PSYC 235 When Good Kids Go Bad

Winter 2022 (3.0 Cr)

Office Hours
Instructor: M. Dean Graham, Ph.D. “There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous
unfolding, which constitutes a new hope and a new responsibility
Class: Wednesdays, 18:00-20:30, FG B060 for all.” --- Erik Erikson
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: m.dean.graham@concordia.ca (preferred method) “Don't let yourself become so concerned with raising a good kid
Be sure to write PSYC235 in email subject heading that you forget you already have one.” --- Glennon Melton

“There are no bad children. There are bad choices. There are
bad moments. There are bad days. There are bad situations. But
there are no bad children. Period.” --- L.R. Knost

Territorial Acknowledgement
I would like to begin by acknowledging that Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The
Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today.
Tiohtià:ke/Montréal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a
diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present
and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.

Course Description
This course examines the social, emotional, and behavioural problems encountered by children, youth, and
parents. Manifestations of these issues range from day‑to‑day “normal” concerns to maladaptive and dangerous
behaviours. Potential contributing biological, familial, peer, cultural, and economic factors are considered, as well
as the uniquely different ways in which individuals react to what seem to be “similar” backgrounds.

NOTE: Students registered in a Psychology program may not take this course for credit.

Overview & Objectives

This is an introductory course aimed at understanding behaviour disorders of childhood and adolescence.
Introduction to this field will focus on core issues, theoretical and methodological underpinnings, descriptions and
discussions of many disorders, clinical and research data, and treatment approaches. Please note that you are
responsible for the textbook readings, class notes, as well as any additional material presented in lecture
(documentaries or other AV material) or posted on Moodle.

It is necessary to discuss all important contributions to the field, including ideas that were/are racist, sexist, or in any other way
offensive. These ideas will be introduced in the most respectful manner and are in no way reflective of the views or values shared by the
University or professor.

Course Materials
All course materials (lectures, assignments, extra assigned readings, etc.) will be posted on the course website.
Students are encouraged to check the page consistently for updates. Information is presented both in the
classroom and through the text. During lectures, I will focus on the most important material, but not all aspects of
the book will be covered. You will be required to read the textbook, as you will be examined on the contents of the
lectures AND the text. The required readings are indicated in the detailed course schedule.

My Concordia Portal (select Course Websites under Menu, powered by Moodle)

https://moodle.concordia.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=144072 (PSYC 235 2214/AA)

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Required Textbook & Readings
Material for the course lectures will be based on a variety of sources, but drawn principally from the following
required text:

Mash, E. J. & Wolfe, D. A. (2019). Abnormal child psychology (7th Edition). Boston, MA: Cengage.

NOTE: Previous editions are used at your own risk. It is a good idea to check an older edition against the latest
one to verify if the material has changed so that you can adjust accordingly. This is your responsibility.

** Additional readings may be posted on Moodle, so check the course website regularly. **

Grading System
Mandatory Points Letter Equivalents
Midterm 45 or 50 points A+ 90 – 100%
Final Examination 45 or 50 points A 85 – 89.99% Outstanding
TOTAL 100 points A- 80 – 84.99%
B+ 77 – 79.99%
Optional Points (see below) B 73 – 76.99% Very Good
B- 70 – 72.99%
In the News Assignments 0, 5, or 10 points**
C+ 67 – 69.99%
C 63 – 66.99% Satisfactory
All grades are final. C- 60 – 62.99%
Please note that I do not round up grades. D+ 57 – 59.99%
D 53 – 56.99% Marginal Pass
D- 50 – 52.99%
F < 50% Poor - Failure
Lectures
The structure and content of the lectures will correspond approximately to those of the indicated chapters, but will
not necessarily cover all material in each chapter. Additional material will also be discussed, and research and/or
multimedia presentations (e.g., videos) may be presented. This additional lecture material may be posted to Moodle
and may appear on your exam. In class questions and discussions are also fair game for exams, so it is
recommended that you attend lectures to ensure that you are aware of all material that may be on an exam.
Assigned chapter readings are to be done in advance of the class in which they are discussed. Any supplementary
readings will be posted on Moodle for easy access, and you will be responsible for these on your exams.

“In the News” Assignments

Two (2) “In the News” assignments are optional submitted during the semester. You may choose to do both,
one, or none of these (you may also choose to do the second assignment without doing the first). However, the
due dates are set, and you cannot alter your decision after a due date has passed.

For this assignment, you are to directly relate some aspect of course material (that is youth abnormal psychology)
to a recent news article. The article must be from a newspaper or newsmagazine website (blogs or other types of
websites are not permitted, including scholarly journals or health/science magazines such as Scientific American).
For example, the article could deal with policy or legislation changes; a report of published research on causes or
treatments of a specific disorder; programs or services being offered children with mental health problems, etc.
The article MUST be from a Canadian source, have been originally published in 2021 or 2022, and deal with a
Canadian issue. More detail will be posted on Moodle.

The first assignment is due the day before the midterm (Tuesday, February 22nd at 23:59), and the second is due on
the last day of class (Wednesday, April 13th at 23:59). You are strongly encouraged to hand in the assignments
earlier than the due dates. No extensions will be given; if you do not submit the first assignment your midterm will
be worth 50%, and if you do not submit your second assignment your final exam will be worth 50%. No exceptions.

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Exams
There will be one mid-term examination (worth 45% or 50% of your final grade, depending on your decision for
the first “In the News” Assignments). Further details will be provided in class as the examination date approaches,
and every effort will be made to provide a brief in-class exam review (subject to time constraints).

The final exam (worth 45% or 50% of your final grade, depending on your decision for the second “In the News”
Assignments) will consist of all material covered in this course (cumulative), with emphasis on the material covered
after the mid-term. It MUST be taken during the final exam period determined by the university (April 19 – May
1, inclusive), at the date and time determined by the Examinations Office. Do not schedule anything until the end
of the final exam period. You will not be able to take this exam earlier than the date set by the Examinations
Office. No exceptions. Any necessary further details on the final exam will be provided in class and/or on Moodle
closer to the exam date.

It is your responsibility to be familiar with all policies pertaining to cases of illness, missed exams, and incomplete
work as described in the Undergraduate Calendar. In this course, there will be NO supplemental or make-up
examinations other than in the case of illness with an explicit and clearly dated official letter from a medical doctor.
In such cases, this make-up exam may be an oral exam. Failure to write the final exam will result in a failure mark in
this course.

Tentative Course Outline*

We will cover the material in this course in this general order; any variations will be posted on Moodle. It is in the
student’s best interest to read the chapters before class (I will assume you have). Students are responsible for
material in the textbook as well as any other material covered during lecture, or posted on Moodle.

TOPIC READINGS

Understanding Abnormal Child Psychology Slides only (Chapters 1-3 for supplemental use)
Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Chapter 4
Intellectual Disability Chapter 5
Autism Spectrum and Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia Chapter 6
Communication and Learning Disorders Chapter 7
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Chapter 8

Mid-term examination Wednesday, February 23rd

Conduct Problems Chapter 9

Depressive and Bipolar Disorders Chapter 10
Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Chapter 11
Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders Chapter 12
Health-Related and Substance-Use Disorders Chapter 13
Feeding and Eating Disorders Chapter 14

Final examination TBA during exam period (April 19-May 1)

All scheduled lectures are subject to modification (due to semester progression, unforeseeable circumstances, etc.).
You will be notified in lecture and/or on Moodle if necessary.

Other Important Dates

Deadline to withdraw from tuition refund (DNE) is Wednesday, January 19th, 2022.
Midterm break: Monday, February 28th, 2022 to Sunday, March 6th, 2022.
Deadline for academic withdrawal from winter-term courses (DISC) is Monday, April 18th, 2022.
Last day of classes: Wednesday, April 13th, 2022.
Exam period runs from Tuesday, April 19th, 2022 to Sunday, May 1st, 2022.

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Code of Conduct & Academic Honesty Policy
All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive throughout the course,
including in their communications.

If students are taking religious holidays, you must advise the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.

The instructor will strive to make learning experience as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have
accessibility needs that require academic accommodations, please meet with an advisor from the Access Centre for
Students with Disabilities (ACSD) as soon as possible to set up an accommodation plan. I welcome meeting with
all students to discuss their accessibility needs.

Sexual violence, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, is not tolerated at Concordia. Please see
Concordia’s policy on sexual violence for more information about awareness and prevention, support for
survivors/victims, responding to disclosures, and procedures for reports and complaints. You can also contact the
Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) for information and support. More information and support are available
at the SARC website, or by email sarc@concordia.ca or phone 514 848-2424 x 3353.

Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities which applies both when students are
physically and virtually engaged in any University activity, including classes, seminars, meetings, etc. Students
engaged in University activities must respect this Code when engaging with any members of the Concordia
community, including faculty, staff, and students, whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face to face or
online/virtual. Failing to comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as
outlined in the Code.

Please familiarize yourself with the University’s policy on plagiarism (from website):
The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which the Code defines as “the
presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement.”

This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It
refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the
work of a fellow student, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another
student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone – it can refer to
copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work. It includes oral
presentations, computer assignments and artistic works. Finally, if you translate the work of another person into
any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism.

In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without saying where you
obtained it. (Source: The Academic Integrity Website)

Intellectual Property
Content belonging to instructors shared in this course, including, but not limited to, online lectures, course notes,
and video recordings of classes remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It may not be distributed,
published or broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the faculty member. Students are
also forbidden to use their own means of recording any elements of an online class or lecture without express
permission of the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of course content may constitute a breach of the Academic
Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. As specified in the Policy on Intellectual
Property, the University does not claim any ownership of or interest in any student IP. All university members
retain copyright over their work.

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Extraordinary Circumstances
In the event of extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations, the University may modify
the delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In the event of such extraordinary
circumstances, students will be informed of the changes.

Concordia Services Available to Improve Students’ Academic Experience

1. Access Centre for Students with Disabilities 10. Student Hub
2. Student Success Centre 11. Sexual Assault Resource Centre
3. Counselling and Psychological Services 12. As a Concordia student, you are a member of
4. Concordia Library Citation and Style Guides the Concordia Student Union and have many
5. Health Services resources available to you including:
6. Financial Aid and Awards a. HOJO (Off Campus Housing and
7. Academic Integrity Job Bank)
8. Dean of Students Office b. CSU Advocacy Centre
9. International Students Office 13. Aboriginal Student Resource Centre

In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University’s control, the content and/or
evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change.

* Dates subject to change

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