Course Enrollment

Enrollment in this course is restricted to graduate students in psychology.

Course Goals

The overall aim of this course is to prepare students to function as informed and competent mental-health professionals with clients whose presenting concerns primarily or secondarily involve substance abuse irrespective of the setting in which they are treated.  This course will also provide opportunities to specialize in the area of substance abuse and to fulfill part of the requirements for certification as an addictions counselor.

Several objectives have been identified and integrated into the course through readings, two exams, a final, and an out-of-class project.  These include:

A. familiarity with the scope, history, and legislative responses to the problem of substance abuse;
B. knowledge of the pharmacology of addiction as well as different classifications of substances and their effects;
C. ability to conceptualize substance abuse from biological, psychological, sociological, and holistic perspectives;
D. effectiveness in diagnosing substance-abuse disorders and in using various assessment methods to facilitate diagnosis and treatment planning;
E. ability to design interventions based on contemporary approaches, both traditional and innovative, to the prevention and remediation of substance abuse;
F. understanding special populations (e.g., adolescents, minorities, women) as well as their distinct problems with substances and treatment needs; and
G. exposure to a self-help organization serving the local community.

Readings

One soft-cover book is required for this course and can be purchased either from the University Bookstore in the Bone Student Center or from the Alamo II.

McNeece, C. A., & DiNitto, D. M. (Eds.). (2005). Chemical dependency: A systems approach (3rd
     ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    The following texts are recommended only:

McCrady, B. S., & Epstein, E. E. (Eds.). (1999). Addictions: A comprehensive guidebook. London: Oxford University Press.

McKim, W. A. (2000). Drugs and behavior: An introduction to behavioral pharmacology (4th ed.).
     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Periodically, other books, journal articles, test materials, and commercial or government publications will be distributed, placed on loan in the Psychology Resource Center (DEG 17), or recommended.  I highly recommend the following web sites as sources of up-to-date information on substance abuse:

Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy: http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section15/chapter195/195b.htm
National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information:
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/about/services.aspx
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse:
http://www.nida.nih.gov/

Course Requirements

A. Attendance - Students are expected to attend every class.  Excessive lateness or absences, whether legitimate or not, are unacceptable.  Excessive lateness or absences will lower your grade for the course.  Likewise, it is not appropriate to leave class early due to obligations which begin after class; class will end promptly at 10:45.  As a courtesy, kindly notify a colleague or me of any anticipated lateness or absence.

B. Class participation (10 extra-credit points) - Students are expected to prepare for class by thinking about the designated topic, reading any assigned literature, generating issues for discussion, and responding to questions posed by the instructor.  As graduate students, you should be prepared to participate meaningfully and often; active participation facilitates learning and professional growth.  Class participation is worth up to 10 points of the grade for the course.  The coherence, frequency, and thoughtfulness of your verbal contributions will be evaluated.  Specific grading criteria are as follows:

       10 points: The student spoke up every or almost every class period and demonstrated that the readings were done every or almost every class period.

       5 points: The student spoke up in class about half the time and demonstrated that the readings were done about half the time.

       0 points: The student never or almost never spoke up in class and failed to demonstrate that the readings were ever completed.

C. Exam I (100 points, October 5th) -The first exam will be closed-book.  Exam questions will consist of true-false, multiple-choice, and short-answer items.  The exam will cover readings, lectures, media presentations, and classroom discussion from the beginning of the course up to and including the day of the exam, and will comprise 25% of the course grade.  Sample questions will be provided to familiarize you with the content and format of the exam.  Accuracy, organization, and thoroughness are the dimensions on which short-answers will be evaluated.  I do not give make-up exams except in a bona fide emergency (e.g., serious illness); job conflicts, family vacations, transportation problems, and feeling indisposed do not qualify as emergencies.  Make-up exams for those who have real emergencies may be entirely essay in format.  You are responsible for resolving unavoidable conflicts as soon as possible so that you can take the exam early in the Psychology Resource Center (DEG 17); you need to negotiate specific arrangements with me at least one week before the date of the scheduled exam.

D. Project (100 points, due November 2nd) - Prepare a 5-10 page, double-spaced paper based on your experiences attending either an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, an open meeting of Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, ACOA, or some other addiction-focused self-help group which need not be 12-step in nature (e.g., Families Anonymous) or interviewing a contact person representing a self-help group that is not open to visitors (e.g., Women for Sobriety).  Of course, if substance abuse is a personal or family matter, there are fewer restrictions on the meetings which you are eligible to attend.  Additional information about meetings with be provided in class.  After attending the meeting and/or interview, report on your professional and personal reactions, focusing on the psychological benefits of the meeting for participants and the connections between what you observed/inferred and what you have read in class and elsewhere about self-help groups.  If used, the citations in the text and reference list must be prepared according to the stylistic guidelines set forth in the Publication Manual (5th ed.) (APA, 2001).  Clarity, detail, convergent thinking, insight, and writing style are the dimensions on which projects will be evaluated.  The project will constitute 25% of the grade for the course.  I expect you to turn in the project on time.  I will accept the project one day late but will apply a 50% penalty; I will not accept the project if it is submitted more than one day late.  I will waive the penalty only if you negotiate an arrangement with me at least one class period before the due date.

E. Exam II (100 points, December 5th) - The second exam will be closed-book.  Exam questions will consist of true-false, multiple-choice, and short-answer items.  The exam will cover readings, lectures, media presentations, and classroom discussion from the first exam up to and including the day of the second exam, and will comprise 25% of the course grade. Sample questions will be provided to familiarize you with the content and format of the exam.  Accuracy, organization, and thoroughness are the dimensions on which short-answers will be evaluated.  A make-up exam will not be given.

G. Final Exam (100 points, December 12th, 7:50 - 9:50 a.m.) - The final exam will be open-book.  Bring any materials to the exam that you consider relevant and helpful.  The exam will consist of one hypothetical case which will include sociodemographic information, historical data, presenting concerns and/or reasons for referral, behavioral observations, and test data.  Your task will be to integrate these data bases to produce an incisive and meaningful case conceptualization.  You will be expected to offer diagnostic impressions and treatment recommendations based on your psychological formulation, much as you would in preparing a psychological report or as a member of a treatment team at a social service agency.  The final will comprise 25% of the course grade.  A sample question will be provided to familiarize you with the content and format of the exam.  Accuracy, clarity, convergent thinking, insight, organization, and thoroughness are the dimensions on which finals will be evaluated.  A make-up exam will not be given.

Summary

Class Participation:  up to 10 extra-credit points
Exam I:  up to 100 points, 10/5
Project:  up to 100 points, due 11/2
Exam II:  up to 100 points, 12/5
Final Exam:  up to 100 points, 12/12 from 7:50 - 9:50 a.m.

Grades

360-400 = A
320-359 = B
280-319 = C
240-279 = D
     <240 = F

Grades will be based on a strict percentage system

Academic Integrity

By all means, collaborate on the project.  Collaboration with colleagues is a proven way to become an effective clinician.  However, be mindful of the difference between collaboration and plagiarism.  According to the Student Judicial Office, "plagiarism is the unacknowledged appropriation of another's work, words, or ideas in any themes, outlines, papers, reports, or computer programs."  Plagiarism includes copying sentences from sources without paraphrasing them.  Paraphrasing, on the other hand, is when you summarize someone else's work in your own words.  For further information on the distinction between plagiarism and paraphrasing, consult the Publication Manual (APA, 2001) which is available in the Reference Section of Milner Library.  All written materials that you submit will be evaluated by the Essay Verification Engine, a software program designed to detect plagiarism.  If it becomes apparent that you have plagiarized, I will give you an F for the course and initiate a referral to the Student Judicial Office where the matter will be further adjudicated.  Likewise, cheating on exams will result in a course grade of F and referral to the Student Judicial Office.  In addition, exams are not intended for distribution to the University community; taking an exam is stealing.

Miscellaneous Matters

If you need to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability, contact Disability Concerns at FEL 350, 438-5833 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).  If you find that you have problems taking notes and tests or if you suffer from test anxiety, the University Center for Learning Assistance and Student Counseling Services, respectively, can assist you.  The UCLA is located in STV 113 (438-7100) and the SCS is located in the SSB 320 (438-3655).

8/22: Introduction and Scope
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 1

8/24: History and Social Policy
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 8

8/29: Pharmacology of Addiction
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 3, pp. 42-49; Ch. 4, pp. 83-85

9/31: Alcohol
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 4, pp. 61-68

9/7: Marijuana and Opiates
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 4, pp. 68-72 and 77-81

9/12: Stimulants
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 4, pp. 72-77

9/14: Depressants and Hallucinogens (Inhalants and Steroids)
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 4, pp. 81-83

9/19: Conceptual Models - Biological and Dispositional Models
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 2, pp. 25-26, 29-31, and 34-37

9/21: Conceptual Models - Psychodynamic, Learning, and Sociological Models
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 2, pp. 26-29, 31-34, and 37

9/26: Classification and Diagnosis 
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 5, pp. 102-107

9/28: Assessment - Interviewing and Objective Measures
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 5, pp. 93-102

10/3: Assessment - Objective Measures and Drug Testing
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 5, pp. 107-115

10/5: EXAM 1

10/10: Overview of Treatment
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 5, 118-125; Ch. 6, pp. 136-137, 153-156, and 170-176; Ch. 16, pp. 549-555

10/12: Inpatient and Outpatient Services
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 3, pp. 51-57; Ch. 6, pp. 130-135, 137-152, 156-166, and 168-170

10/17: Interventions for the Dual-diagnosed
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 13, pp. 423-452

10/19: Motivational Enhancement
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 5, pp. 115-118

10/24: 12-step Approaches
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 6, pp. 182-188

10/26: Self-help Approaches

10/31: Skill-building and Self-regulatory Therapies
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 6, pp. 176-181

11/2: PROJECT DUE; Skill-building Therapies

11/7: Marriage and Family Therapy
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 10

11/9: Relapse Prevention
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 6, pp. 166-168

11/14: Prevention
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 7

11/16: Special Populations - Adolescents  (and the Elderly)
McNeece & DiNitto, Chs. 9 and 14

11/28: Special Populations - Ethnic Minorities (and the Disabled)
McNeece & DiNitto, Ch. 11; Ch. 13, pp. 452-470

11/30: Special Populations - Women (and Sexual Minorities)
McNeece & DiNitto, Chs. 12 and 15

12/5: EXAM II

12/7: Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning

12/12: FINAL EXAM (7:50 - 9:50 a.m.)