/her own points for that reflection.

Other reflection points will be “group” points meaning the reflection is completed as a group and each group member receives the number of points that reflection earns.

Please note that there are no specific right or wrong answers in these reflections. You are being asked to engage in critical thinking about the service projects and how the major concepts from this course (the ones you feel are relevant to your project) relate to the project you are conducting and the product you are developing for the agency.

Specific reflection assignments and point values are as follows:

Individual Reflection Assignments:
1.) Exit Cards – At the end of each class period (once projects have started), you will be asked to take a few moments and reflect on the content currently being covered in the course. In particular, you will be asked to answer the following question, “How does Information from today’s class period relate to your service project/experience?”
3 points each x 21 class periods = 51 points maximum.

NOTE: An exit card can ONLY be turned in for class periods in
which you are physically present.

2.) Thought Papers – throughout the semester you will be asked to complete 4 – 1 page “Thought Papers”. I call these thought papers because I want you to discuss with me some aspect of the course and/or the service project that has stimulated your thinking. Be sure and include answers to the following questions:

How has this situation/information challenged or changed your way of thinking?

What might you do differently now that you have confronted or encountered this issue?

3.) Essay Question(s) on Exams – At least one essay question will appear on each of the three exams. These questions will ask you to consider a dominant issue from the current section of material and discuss that issue as it relates to the service project you are doing. These will be worth a varying amount of points on each exam but at least 15 out of the 100 points.

Group Reflections:
1.) 3-minute Updates – Once each month, groups will take about 3minutes of class time and give a very brief update or progress,obstacles, goals, etc. You will need to choose a spokesperson for each of these and a given student can only give one of these updates. Each group member present during the update class periods will earn 5 assignment points for the update given by their group member.

2.) Final Updates – Groups will schedule and present a final project update during final exams week (note we do not have a regular final exam). Each group member must be involved in this presentation and a copy of the final project product must be turned in to the instructor at the completion of this presentation. Except in extreme circumstances, only those group members present during the presentation can earn Final Update points. Final Updates are worth up to 50 points and should include expanded coverage of the same items requested in 3 minute updates plus strong integration of course content.

3.) Project Products – These are the culminating event for the course.These products should illustrate what you did for the agency, your resolution to the agency’s problem or stated need, an analysis of major course content as it applies to the work you did, applicable references(minimum of 15), and individual reflections from each group member about the experience and specific ways the project effected their learning. These products will be graded as a group and are worth up to 100 points.
NOTE: All group members will be asked to turn in evaluation forms for all group members in a sealed envelope. I will use these evaluations to determine relative contributions from each group member and may adjust certain student grades accordingly, if necessary, after having consulted with those students.

Non Service-Learning Paper Option:
Students who do not wish to participate in the service-learning project are not required to do so. Those students who decide not to do this project, however, must complete the following option. This requirement involves choosing one of the disorders covered in the course, doing a search of the relevant literature (psychology journals, medical journals, education journals, etc.) and summarizing what is known about:

1.) Potential causes of the disorder
2.) Significant symptoms
3.) Treatment strategies

In addition, students are expected to interview at least 2 persons who work with individuals with this disorder (e.g., a school counselor, a physician a therapist, someone at the Mental Health Association, etc.) to get practical information about this disorder. Excerpts from these interviews MUST be included in the paper. These papers need to be a minimum of 10 pages (with at least 20 references) and need to be written in APA style. Please see me if you need help with APA style writing.

Students choosing this option, will still do an in-class presentation. This presentation, however, will focus on their findings related to their chosen disorder rather than on an agency project. Presentations must be a minimum of 20 minutes long and include at least 2 handouts for the other students in the class.

Points for the Course:
2 Hourly Exams X 100 points each = 200 points
Highest Quiz Score X 30 points = 30 points
In-class, Take-home Assignments, Exit Cards = 100 points
Agency Project/Paper = 100 points
In-Class Presentation = 50 points
Final Exam = 100 points
_____________
Total = 580 points

Agency Project/Paper: This paper (8-10 pages) is meant to allow you to explore in-depth some aspect of an agency that works with children and adolescents . You will be randomly assigned to a group then your group will be asked to choose one of the two agencies sponsoring the service-learning component of this class (Townsend Community Center & The Mental Health Association in Wayne County). After deciding which agency the group would like to work in, groups will choose from a short list of potential projects designated by the agency as addressing problems relevant to the populations being studied in this course. This paper will be due prior to the end of the semester so I encourage you to start your service-learning project early in the course. Students can meet with the service-learning coordinators or myself at any time to discuss the project, the “problem” they are addressing for the agency, etc…

Although some in-class time will be used for preparing groups to conduct the service-learning project, the majority of the work will be done while students are volunteering in the agency. The Service-Learning Coordinators will be available to help work groups make contact with the agency, establish a project goal, problem solve if problems arise, and coordinate volunteer hours. It is extremely important that you think about the course learning objectives as you write your project paper. You must consider how the experiences you are having as you conduct the project relate to the learning goals spelled out for this course.

For example, you might consider how your service experiences have influenced your perceptions of what is “normal” or “abnormal”.

Exit Cards: You need to purchase a package of note cards for this course. At the end of each class period I will ask you to fill out an exit card as described earlier. On this card you are also encouraged to comment about the class, the material being covered, ask questions, ask for clarification, make connections to other material in the course, ask for advice, let me know what you think is working particularly well in the course, or let me know what things you think are not working well. This is an attempt on my part to make you – the student an active partner in the class. It also provides you with a non-threatening way to ask questions and comment on the class.

Another important function of the exit cards is to provide opportunities for you to reflect on how the content from any given class period relates to the experiences you are having in your service projects.

These allow me to keep a finger on the pulse of the class and respond to your needs. I will read these exit cards after each class period, write a personal response to each one, and give you three points toward your assignment point total needed of 100 points. You can earn up to 51 of the 100 points this way. That would be turning in 17 of the exit cards out of a possible 22 lecture periods (not counting exam and presentation days).

Student Assessment Group: As a part of my ongoing efforts to make this class as good as it can be, I would like to ask five or six (or even more of you if you’re willing) to form a student assessment group that will meet with me about every 2nd or 3rd week to discuss the course, how things are going, any perceived problems, any compliments, etc… This group will meet for about 20 minutes either before or after class (whichever fits students schedules the best). I will take notes from these meetings and use them to make necessary changes to the course to maximize the learning that takes place. I will also ask you to submit a short written summary at mid-term and the end of the semester summarizing your feelings about the group, the course, my teaching style, the lectures, the assignment, etc… These will be used by me to make the course even better the next time that I offer it. This group will be invaluable to me and the other students because only feedback from students can let me know what I am doing right or what I could improve to enhance the quality of my instruction and the success of the learning environment in this class.

Lectures and Assignments (assignment dates are in bold)

Week 1: Introduction to Course & The Problem of Emotional & Behavioral
Disorders. First Discussion of Service-Learning Projects. Read
Chapters 1 & 2 in text.

Week 2: Approaches to the Problem. Screening & Classification. Follow-up
Discussion of Service-Learning Projects and initial group work
activity. Read Chapter 3 in text.

Week 3: Causal Factors. Read Chapter 14 in text. Initial Orientation
at Agencies. Ken & Jim will coordinate a trip to
each agency.

Thought Paper 1 Due

Week 4: Causal Factors (conclusion). Exam 1 Review distributed

Week 5: Exam 1. Service-Learning Projects Begin

Week 6: Autism. Schizophrenia. Read Chapters 4 & 10 in text.

Week 7: Depression. 3-minute Project Updates. Read Chapter 7 in text.

Thought Paper 2 Due

Week 8: Attention & Activity Disorders. Read Chapter 6 in text.

Week 9: Conduct Disorder. 3-minute Project Updates. Read Chapter 9 in
text.

Week 10: Spring Break (Have Fun & Be Careful!)

Week 11: 10-minute Service-Learning Project. Exam 2 Review
distributed. Exam 2.

Week 12: Delinquency & Substance Abuse. Read Chapter 11 in text pages
310-326).

Thought Paper 3 Due

Week 13: Anxiety-withdrawal disorders. Read Ch. 8 in text.

Week 14: Psychotic Behavior.

Thought Paper 4 Due

Week 15: Exam 3 Review distributed. Exam 3.

Week 16: Formal In-class presentations of Service-Learning
Projects. Project Papers Due.