COUC 546 Psychopathology

This course studies psychological disorders and normalcy across the lifespan. Students are prepared to responsibly and competently assess, diagnose, conceptualize, and counsel clients as defined by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual classification system. Concepts and constructs, assessment processes, etiology, cultural factors, differential diagnosis, decisions-making, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches are emphasized. Clinical and scientific research is integrated through the course with a biblical worldview so that students will have a robust biopsychosocialspiritual lens to understand and treat mental disorders.

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

Becoming a professional in the field of counseling will require a thorough knowledge of the current diagnostic criteria used by the mental health profession. Making an accurate differential diagnosis is a key component of effective counseling. Understanding the DSM-5-TR and acquiring interviewing strategies for effectively and efficiently gathering diagnostic information will aid the developing counselor in becoming competent. This course is designed to provide the student with foundational knowledge in order to be competent in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning using the DSM-5-TR. Further, the course contains information the student will need to know in order to pass most state licensure exams. Proficient knowledge of all aspects of human behavior, coupled with sound biblical values, will permit a more active and excellent, informed dialogue and critique of present clinical practice.

Method of Instruction: This 8-week course is delivered in a digital asynchronous format, with Canvas® as the primary instructional delivery method. The student completes one Module per week over the duration of the course. 

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.

Video Discussion: Christian Worldview and Psychopathology

Video Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, for this assignment, the student will post a video thread for the prompt for each thread. The video thread must be a minimum of 3 minutes to a maximum of 5 minutes long and must contain at least 2 sources: the Bible and 1 scholarly source outside of the Learn materials. The student must comment on his and her posted video with a written current APA reference for the source cited. In addition to the video thread, the student is required to post 2 video replies, either 2 video replies to classmates or 1 video reply to a classmate and 1 video reply to a question posted by the instructor. Both of the replies must be a minimum of 2 minutes long and a maximum of 3 minutes long and use at least 1 scholarly source. (CLO: D) 

DSM-5-TR Self-Reflection Assignments (3)

The student will have three self-reflections to complete. Each self-reflection will address the following prompts: Worldview, Biases, ACA Code, Disposition, and ASERVIC Competency. The assignment must be 1.5–2 pages long, excluding the title and reference pages. This assignment requires a minimum of three references: the DSM-5-TR, the ACA Code of Ethics, and the ASERVIC Competencies. (CLO: A, C)

Benchmark Case Presentation Paper Assignment

The student will create a case presentation including the following sections: Identifying Information, Presenting Concerns, Biopsychosocialspiritual Assessment, Mental Status Exam, Treatment Recommendations, and Answer Key. The assignment must be 7–10 pages long, excluding the title and reference pages. The paper must be in current APA format and does not require an abstract. This assignment requires a minimum of four resources from peer-reviewed journals that are less than 10 years old.

Step 1: The student will submit a request for the diagnosis on which they will base his or her case presentation as a quiz in Quiz: Case Presentation Topic for Instructor Approval. The student must receive written approval from the professor to proceed with the case presentation.

Step 2: The student will write a Case Presentation using the following sections: Identifying Information, Reason for Referral/Presenting Concerns, History, Mental Status Exam, Treatment Recommendations, and Answer Key. (CLO: B, D, E)

Case Study Assignments (5)

The student must write a 6–8-page Case Study in current APA format that determines the key issues presented, provides diagnostic impressions based upon the DSM-5-TR, and includes treatment recommendations that support a collaborative effort and include a biological/psychological/social/spiritual approach. Each Case Study must include at least 7 scholarly sources, including a maximum of one textbook reference. (CLO: B, D)

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the specified Modules: Weeks. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 25 multiple-choice questions, and have a 1-hour and 30-minute time limit. (CLO: A, C, F (chapter quizzes); B, E (Module 3 quiz). 

This quiz is a text response in which the student will enter the topic for his or her Benchmark Case Presentation Paper Assignment. This quiz will contain 1 short-answer question and will have no time limit.

Quiz: Dispositions Reflection

The student will rate him/herself on the nine dispositions required for this program. The quiz will contain 9 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question and is limited to 60 minutes. The student is allowed 1 attempt to complete the quiz.