PSYC 305 Overview of Theory and Treatment of Substance Abuse

This course introduces the neurobiology and theoretical models of addiction. Students will learn about the behavioral and physiological effects of the major drugs of abuse, prevention strategies throughout the life span, and treatment of substance use disorder.

This course is designed to equip the student with the theoretical basis of addictions and the ability to clinically assess and diagnose individuals with substance related problems. In addition, the student will be introduced to the neurobiology of addiction and gain an understanding of treatment options and the psychopharmacology of drugs. Finally, he/she will be able to identify the dually-diagnosed client and make appropriate treatment recommendations for the client with substance-related problems.

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, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be a minimum of 200 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 1 other classmate’s thread. Each reply must be a minimum of 100 words. Each thread and each reply should include 1 scholarly citation. In preparation for Discussion: Reaction to 12-Step Meeting, the student will attend a Twelve-step meeting and discuss his/her experience with classmates. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

12-Step Group Selection PowerPoint Assignment

This assignment is to familiarize you with available 12-step groups for addiction and to help you choose a group to attend during the first half of this course. During Module 5: Week 5, you will be expected to discuss your experiences from attending a 12-step meeting. So you will need to attend before Module 5: Week 5.

For this assignment, you will be constructing a PowerPoint presentation as if you were going to share it with your classmates. You will research at least three different 12-step groups that interest you. Then you will construct the presentation providing information for others about what you have learned. Near the end of the presentation, you will be explaining the group you are planning to attend for the discussion in Module 5: Week 5. CLO: 

Community Support PowerPoint or Pamphlet Assignment

The student will create either a PowerPoint presentation or a pamphlet to be used in presenting to a community or church group in order to solicit support for substance abuse/addiction treatment. The assignment must include at least 1–2 sources in current APA format. The PowerPoint presentation must contain 12 slides and include a script for each slide. The pamphlet must be bi-fold or tri-fold and use both sides of the paper. (CLO: A, C, D, E)

Case Study Assessment Paper Assignment

The student will thoroughly assess one of the individuals from the case histories provided and write a 6–8-page paper on the topic. The assessment must address the spiritual, genetic, and psychosocial aspects of the individual’s behavior. The student must incorporate what has been learned in the course into this assessment. The paper must be in current APA format; a title page and reference page must be included. The student must include references to at least 3 presentations from the course, references to the textbook, and references to 2-3 additional items from the Learn material to support all assertions. (CLO: D, E, F)

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the previous and current module: week. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 25 multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a 50-minute time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D. E, F)