Psychopathology and Addictions – SOWK 645

Course Description

Psychopathology and Addictions exposes students to mental health diagnoses and addictive behavior. Students gain an understanding of the use of the DSM-5 and the ICD 10 in social work practice. Students will learn the basics of diagnosis.

Rationale

Social workers respect the dignity and worth of the person. Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment planning are components of engaging in social work practice with a mental health focus that respect individual differences and promote an individual’s right to self-determination. The student will advance knowledge, values, skills necessary for social work in mental health settings. Skills will include assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment planning.    

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

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

Discussions (2)

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 at least 400 words, demonstrate course-related knowledge, and include at least 2 scholarly sources. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to the threads of at least 2 classmates. Each reply must be at least 200 words and include at least 2 scholarly sources and a biblical scripture or principle. The student will engage with content from required text to critically think through the assessment, diagnosis, diverse treatment modalities, and theoretical frameworks. The student will challenge his/her own thinking as well as his/her peers related to psychotropic medications for children. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

Self-Report Assessment Tool and Survey Assignment

The self-report assessment tool will provide the student an opportunity to research types of assessments that use different scales to gather information. The student will identify an assessment need, choose an appropriate assessment tool, and create a 10-question survey for participants to participate anonymously. The student will then write a 2-4-page paper about the assessment need, background of the assessment tool, and the results of the survey, using a minimum of 3 scholarly sources. The student will learn the importance of confidentiality, gathering of data, and how to visually represent data within a table. (CLO: B, C, D, E, G)

Case Study Report Assignment

The student will gather information to identify needs related to the proper assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning of a client. The student will then write a 1-3-page case study report. This exploratory process provides opportunities for observation, critical thinking, and comprehensive gathering of information to identify further assessment and planning in a culturally competent manner recognizing individual differences. (CLO: A, B, C, G)

Case Study: Diagnosis with Justification Assignment

The student will continue to critically think through the various components of assessment and evaluation. With information from the Case Study Report, the student will write a 1-page minimum paper with his/her diagnosis and justification using professional standard classification systems. (CLO: A, B, C, E, G)

Case Study: Diagnosis with Treatment Planning Assignment

The student will integrate previous information to create a 3-5-page comprehensive treatment plan. The student will apply skill sets associated with assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning to synthesize all information needed in mental health practice settings. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G) 

Quizzes (2)

There will be a Quiz: Mid-Semester: Chapters 1-8 and Quiz: Final: Chapters 9-15 which will cover the Learn material for the Modules: Weeks prior. Each exam will be open-book/open-notes, contain 25 multiple-choice questions with no time limit. The student will have 2 attempts to complete each exam with the highest attempt counted as the final grade.