PSYC 340 Fundamentals of Psychopathology

Winter 2024 (3.0 Cr)

Office Hours
Instructor: Lucy Farisello, Ph.D.
Class: Monday & Wednesday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. CC-111 (in person)
Office: SP.245.5 (Loyola Campus)
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email: lucy.farisello@concordia.ca
Be sure to write PSYC 340 in email subject heading

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
Prerequisite: PSYC 310, 315, previously or concurrently.

This course is designed to serve as an introductory course in Abnormal Psychology. The basic ideas behind
‘abnormality’, assessment, classification, and diagnosis will be discussed. As well, the course will cover theoretical
explanations and different therapeutic approaches as they relate to specific types of disorders. While several
approaches will be reviewed, a humanistic/eclectic approach to abnormality will be emphasized. Students are
encouraged to discuss topics and cases covered in class using compassion and ‘critical thinking’.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for PSYC 322 may not take this course for credit.

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 (lecture notes, homework, handouts, and assigned readings, etc.) will be posted on the
course website. Students are encouraged to download and print out handouts prior to the class lecture, as
handouts will not be distributed in class. Information is presented both in the classroom and through the text.
During classroom meetings, I will lecture on the most important material, but not all aspects of the book will
be covered in the lectures. 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=164009 (PSYC 340)

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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 (free online version may be available):

Text: Flett, et al, (2017). Abnormal Psychology: Sixth Canadian Edition.

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. **

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) will also be presented. This additional in-class material
will not be posted to Moodle but may appear on your exams; it is your responsibility to catch up on any
material missed due to absences. 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.

Exams
There will be two in-class mid-term examinations (each worth 25% of final grade). 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 40% of final grade) will cover material from
the entire course and MUST be taken during the final exam period determined by the university (Apr 18th –
May 1st, inclusive), at the date, time, and place 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.

In class questions and discussions are 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.

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 (including the in-class midterms) 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 grade in this course.

Case Studies
There will be five case studies in the form of diagnostic assessments using the different paradigms discussed
in class, worth 10% of your final grade. More information (and specific dates) will be available on Moodle.

Grading System
Points TOTAL 100 points
Midterm #1 25 points
Midterm #2 25 points All grades are final.
Case studies 10 points Please note that I do not round up grades.
Final Examination 40 points

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 Letter Equivalents
A+ 93 – 100%
A 89 – 92.99% Outstanding
A- 85 – 88.99%
B+ 80 – 84.99%
B 76 – 79.99% Very Good
B- 72 – 75.99%
C+ 68 – 71.99%
C 64 – 67.99% Satisfactory
C- 61 – 63.99%
D+ 57 – 60.99%
D 54 – 56.99% Marginal Pass
D- 50 – 53.99%
F < 50% Poor - Failure
Tentative Course Outline*
We will cover the material in this course in this general order; any variations will be posted on Moodle. Whenever
possible I will try to post pdf versions of the lecture slides on Moodle prior to the lecture. 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 in class, or posted on Moodle.

Introduction to abnormality Chapter 1

The different paradigms and their integration Chapter 2
Clinical assessment, classification, and diagnosis Chapter 3

Midterm Exam #1: Wednesday, February 14th

Anxiety disorders Chapter 5

Mood disorders Chapter 8

Midterm Exam #2: Wednesday, March 13th

Schizophrenia Chapter 11
Personality disorders Chapter 13
Sexuality and gender (if time permits) Chapter 15

Final examination TBA during exam period Apr 18th – May 1st (inclusive)

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

Other Important Dates

Deadline to withdraw from tuition refund (DNE) is Monday, January 15th, 2024.
Last day of classes: Monday, April 15th, 2024.
Deadline for academic withdrawal (DISC) is Wednesday, April 17th, 2024.
Reading week: Monday, February 26th to Friday, March 1st, 2024
Exam period runs from Thursday, April 18th, 2024 to Wednesday, May 1st, 2024.

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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)

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.

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https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Intellectual Property
Content belonging to instructors shared in online courses, 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.

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

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