Psychosocial Assessment - SWSS 200 OL1 - Course Syllabus

 

University of Vermont Department of Social Work  

DRAFT: Psychosocial Pathology SWSS 200 Online Course Credits: 3 Semester: Summer 2012  –  May  May 20 - June 30 Location: Online Course Instructors: Jessica Strolin-Goltzman Email:   [email protected]  Email: [email protected]  Phone: (802) 656-2173 Office hours: By appointment  1.  COURSE PREREQUISITES 

There are no prerequisites for this course. 2.  CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION 

This course will introduce psychosocial disorders most commonly encountered encount ered by social workers and discuss the ethical implications of diagnosis. 3.  COURSE DESCRIPTION 

This course will introduce psychosocial disorders most commonly encountered by b y social workers. Students will also gain an understanding understanding of diagnostic tools and evidence based interventions. Examination of the historical, environmental, social and cultural contexts of  psychosocial pathology will be explored. Case studies, research articles, movies, and books will  be used to highlight the lives of people living with psychosocial disorders.

SWSS 200 –  Strolin-Goltzman

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  University of Vermont

4.  COURSE OBJECTIVES  Objective # 1. 

2.  3.  4.  5. 

6.  7.  8. 

Objectives Become familiar with the history of mental health treatment delivery in the United States. Recognize the uses, limitations, and misuses of assigning psychiatric diagnoses. Recognize how culture and class can influence psychiatric symptoms, misdiagnosis, and access to mental health services. Develop a working knowledge of DSM-IV TR and the 5-axis classification system. Understand the ethical considerations of diagnosis as social workers and be able to fit the DSM IV classification system into broader social work perspectives, including Person-in-Environment (PIE), empowerment assessment, and ROADS assessment of psychological functioning. Understand the challenges and limitations of the current diagnostic system Ability to identify evidence based, client centered cent ered interventions designed to treat the various categories of diagnostic symptom clusters. Understand how these Western systems of assessment fit in global conceptualizations of mental illness and mental health.

COURSE FORMAT / INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS 

Classes will be online using multiple forms of media. Course discussion forums will be a substantial portion of the grade. Students are expected to participate participate in two two modules per week. Appropriate videos and case vignettes will be used to illustrate class content. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Student learning for this course relates to one or more of the following social work core competencies: 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9

BSW Program Goals Values and ethics generalist practice Entry level professional social work practice Human rights and social justice Diversity in Practice Human problems and solutions Strengths perspective Knowledge, skills and abilities to work with Vulnerable and Oppressed populations Critical analysis of social theory, policy, practice and research. Critical Self reflection

SWSS 200 * *

Course Objective 1-8 1-8 

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1-8  1-8  1-8  1-8  1-8 

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1-8 

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1-8| 

* Highlighted in this course

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  University of Vermont COURSE ASSIGNMENTS, DUE DATES & GRADING 

All students are expected to regularly regularly participate in the cours course. e. If you miss more than one module, your participation grade will will be decreased by 5 points. If you miss more than 3 modules, you will not get the minimum grade in the course. All writing assignments should be constructed with APA 7 th edition format style. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Association, Seventh Edition. (2009). American American Psychological Association. Class grades will be based on the following:

94  –  100 90  –  93 87  –  89 84  –  86 80  –  83 77  –  79

Final Grade A AB+ B BC+

74  –  76 70  –  73

C C-

Assignment Class Participation

Module Due Date Each class session

% of Final Grade 20%

1-Module 1 2-Module 2 3-Module 7 4- various

Total 30% 5% 5% 5% 15%

Midterm Paper

Module 6

20%

Diagnostic Presentation and Children’s Book  

Module 10-11

30%

Module Assignments

Class Participation –  20%  20%

Student is expected to participate in each module. Student is expected to participate in class discussion forums online.

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  University of Vermont Module Assignments –  30% 

1.   Presentation: Multicultural perspectives on mental health  –  5%  5% 2.   Design a Diagnosis  –  5%  5% 3.   People at my party  –  5% 4.  5 Case Vignettes  –  15%  15% (3 points each) Midterm Paper - Mental Health and Theoretical Perspectives – 20% 20%

Possibility #1: Using the 5 perspectives listed below, describe how a cl clinician inician from each of the perspectives would assess a famous person and why. (Examples include Madonna, Bill Clinton, Vincent Van Gogh, Sarah Palin, Brittany Spears, or someone else well known of your choosing.)  List of Perspectives:  Perspectives: medical, psychodynamic, behavioral, social constructionist, and ecological/systems Possibility #2: Jillian is an Olympic Olympic diver taking performance-enhancing drugs despite the  possibility that she will be subjected to random testing. Discuss the motivations Jillian. Why did she do it? Why would she risk getting caught? Apply each of the psychological perspectives to the events and describe how a clinician from each of the following perspectives would explain the event.  List of Perspectives:  Perspectives: medical, psychodynamic, behavioral, social constructionist, and ecological/systems

Diagnostic Presentation and Children’s Book –  30%  30% A.  In small groups, you you will choose a diagnosis from the DSM IV TR to present on. As part of the presentation you will discuss relevant symptoms, diagnostic criteria, evidence  based treatments and find a case study, memoir, or movie clip that brings the diagnosis to life for your classmates. You will also be responsible responsible for posting discussion discussion questions related to your presentation for classmates to respond to.

B.  In addition, you will write a children's book or o r create a video for children (ages 3-13) about the diagnosis. Use narratives written by individuals with personal experience e xperience of this diagnosis to help you gain a more holistic h olistic understanding of the diagnostic affects. Animate the book, create a video or audio presentation and post to the course wiki.  This presentation will be posted on the course wiki. It should utilize a narrated PowerPoint that will be digitally recorded and posted to the blackboard for classmates to view.

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  University of Vermont EQUIRED AND SUPPLEMENTARY R EADING EADING MATERIALS & R ESOURCES ESOURCES  R EQUIRED

1.  Garcia, B. & Petrovich, A. (2011) Strengthening the DSM: Incorporating Resilience and Cultural Competence. Competence. New York, Springer Publishing Company. 2.  American Psychiatric Association (2000). Quick Reference to the  the  Diagnostic Diagnostic and  statistical manual of mental disorders IV-TR IV-TR (text  (text revision). Washington, DC: Author. (Pocket size.) 3.  Articles and other readings are available through Blackboard.

Course Schedule Date

Topic

Assignments

Mental Health and Wellness

Module assignment #1

Module assignment #2

3.  5/28 - 6/4

Theoretical Perspectives and Assessment tools Mood Disorders

4.  5/28 - 6/4

Stress and Anxiety Disorders

Case vignette

5.  6/5 –  6/11

Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence

Case vignette

6.  6/5 –  6/11

Substance related and Eating Disorders

Midterm paper

7.  6/12 –  6/18

Personality Disorders

Module Assignment #3

8.  6/12 –  6/18

Case vignette

9.  6/19 –  6/25

Adjustment disorder and Gender Identity Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders

Case vignette

10  6/19 –  6/22

Presentations

Group presentations

11  6/23 - 6/27

Presentations

Group presentations

12  6/27 - 6/29

Closure

1.  5/21 –  5/27

 

 – 

2. 5/21  5/27

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Case vignette

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