DBFA 400 Child/Adolescent Development, Deviance and Violence: Etiology, Assessment & Treatment

This course examines the developmental aspects of deviant, violent and problem behaviors in children and adolescents. Effective intervention and referral strategies for helping minors and their parents are addressed, as well as some of the sociological and community related factors regarding these challenging issues. Ethical concerns and multicultural factors are also considered.

Prerequisites

None

The cultural battle for the hearts and minds of today’s children and adolescents is stronger than ever. Increasing rates of delinquency, deviance, and violence in our culture, particularly among young people, is taking a dramatic toll on society. Yet, too often, the media misses the etiological factors behind these behaviors, often casting blame in places it does not belong. In order to redeem the culture, responsive and proactive measures must begin with an understanding of the root causes. This course addresses aggressive and violent behaviors in light of contemporary behavioral science theory and research, considering the political, sociological, and cultural factors that also play a part. Intervention strategies, filtered through a theological lens, are offered to develop a compassionate Christian response to such behaviors. This course is offered in an eight-week format and includes extensive readings, experiential observations, exams, a research paper, and interactions with other students via Discussions.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, each Discussion will require the student to answer all key components of the Discussion prompt with a minimum 300-word thread based on that particular module’s course materials. Each thread must have a clear, logical flow, and major points must be stated clearly and supported by good examples or thoughtful analysis. The thread must be clearly and substantively supported by at least 2 scholarly citations in APA format and provide biblical integration in accordance with the prompt with at least 1 Scripture reference. The student will be required to post a minimum 200-word reply to one other student’s thread. Each reply must focus on a meaningful point made in a peer’s thread and provide substantive additional thoughts regarding the thread. Replies should be clear and coherent, clearly explaining the student’s position and respectfully interacting with the peer’s thread. The reply must be clearly and substantively supported by at least 1 scholarly citation in APA format. Acceptable sources include course texts or presentations and scholarly books or journal articles. Aside from course materials, cited sources must have been published within the last five years. All posts should include paragraphs with appropriately varied sentence structures; complete, clear, and concise sentences; and correct spelling and grammar. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

Shaping a Child’s Will Essay Assignment

The student will review chapter four of Dobson’s text, The New Strong-Willed Child, and will choose to analyze and discuss one of the six guidelines given as a tool for shaping a child’s will in an essay. The essay should demonstrate comprehensive analysis and understanding of each component identified in the instructions. The student will explain the guideline and its importance in shaping a child’s will and implementing discipline in his or her own words, provide a situation in which the student has seen or experienced the guideline put into practice (correctly or incorrectly), provide a practical application for guiding a parent or caregiver in implementing the guideline, and use appropriately applied Scripture to support the guideline’s biblical foundation. The assignment must be supported by at least 3 citations in APA format: 1 source from the course materials; 1 scholarly source; and 1 Scripture reference. Aside from course materials and Scripture, cited sources must be peer-reviewed and have been published within the last five years. The essay must be 700–900 words, excluding the title and reference page. The essay should be formatted in current APA style, including the title page, body of the paper, headings (if needed), reference page, references, and in-text citations. The essay should be written in the student’s own words in paragraph format with clear transitions between ideas; no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; correct, consistent voice and perspective; precise and clear writing; and appropriate word choice. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

4MAT Book Review Assignments (2)

The 4MAT Book Review System is a way of responding to readings that requires the learner to interact with new ideas on several levels. The assignment must be a minimum of 1,400 words, consisting of a summary section (400–500 words), a reflection section (minimum of 500 words), and an application section (limited to 500 words). The summary will sum up the major points, themes, and worldview of the author and text clearly and concisely. In the reflection, the student will express his or her agreements or disagreements with the book and generate insightful questions that push beyond the content of the text. In the application, the student will discuss how information in the book has influenced his or her personal growth and name clear, precise action steps that can be implemented immediately. The student will also apply his or her biblical worldview in this section and ensure the life applications sufficiently relate to the content. The assignment should be formatted in current APA style, including a title page and reference page with citations. The assignment must use 1-inch margins, include no additional spaces between paragraphs, use correct paragraph formatting and indention, apply headings for major sections, and utilize an approved font size and style. The assignment must be syntactically and grammatically correct and written in an organized manner. The assignment should include no contractions, and possessives must be appropriately used. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

Counseling Teenagers Case Study Essay Assignment

The student will choose one of the issues adolescents face listed in the instructions and one of the portrait case studies listed within the Clinton et al. (2010) text to use as a case study and apply what the student has learned in the course in an essay. The essay should demonstrate comprehensive analysis and mastery of the selected issue and each component identified in the instructions. The student will describe the selected issue and portrait, apply definitions and key thoughts listed in the text to the portrait, discuss ways in which the student could facilitate a conversation and utilize scholarly research to determine appropriate methods for guiding the youth and their family, provide reasonable action steps for addressing the issue that could be suggested to the youth and their family, and use appropriately applied Scripture to support the biblical foundation of the student’s suggestions. The assignment must be supported by at least 3 citations in APA format: 1 source from the course materials; 1 scholarly source; and 1 Scripture reference. Aside from course materials and Scripture, cited sources must be peer-reviewed and have been published within the last five years. The essay must be 700–900 words, excluding the title and reference page. The essay should be formatted in current APA style, including the title page, body of the paper, headings (if needed), reference page, references, and in-text citations. The essay should be written in the student’s own words in paragraph format with clear transitions between ideas; no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; correct, consistent voice and perspective; precise and clear writing; and appropriate word choice. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned modules. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 10 multiple-choice, multiple-answer, and/or true/false questions, and have a 25-minute time limit. One attempt is allowed per quiz. (CLO: B, C, D, E, F)