PSY 341 Spring 2019 Page 1 of 13

PSY 341
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Spring 2019
Complete Online Format

Course Information Instructor Information

Title: Psy 341 Name: Dr. Sawssan Ahmed
Section: 51 Phone: 657-278-2173
Credit hours: 3 Virtual Office hours: By appointment only
Email: saahmed@fullerton.edu

Teaching Assistant Information

Name: Lindita Djokovic
Email: lindita.djokovic@csu.fullerton.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays 4-6pm H-520

Note: This syllabus establishes rules and procedures for this course. Your decision to remain enrolled in
the class indicates that you agree to follow these rules.

Prerequisites: You should have successfully completed Psychology 101 - Introduction to

Psychology in order to have a background for the basic theories, concepts and language used in
Abnormal Psychology.

General Education Requirements. Psych 341 adheres to the G.E. goal identified in Section D.5 of
the university catalog.
COURSE DESCRIPTION

During this course, we will examine symptoms, possible causes, treatment, and prevention of
mental problems and disorders. Our study will include a look at mood disorders, anxiety disorders,
personality disorders, psycho-physiological disorders, psychoses, substance use disorders, sexual
disorders, organic disorders, and special topics current to the field of abnormal and clinical
psychology. Issues, problems and themes will be examined both from the psychological perspective
and an interdisciplinary approach. We will analyze and critically evaluate abnormal psychology
from a historical and contemporary perspective while also considering the issues that future
professionals may encounter in the field. Ethnicity, gender, race, class, SES, and sexual orientation
will be analyzed and critically evaluated in our course. Finally, concepts and theories of abnormal
psychology will be applied to problems confronting local and global communities.

LEARNING GOALS

Our goal is to understand the most important psychological disorders that are currently
validated by clinicians and academics through the DSM. We will cover a wide array of problems
that appear to have their roots in socialization or in the brain and attempt to understand how
clinicians detect, assess, and treat abnormal patterns of behavior and thought. Also, we will

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compare abnormal to healthy psychology with an emphasis on good mental health habits.
This class covers basic symptoms and treatments and requires a good deal of memorization
and integration.

REQUIRED TEXT

Comer, R. J. & Comer, J.S. (2018). Abnormal psychology (10th Ed). NY: Worth.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS

If you have questions about the assignments, lectures, readings, or anything else related to the
course material, please post a question to the HELP forum tool (if you have questions, other
classmates likely will also!) or contact the professor or teaching assistants. For personal concerns
or feedback, please email me directly.

If you have questions or comments about a technical part of class, something to do with email or
the web pages, how to use a tool, etc. please contact the CSUF Student help desk
studentithelpdesk@fullerton.edu or (657) 278-8888. They are an extremely valuable resource and
want to help you get the most out of this class you can. Additionally, if you are having difficulty
submitting an assignment or taking an exam on Titanium, please email me immediately in
addition to contacting the CSUF help desk.

MISSING OR LATE WORK

Assignments and exams cannot be made up for reasons other than a documented medical or
family emergency. Please do not email me asking me to make up assignments or exams if you
do not have a documented medical or family emergency. Reasons such as going out of town for
the weekend or a family reunion, forgetting to complete an exam or assignment, etc. are not
excuses for not doing the work. Remember, online courses are mobile and can go with you. If
you know you are going to be out of town during the semester, make arrangements for internet
access, so that you can complete your work while you are out of the area.

COURSE STRUCTURE

This is an entirely online course delivered to Titanium. You will use your Titanium account to
login to the course through the portal at fullerton.edu. You are required to read and understand
the components of the course listed in this syllabus.

PowerPoint Lectures
Each week, I will post a PowerPoint presentation containing lecture notes for the course. The
presentation will include an outline of material covered in class, a short audio overview of the
important points covered for that lecture and additional detailed notes in the notes pages of the
presentation.

Office Hours

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Office hours are virtual only and by appointment. However, the instructor will read and respond to
student email at least once each day between Mondays and Fridays. You are encouraged
communicate with the instructor.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Your grade will be based on three NON-cumulative midterm exams, one NON-cumulative final
exam and five required forum discussions.

1. Exams: At four time points during the semester, short exams will be given. All exams will
be administered online through Titanium at the designated time on the schedule below. It
is your responsibility to make sure that you have access to a computer and the internet
during this time. Once you begin exam you will only have 50 minutes to complete the exam.
Each exam will consist of 50 questions so plan your time accordingly. Exams will not be
cumulative and will only cover the lecture and reading material listed on the syllabus since
the previous exam. Exams will cover material from lectures, forum discussions, and the
assigned readings.

All students should take the exams at the date and time specified in the syllabus. I will not
remind you that there is an upcoming exam so make sure you allow time in your schedule to
take the exams during the designated open exam periods listed below. There will be no
make-up exams except for University approved emergencies or illnesses that are verified
by appropriate documentation. You must contact me directly (via email) before the
exam.

IMPORTANT: There are no “second chances” for the exams. Once a question appears on
the exam you must answer it. You cannot come back to answer a question after it first
appears and you cannot change your answer once you’ve answered a question. Additionally,
once you take the exam and submit it, you are done. Please make sure you allow enough
time to take the exam and do so at a time that you will not be interrupted.

2. Topic Forum Discussion: (graded & required): (See below for further description of
forum assignments). One component of this course is interacting with others. Forums are an
important component of online classes. Please note: do not share your personal contact
information on a forum, instead please send private emails or messages to share this type of
information.

These forums are formal. There are 9 of these forums. However, you are only required to
complete 5 of these forums. For these forums you will have a prompt related to that week’s
topics and you should use that prompt to submit initial posts regarding your impressions,
questions and comments for that week’s topic. These posts should not be a summary of
the weekly readings nor should they include excessive quotes from the readings. They
will be evaluated based on the extent to which they reflect your completion and attempt at
critical thought and understanding of the weekly assigned reading. They should incorporate
the readings and include a discussion of outside class material that is related to that topic.
Initial posts are due on Thursday 11:50pm of that week’s readings. You must reply to
at least two students’ initial posts by Sunday 11:50pm at the end of that week of

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readings). Forums will be closed at the end of each week of class. See section in Syllabus
“Further Information on Topic Forum Discussion Assignments”. Each forum discussion is
worth 40 points.

Each graded topic forum discussion is worth 40 points and you are required to complete a
total of 5 of the possible 9 forum discussions. Only the first 5 of these forums completed
will be graded for each student, however you are welcome to participate in more than five.
GRADES

Your grade will be determined based upon a total of 1000 points.

1. Exams (200 pts each) 800 points (80%)

2. Five Forum Discussions (40 pts each) 200 points (20%)
1000 points (100%)

Grading Scale

925 – 1000 points = A 694 – 675 points = D+

924 – 895 points = A- 674 – 625 points = D
894 – 875 points = B+ 624 – 595 points = D-
874 – 825 points = B Below 595 points = F
824 – 795 points = B-
794 – 775 points = C+
774 – 725 points = C
724 – 695 points = C-

You must earn at least a C to pass this course and meet the GE requirement.
Special Needs and Accommodations
Accommodations will be provided to students who receive disability services through CSUF’s
Disabled Support Services Office (UH 101, 657.278.3117 or www.fullerton.edu/diabledservices.
Your needs will be accommodated in accordance with DSS. Contact the professor for further
information or to ask questions. Please make such requests during the first two weeks of class.

Communication;

Please send messages regarding this class to my CSUF address at saahmed@fullerton.edu and
make sure to refer to the class you are enrolled in the subject line. I will be communicating with
you through the email that is provided on Titanium. I also encourage and welcome you to see me
during office hours.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

At various times in the semester, it may be necessary to make changes in the course schedule,
reading assignments, or other aspects of the course. These changes will be posted on Titanium. You

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will be responsible for all announcements and email communication delivered via the Titanium
system.

Further Information on Topic Forum Discussion Assignments

Where To Post: There are a total of nine topic forum discussions. See course schedule for which
week’s will have topic forum discussions.

When to post: You must follow the schedule when postings your submissions and responses.
Early responses are just as confusing as late responses because your classmates may not have
read the content for that week yet. However, feel free to read ahead and begin to think about
responses, you just can't post until that day. Post forum responses Sunday through Thursday and
then reply to two forum posts between Thursday and Sunday. Credit will not be given to early
or late posts.

The critical thought discussion forum assignments are meant to give you a chance for thoughtful
reflection and critical thinking. Forums are meant to be an interactive process where you are able
to provide your perspective as well as learn from others: you will be posting and replying to each
other. Every student is required to submit an initial post to five topics that contain forums by
Thursday 11:50 pm and submit two replies to these posts between Thursday and Sunday
11:50pm at the end of the week. Only the first five posts that you complete will be graded.
Forums will be closed at the end of each week of class. I will be reading all posts but will only
participate in the discussion if necessary. Grading will typically take a week after the closing
deadline of each forum discussion.

Forums allow for personal reflection but must be academic as well, as described in detail below.
Your posting should be at least 2-3 medium paragraphs and your replies should be at least
one paragraph for long.

Grading Critical Thought Discussion Forum Posts

On-time postings occur by Thursday 11:50pm of each week and on-time replies occur between
Thursday and Sunday 11:50 pm at the end of each week. Posts and replies that are late will not be
counted.

Full credit (24 points): includes posts that present a thoughtful and informed discussion; must
use APA style to reference the reading and include a citation for it; must include personal
observations when relevant; introduce new ideas and questions including those garnered from
other readings or sources; and thoroughly address the topic prompt. Correctly citing (using
APA style), using citations, and quotes are great ways to make sure you demonstrate your
academic and critical thinking abilities. Your posts should be 2-3 medium paragraphs long.

Partial credit (12 points): includes posts that have reference to some of course material but
not the readings, some personal reference but maybe not clearly connected to course
material or prompt, incorrect or missing citation and reference to reading, incorrect grammar

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or syntax that makes it difficult to understand what the writer is trying to convey and/or
posts that do not thoroughly address the prompt.
No credit: includes incorrect, late or partial posts, no reference to relevant material, off-
topic ideas, and/or no post.

Grading Analytical Replies to others:

Credit (8 points each) includes replies that demonstrate you have actually read the person’s post,
give a relevant reaction/commentary on the person’s post in a constructive way, further develop
the other’s idea in a useful way, reflect good understanding of the course material and expand
upon or integrate course material as necessary. Full credit replies must add to the discussion
and not simply agree with it. It is OK to correct an incorrect posting but be certain it is done in a
respectful and constructive way. Your replies must be at least one paragraph long.

No credit (0 points) reply includes a very short response (1-2 lines), non-descript praise of the
post (e.g., great idea!), a general statement of agreement or disagreement without any
elaboration, unclear or offensive responses, using someone else’s ideas as your own, and/or no
reply.

Note: Correct grammar or syntax are important, particularly spelling mistakes and poor
punctuation. Such mistakes can affect the quality of your post or reply and consequently
will lower your grade for your response. Please proofread your posts before submitting. If it is
difficult for me to understand what you are trying to say because of poor grammar and syntax,
you will not receive full credit.

Tips: Some helpful tips from other classes include: First, try to get your reader’s interest by
having a “catchy” title that draws the attention of other readers and tells the reader what your
posting is about. Second, after postings are submitted, start to read other’s postings; skim a
bunch of postings to help you decide who to reply to. Try to respond to those postings that you
are really interested in and that will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

A NOTE ON ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic honesty is vital to the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge in a University. One
example of academic dishonesty is plagiarism, which is defined at CSUF as “defined as the act of
taking the work (words, ideas, concepts, data, graphs, artistic creation) of another whether that work
is paraphrased or copied in verbatim or near verbatim form and offering it as one’s own without
giving credit to that source.” Suspected academic dishonesty would be considered very seriously
and a report would be filed with the University. In the event of a confirmed case of academic
dishonesty, the student or students involved would not receive credit for the assignment or exam,
and their final course grade would additionally be lowered by at least one full letter grade. Please
make sure you are familiar with the University’s policies, and feel free to ask me if you have any
questions. You can refer to the University’s definition of plagiarism
http://www.fullerton.edu/senate/documents/PDF/300/UPS300-021.pdf. Students are encouraged to
speak to the professor if they are unclear about how to accurately cite someone else’s work in their
paper.

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Cheating includes: using unauthorized materials of any kind during a test, exam, quiz, or on any other
assignment, viewing or copying information from another student (past or present, at this University
or any other institution). Verbal communication between students on test content is also prohibited
(this includes the use of electronic devices etc.). If you have questions during the exam, you should
only ask the instructor.

NOTE: All assignments and exams are expected and required to be completed independently.
Students who violate university standards of academic integrity are subject to disciplinary
actions. University policies are strictly enforced in this course.

NOTE: The course material and assignments are my intellectual property. They may not be
posted or shared on outside websites. If a posting is tracked back to you from an outside
source, a report to the dean will be made for an act of academic dishonesty, even if this has
occurred after the semester has ended.

ONLINE ETIQUETTE / NETIQUETTE

As part of the requirements of online courses, you are expected to contribute to the forum
discussion. Remember online discussion is very different than in-person conversation. Sometimes,
conversations can become very emotional, especially if we are discussing personal beliefs and
values. The anonymity of online communication does not mean that you can say anything you
want, without being respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Civility and respect are
expected here as in the “traditional” classroom. Below are some guidelines for communicating
more effectively online.

1) There will be disagreement; this is to be expected and can lead to healthy and lively learning.

2) Disagreement can be very constructive as it allows us to rethink our positions. However,

disagreement is only effective if you can communicate your ideas in a respectful and useful
manner.

3) Personal insults and attacks do not open up the minds of others and actually prevent useful
discussions and critical thinking. In order to communicate your ideas effectively, avoid “you”
statements, which can put somebody on the defensive as they may be interpreted as accusations
(“you don’t know what you’re talking about” “people like you always say things like that,” etc.,
etc.). Try, instead, to use “I” statements (“I disagree with your position on X” or “I believe that
the author was actually saying …”)

4) Because this is an online class and we don’t have the benefits of seeing somebody’s body
language (e.g. facial expressions, hear the tone in our voices), misunderstandings may happen
more readily. Think about how many times you may have misinterpreted a text or email from a
friend. Because of this, it is necessary to try not to jump to conclusions too quickly. If something
is unclear, ask for clarification. Do not put words in somebody’s mouth. And if someone asks you
to restate your opinion, do not get defensive and/ do not be afraid to restate your point of view.

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Points for posts will be deducted if they go against these guidelines. IF I DEEM THE
COMMENTS ESPECIALLY OFFENSIVE/INAPPROPRIATE, I WILL DROP YOU
FROM THE CLASS.

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Spring 2019 Course Schedule

This schedule is subject to change depending on how we as a class progress through the material.
Please see the course’s Titanium site to keep up to date with any course changes. This class is
organized around topics and each topic has a designated time period for which it should be completed
within, as indicated in the table below. Each topic will generally be covered within a week’s period,
unless otherwise indicated below. For each topic the following components should be completed in the
following order:
• Complete assigned readings (See below).
• If applicable complete initial post to topic forum discussion (by Thursday 11:50 pm)
• Read and watch PowerPoint Lecture (will generally be posted on Wednesday)
 Watch any supplementary videos posted relevant to that Topic.
 Reply to critical thought forum discussion initial posts (must reply to at least two posts
between Thursday and Sunday 11:50pm at the end of that week)
 Complete exams, extra credit quizzes or any forum discussions as scheduled. (any exceptions
to deadlines will be noted below)

Week Topics Covered & Assignments Assigned Reading

1 Topic 1: Introduction Chapter 1
1/21-1/27 Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present
 Read Syllabus
 Read Tips for Online Students Handout
 Complete Ice Breaker Forum Post
(post by Thursday 1/24 11:50 pm: reply by
Sunday 1/27 11:50pm)
 Watch Professor’s Introduction Video (posted by
Wednesday)
 Read and watch PowerPoint presentation for
Chapter 1

2 Topic 2: Models of Abnormality Chapters 3-4

1/27-2/3 Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment
 Complete Topic 2 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50pm.

3 Topic 3: Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Chapter 5

2/3-2/10 and Related Disorders
 Complete Topic 3 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50pm.

4 Topic 4: Disorders of Stress and Trauma Chapter 6

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2/10-2/17  Complete Topic 4 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50pm.

5 EXAM 1:(ONLINE) (50 minutes only)

2/17-2/24  Exam opens Friday 2/22 at 9 am and closes
Sunday 2/24 at 11:50 pm
 Chapters Covered: 1, 3-6

6 Topic 5: Depressive and Bipolar Disorders Chapters 7-8

2/24-3/3 Treatment of Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
 Complete Topic 5 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50 pm.

7 Topic 6: Suicide Chapter 9

3/3-3/10
8 Topic 7: Disorders Featuring Somatic Symptoms Chapter 10
3/10-3/17  Complete Topic 7 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50 pm.

9 EXAM 2:(ONLINE) (50 minutes only)

3/17-3/24  Exam opens Friday 3/22 at 9 am and closes
Sunday 3/24 at 11:50 pm
 Chapters Covered: 7-10

10 Topic 8: Substance Use and Addictive Disorders Chapter 12

 Complete Topic 8 Forum Discussion. Initial
3/24-3/31 posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50pm.

11 SPRING RECESS NO CLASS

3/31-4/7
12 Topic 9: Schizophrenia Chapters 14-15
4/7-4/14 Treatment of Schizophrenia
Complete Topic 9 Forum Discussion. Initial posts due
by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by Sunday 11:50pm

13 EXAM 3:(ONLINE) (50 minutes only)

4/14-4/21  Exam opens Friday 4/19 at 9 am and closes
Sunday 4/21 at 11:50 pm
 Chapters Covered: 12; 14-15

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4/21-4/28 Topic 10: Eating Disorders Chapter 11 & 18
Disorders of Aging and Cognition
 Complete Topic 10 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50 pm


14 Topic 11: Personality Disorders Chapter 16

4/28-5/5
15 Topic 12: Disorders Common Among Children and Chapter 17
5/5-5/12 Adolescents
 Complete Topic 12 Forum Discussion. Initial
posts due by Thursday 11:50 pm. Replies due by
Sunday 11:50pm

16 FINAL EXAM:(ONLINE) (50 minutes only)

5/12-5/14  Exam opens Sunday 5/12 at 9 am and closes
Tuesday 5/14 at 11:50 pm
 Chapters Covered: 11, 16-18

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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
Student Responsibility Code

The Department of Psychology is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality educational
program. In order to maximize the benefits of our program, it is important that you meet your responsibilities as
a student. Listed below are some of the responsibilities to be met.

Advisement – Please familiarize yourself with university and departmental policies and deadlines.
You should obtain and read pertinent sections of the University Catalog and instructor course outlines.
If you are a psychology major or minor, you should read the Psychology Student Handbook and meet
with a psychology undergraduate advisor (Room H-830J) at least once a year to review your study plan
and career goals. The Handbook is available at http://psychology.fullerton.edu/advisement/ (scroll
down to the bottom to see the link).

Class Attendance – Please remember that you are responsible for attending all classes and laboratory
meetings, and for being on time. The benefit you derive from your education is often lost if you are lost
too!

The Learning Environment – Please be mindful of your fellow students and the instructors.
Behavior that persistently interferes with classroom activities may be subject to disciplinary action.
Such behavior may include, but is not limited to, cell phones ringing, entering the class late, leaving the
class prematurely, eating in class or chatting with other students during class. A student responsible for
continual disruptive behavior may be required to leave class pending discussion and resolution of the
problem.

Workload – Please be realistic in adjusting your outside responsibilities (work, family, social obligations,
etc.) in order to allow sufficient time for your education.
In order to receive a quality education, you must not overload yourself. As a general rule, you should
allow two to three hours of study outside of class, for each hour spent in class. Additional information
on this topic is discussed in the Psychology Student Handbook.

Academic Integrity – The world of academia is completely dependent on straightforward honesty and
integrity, and it protects these values in many ways. Your ability to think of yourself as an educated
person depends on these same values. For these reasons the University imposes serious penalties for
breaches of academic honesty and cases of suspected breaches of honesty may be reported. Please
familiarize yourself with the academic integrity guidelines found in the current student handbook and the
CSUF Student Conduct site
http://www.fullerton.edu/integrity/student/AcademicIntegrityResources.asp.
o Work produced through academic misconduct (e.g., cheating on exams, plagiarism) will be dealt with
according to the policies of the academic integrity guidelines. Students who violate university standards
of academic integrity are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including failure in the course and
suspension from the university. Since dishonesty in any form harms the individual, other students and
the University, policies on academic integrity are of great concern to us all.
o Your exams, homework, research reports, and term papers should reflect your own work, unless your
instructor directs you otherwise.
o Proper methods of referencing outside sources of information should be used at all times. Additional
information on this requirement may be obtained by reading the University Catalog section on
Academic Dishonesty.

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Special Needs – If you need special assistance in the classroom, please apply for services from the office of
Disability Support Services (UH-101, 657-278-3112, http://www.fullerton.edu/dss/) and notify the
instructor by the end of the first week of the semester.

Emergency Procedures – In the event of an emergency, please adhere to these university guidelines.
http://prepare.fullerton.edu/campuspreparedness/ClassroomPreparedness.php

If you have any questions concerning the above responsibilities,

please contact your psychology instructor or the Psychology Department Chair. Rev.
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