Introduction to Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse

PP 7359

Introduction to Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse

Winter 2009

INSTRUCTOR:

Eliezer Schwartz Ph.D.

PHONE:

312.777.7696

EMAIL:

FAX:

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Title / Drugs in Perspective: A Personalized look at substance use and abuse
Author(s) / Fields, R.
Copyright / 2007
Publisher / McGraw Hill
ISBN / 978-0-07-304749-2
Edition / 6th
Title / A Primer of Drug Action
Author(s) / Julien et al
Copyright / 2008
Publisher / Worth
ISBN / 1-4292-0679-9
Edition / 11th
Title / Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists
Author(s) / Preston et al
Copyright / 2008
Publisher / New Harbinger
ISBN / 1-57224-535-2
Edition / 5th

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

Title
Author(s)
Copyright
Publisher
ISBN
Edition

This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: ___YES X NO

Argosy University

COURSE SYLLABUS

PP7359

Introduction to Clinical Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse – Winter 2009

Faculty Information

Eliezer Schwartz, Ph.D.

Chicago Campus

Contact Information: or 312-777-7696

Office Hours: Mondays 10:00 to 12:00 a.m.

Thursdays 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Course description:

The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to fundamental principles of psychopharmacotherapy and to the available theory and research behind these principles. This course will also introduce students to some crucial ramifications to drug use. More specifically, this course will discuss the impact of psychopharmacology on the field of professional psychology. In addition, this course will address the topic of drug abuse.

Course Pre-requisites: PP7051

Required Textbook:

Fields, R. (2007) Drugs in Perspective: A Personalized Look at Substance Use and Abuse.

New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Julian, R.M., Advokat, C.D. and Comaty, J.E. (2008) A Primer of Drug Action: A Comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and the side effects of psychoactive drugs, 11th Edition.New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Preston, J.D., O’Neal, J.H. and Talaga, M.C. (2008) Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology

For Therapists, 5th Edition. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Recommended Readings

Beitman, B.D and Klerman, G.L. (2000) Combined Psychotherapy and Drug Therapy in

Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed, New-York: Medical and Scientific Books – A

Division of Spectrum Publications, Inc.

Bezchlibnyk-Butler, K.Z. and Jeffries, J.J. (Eds.) (2006) Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic

Drugs, 16th Edition. Toronto, Canada: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Bezchlibnyk-Butler, K.Z. and Virani, A.S. (Eds.) (2004) Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic

Drugs for children and Adolescents.

Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Brick, J and Carlton, K.E. (1998) Drugs, the Brain Behavior: The psychopharmacology

of abuse and dependence. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.

Crenshaw, T.L. and Goldberg, J.P. (1996) Sexual Pharmacology: Drugs that effect sexual

function. New York: Norton.

Diamond, R.J. and Scheifler. (2007) Treatment Collaboration: Improving the therapist, prescriber, client relationship.

New York: Norton.

DuPaul, G.J. and Stoner, G. (2003) ADHD in Schools: Assessment and Intervention Strategies.

New York: Guilford.

Hagan, E. and Gormley, J. (1998) HIV/AIDS and the Drug Culture: Shattered Lives.

New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.

Kuhn, C., Swartzwelder, S. and Wilson, W. (1998) BUZZED: The straight facts about the most

Used and abused drugs, from alcohol to ecstacy.

New York, NY: Norton.

Preston, J., O’Neal, J.H. and Talaga, M.C. (2006) Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Made Easy.

Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Russo, E. (2001) Handbook for Psychotropic Herbs: A scientific analysis of herbal remedies

for psychiatric conditions. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.

Teater, P.A. (1998) Intervention for ADHD: Treatment in Developmental Context.

New York: Guilford

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 15 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes:

The Doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at Argosy University, Chicago Campus is an APA accredited program (APA, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202-336-5500). This program is designed to educate and train students so that they may eventually be able to function effectively as clinical psychologists. To ensure that students are prepared adequately, the curriculum provides for the meaningful integration of theory, training and practice. The Clinical Psychology program at Argosy University Chicago Campus emphasizes the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential in the formation of professional psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. Specific objectives of the program include the following:

·  Goal 1: Prepare professional psychologists to accurately, effectively, and ethically select, administer, score, interpret, and communicate findings of appropriate assessment methods informed by accepted psychometric standards and sensitive to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 1a: Accurately and ethically administer and score various psychodiagnostic instruments.

o  Objective 1b: Accurately interpret and synthesize assessment data in the context of diversity factors, referral questions, and specific objectives of the assessment, and organize and communicate results in writing and orally.

o  Objective 1c: Examine psychometric properties of psychological assessment instruments, and use that knowledge to evaluate, select, administer, and interpret psychological tests and measures appropriate for the client, the referral question, and the objectives of the assessment.

·  Goal 2: Prepare professional psychologists to select, implement, and evaluate psychological interventions consistent with current ethical, evidence-based, and professional standards, within a theoretical framework, and with sensitivity to the interpersonal processes of the therapeutic relationship and the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 2a: Synthesize the foundations of clinical psychology, including psychopathology, human development, diagnosis, diversity, ethics, and various therapeutic models in clinical applications.

o  Objective 2b: Select, plan, and implement ethical and evidence-based interventions with sensitivity to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 2c: Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively implement and participate in psychological consultation and supervision.
Objective 2d: Demonstrate personal development and self-reflective capacity, including growth of interpersonal skills, and therapeutic relationships.

·  Goal 3: Prepare professional psychologists to analyze the complexity and multidimensionality of human diversity, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand diverse worldviews and the potential meaning of social, cultural, and individual differences for professional psychological services.

·  Goal 4: Prepare professional psychologists to examine the historical context and the current body of knowledge of biological, cognitive, affective, developmental, and social bases of human functioning.

·  Goal 5: Prepare professional psychologists to critically evaluate the current and evolving body of scholarly literature in psychology to inform professional practice.

Course Objectives and Assessment

The objectives of this course are designed to contribute significantly to the program’s competencies of “Scientific and Historical Foundation of Clinical Psychology” and “ Apply Appropriate and Effective Therapeutic Interventions According to a Theoretical Orientation.”

1. Demonstrate a mastery of foundations of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.

2. Demonstrtae a mastery of principles of clinical psychopharmacology.

3. Develop a conceptual grasp of the physiological, psychological and socio-politicalconsequences of drug use and abuse, and their applications in clinical situations.

4. Demonstrate familiarity with the theoretical issues and the recent literature involved with combined treatmentmodalities (psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy), and prescription privileges to professional psychologists

Course Assessment

This is a critical and fundamental course in the curriculum of our graduate program. Mastery of this course material is essential for several academic and training components of this program. Students are expected to attend all classes, read all designated chapters, and complete all assignments. Meaningful participation in classroom discussions is encouraged and expected. Students are invited to ask questions, express their thoughts regarding the material presented, and demonstrate respect and sensitivity to individual differences and opinions.

Starting the second week of classes, the Teaching Assistant will conduct weekly study labs and review sessions. Individual meetings with the instructor or the TA are available during designated office hours and by appointment. A student who must miss a class or an assignment (regardless of the reason) has to inform the instructor as early as possible. More than two unexcused misses will result in a drop of 10 points (out of 100) from the final grade.

Students’ course performance will be assessed in the following way:

· Class participation - students will be evaluated by their attendance and their contributions to class discussions.

·  Three take home exams will be given on the 4th, 8th and 13th weeks. These exams are due one week after their distribution.

·Final course project – Students will be responsible to complete in a timely fashion a final project. Appendix A will provide detailed instructions for this assignment. This project will be due on the last two weeks of the semester.

·The take-home exams and the final project will offer students the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of theory and relevant knowledge (Objectives 1, 2, and 3). The final course project will also allow students to participate in open discussions and debates about significant topics in psychopharmacology (Objectives 3 and 4). Classroom discussions will be directed toward an exploration of clinically relevant topics (fundamentals of assessment; conduct and ethics; individual and multicultural differences; treatment planning, etc.) and overall contribution of the field of psychopharmacology to mental health (Objectives 3 and 4).

·The final grade for this course will be determined by the total points (100) earned from all assignments as following:

1. class participation (only if the student is missing classes)

2. take home exams 25 points each (75%)

3. final project 25 points (25%)

Grading Criteria: Grading Scale

A / 100 – 93
A- / 92 – 90
B+ / 89 – 88
B / 87 – 83
B- / 82 – 80
C+ / 79 – 78
C / 77 - 73
C- / 72 – 70
D+ / 69 – 68
D / 67 – 63
D- / 62 – 60
F / 59 and below

Course Outline, Readings and Assignments

Part I: Introduction and Fundamentals

Week 1: Historical overview of drug use

1/15 Principles of drug actions and pharmacotherapy

Week 2: Neuron physiology and neurotransmission

1/22 Readings: Julien - Ch. 3

Preston - Ch. 3

Week 3: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

1/29 Readings: Julien- Chs. 1 & 2

Preston- Ch. 4 and Appendix A

Week 4: The Mental Status Examination and Diagnostic Considerations

2/5 Readings: Preston- Ch. 5 and Appendix E

(1st Take Home Exam)

Part II: Specific Drugs and Pharmacotherapy

Week 5: CNS depressants and treatment of anxiety disorders

2/12 Readings: Julien- Chs. 4, 5 & 6

Preston - Chs. 8, 11, and 17

(1st Take Home Exam is due)

Week 6: Psychostimulants and treatment of ADHD

2/19 Readings: Julien - Ch. 10, 13 & 14

Preston– Ch. 21 & Appendix B

Week 7: Antidepressants and treatment of mood disorders

2/26 Readings: Julien- Chs. 7 & 8

Preston- Chs. 6, 7, 15 & 16

Week 8: Antipsychotics and the treatment of severe psychopathology

3/5 Readings: Julien - Ch. 9

Preston – Chs. 10 & 18

(2nd Take Home Exam)

Part III: Selected Topics

Week 9: Birth control and fertility drugs; Anabolic-androgenic steroids

3/12 Readings: Julien - Ch. 20

Preston - Appendix B

(2nd Take Home Exam is due)

Week 10: Integration of pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy

3/19 Readings: Julien- Ch. 12

Week 11: Understanding substance abuse

3/26 Readings: Julien – Ch. 21

Fields – Section I

Week 12: Substance abuse and family

4/2 Readings: Fields – Section II

Week 13: Prevention, intervention and treatment

4/9 Readings: Fields – Section III

(3rd Take Home Exam)

Part IV: Class Presentations

Week 14 : Final projects presented in class.

4/16 (3rd Take Home Exam is due)

Week 15: Final projects presented in class.

4/23

Library Resources

Argosy University’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at www.auchicagolib.org. User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.