This course provides a knowledge base and appropriate counseling strategies for effectively helping parents and minor clients address difficult problems related, but not limited to, conduct, eating, sleeping, high-needs kids, ADHD, and a special focus on trauma and abuse in the childhood years. Ethical concerns and multicultural factors are also considered.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

This course helps counselors, pastors, and parenting champions identify issues that can divide children from their parents and employ the strategies necessary to help families reconnect and thrive.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

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

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Each discussion will require the student to answer questions with a minimum of 400 words based on that particular module’s readings (Dr. Dobson’s works and/or the core text), as well as video/audio content. The initial discussion post must contain at least 2 citations in current APA format. The student will be required to post at least 2 discussion replies of 200 words each to other students’ discussion threads. Each discussion reply must contain 1 citation in current APA format. 

Article Review Assignment

The Article Review Assignment provides the opportunities to focus on a peer reviewed journal article that relates to child and adolescent issues. The student must interact with the article’s content in a way that aids understanding of the impact of the article on the counseling process, including a Review, the Therapeutic Implications, and the Personal/Professional Implications of the article. The paper must be 3–4 pages and follow current APA formatting.

Book Review Assignment

The Book Review Assignment will be written using the 4-MAT system. The 4-Mat system is a way of responding to readings that requires the learner to interact with new ideas on several levels, including a Summary, Concrete Responses, a Reflection, and Personal Application. The student will write an 850–1050-word Book Review in current APA format about either Bringing Up Girls or Bringing Up Boys.

Research Paper Assignment

The Research Paper will have 3 sections that are submitted as separate assignments: the Topic Assignment, the Outline Assignment, and the Final Submission Assignment. 

Research Paper – Topic Assignment 

The student will choose 1 relevant social issue/topic today impacting families and their children/teens (e.g. cutting, bullying, drug/alcohol abuse, gang violence, sexuality, technology, ADHD, autism, abuse, gender identity, etc.) and will submit a 200-word rationale (with at least 3 cited sources) detailing why the issue/topic is relevant to family development.

Research Paper – Outline Assignment

The student will submit an outline in current APA format for the paper and include at least 5 sources.

Research Paper – Final Submission Assignment

The student will choose 1 relevant social issue/topic impacting today’s families and their children/teens (e.g., cutting, bullying, drug/alcohol abuse, gang violence, sexuality, technology, ADHD, autism, abuse, gender identity, etc.) and discuss the developmental, spiritual, physical, emotional, and behavioral implications on the child or adolescent and the influence on parenting. The paper must also include accurate biblical integration, empirically based treatment strategies, and a discussion on community resources to aid in family development. The paper must be 10 pages (not including Title Page and References) and follow current APA guidelines, with at least 10 references from current sources (half must come from research/journal articles).