PSY 440: ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
FALL 2006
|
Professor: Michael MacLean, Ph.D. |
Phone: 878-3100 |
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Course Description: This course introduces you to issues regarding
the etiology, treatment, and prevention of addictive behaviors. A
multidimensional approach that includes biological, psychological, and social
factors is emphasized. Topics covered include dependence on alcohol,
nicotine and other drugs, as well as pathological gambling, eating disorders
and compulsive sexual behavior.
Prerequisite: PSY 311 (Personality: Theory and Research)
required. PSY 411 (Abnormal Psychology) recommended.
Course Objectives:
- You will learn the major psychological principles underlying the growing field of addiction.
- You will learn to apply a multidimensional model of addiction that includes biological, psychological, and social factors. Thus, you will come to use thinking that is more complex when conceptualizing addictive behavior and other psychopathology.
- You will become familiar with the empirical processes used to evaluate the theories and treatments of addiction.
- You will be able to place current approaches toward addiction within our society’s cultural history of dealing with such problems. This includes how the concept of addiction has changed over time and the controversies surrounding its application to a variety of behaviors.
- You will become familiar with the rapidly changing treatment of addictive behaviors, learning about the major approaches and the empirical evidence for their efficacy.
- You will become more familiar with approaches aimed at preventing the development of addictive behaviors.
Required Texts:
Fletcher, A.M. (2001). Sober
for good.
Thombs, D. L. (2006). Introduction
to addictive behaviors (3rd ed.).
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (1976). Chapter
5: How it works. In: Alcoholics
Anonymous: The story of how many thousands of men and women have
recovered from alcoholism (3 ed.).
Bancroft, J., & Vukadinovic, Z. (2004). Sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity,
or what?: Toward a theoretical
model. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 225-234.
Bargh, J.
A., & Chartrand, T. L. (1999). The unbearable automaticity of being. American
Psychologist, 54(7), 462-479.
Boys, A., Marsden, J., & Strang, J.
(2001). Understanding
reasons for drug use amongst young people:
A functional perspective. Health Education Research, 16, 457-469.
Chassin, L., Pitts, S. C. DeLucia,
C., & Todd, M. (1999). A longitudinal
study of children of alcoholics: Predicting young adult substance use
disorders, anxiety, and depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 108, 106-119.
Joranby,
L., Pineda, K.F., & Gold, M. S.
(2005).
Addiction to food and brain reward systems. Sexual
Addiction & Compulsivity, 12, 201-217.
Koob, G. F.
(2006). The
neurobiology of addiction: A neuroadaptational view relevant for diagnosis. Addiction,
101 (Suppl. 1), 23-30.
Piasecki, T.M.
(2006). Relapse
to smoking. Clinical Psychology Review, 26, 196-215.
Room, R., Turner, N. E., & Ialomiteanu,
A. (1999). Community
effects of the opening of the Niagara casino. Addiction,
94, 1449-1466.
Sartor, C.E., Jacob, T., & Bucholz,
K.K. (2003). Drinking course in alcohol-dependent
men from adolescence to midlife. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 64, 712-719.
Shaffer, H.J., LaPlante, D.A., LaBrie,
R.A., Kidman, R.C., Donato, A.N., &
Steele, C. M., &
Josephs, R. A. (1990). Alcohol
myopia: Its prized and dangerous effects. American Psychologist, 45(8), 921-33.
Course Requirements:
Exams: Understanding of course material will be assessed through five exams that will cover material from lectures, class discussion, and assigned readings. Exams will consist of multiple-choice and short essay questions. You will be expected to know the fundamental concepts of the theoretical and empirical material covered and how to apply them to new cases.
Research Paper: A
paper that provides an update of an area of the scholarly addictions literature
will be required. This is an opportunity to investigate an area of particular
interest to you. It is also an opportunity to gain experience in
gathering, reading and analyzing empirical literature. The first steps
include selecting an area of empirical research from among those described in
the text (e.g., stages of change) and finding a recent related research
article. The paper will involve providing a brief description of the
research in this area (based on what is presented in the text), describing the
study you have found, and then describing how the study fits in with the
"big picture" of the previous research and advances the field.
The paper will be four to five typed, double-spaced pages conforming to
American Psychological Association guidelines (please
refer to the APA Publication Manual).
Additional information on paper requirements will be presented in class.
The first part of
the paper-writing process will involve selecting a topic and searching the
literature (e.g., via the PsycINFO database) for a recent journal article that
has been written on that topic. If it looks like a viable topic for your
paper, come talk with me about your topic and the
article you have found. No two students will be allowed to write on the
same article, so sign up for your article as soon as you can (it will be done
on a first-come-first-served basis). A copy of the article is to
accompany your paper. Papers are to be turned in no later than Thursday,
November 9 at the beginning of class.
Note: Because
unforeseen events (e.g., illness, family emergencies, printer problems) do
sometimes interfere with paper-writing, it is recommended that you turn in your
paper ahead of the deadline. In fairness to other students, late
papers will be docked one letter-grade for each day after the due date (papers
turned in after class has started will be considered one day late).
Concept Application: At
the conclusion of the semester, you will write a paper applying concepts
learned in the course to the individuals’ narratives described in Fletcher’s
(2001) Sober for Good. This will serve as your
take-home final examination.
Extra Credit Opportunities: During the course of the semester, a few short writing opportunities (e.g., critiquing local colloquia) will be made available for those who would like to earn extra credit. Points earned will be added to your point total for the semester.
Grades: Final grades will be based on total number of points accumulated on the exams, quizzes, paper, conceptual applications and extra credit opportunities. They will be weighted as follows:
|
Exams (5) = |
175 points |
|
Conceptual Application Research Paper = |
50 points 50
points |
|
Total Points = |
275 points |
Letter grades will be assigned based on percentage of total points earned.
|
93% = A |
83% = B |
73% = C |
60% = D |
|
90% = A- |
80% = B- |
70% = C- |
59% & below = F |
|
87% = B+ |
77% = C+ |
67% = D+ |
|
To monitor your grade as the semester
progresses simply keep track of your scores and how many total points were
possible. (Recall that % = Your Score/Total Score * 100). Progress will be posted
periodically on the course website.
Sure-Fire Methods for Maximizing Your Learning and Performance: Class attendance is strongly recommended. Although attendance will not be recorded for grading purposes, skipping class will result in missing important information. Lectures and materials presented in class will include new information not covered in the text as well as more in-depth exploration and application of text material. In addition, important announcements regarding exams, papers, and extra credit will be made in class. Students who miss class are responsible for obtaining this information.
Completing the assigned reading prior to class will have several benefits. First, it will provide background knowledge that will render the lectures more meaningful. Second, it will allow for more informed classroom discussion, benefiting you and your classmates. Third, conceptual applications exercises and extra credit opportunities will be administered during class.
Course Policies:
- Academic dishonesty such as cheating on exams and plagiarism is unethical and unfair to your classmates. Consequently, such dishonesty will be taken very seriously, resulting in automatic failure of the course and notification of the department chair. In addition, I reserve the right to refer you to the Dean of the College for further disciplinary action. If you are at all uncertain as to what constitutes plagiarism or other types of academic dishonesty, please come and see me so that the issue is clarified.
- Make-up exams and quizzes will be given only under extraordinary circumstances (e.g., documented medical emergency). In such situations, you must notify the professor before the start of the exam. Make-ups may be of a different format (e.g., essay and/or oral). Any make-ups for the semester will be held during Bengal Pause on the last day of classes (May 6, 12:15 p.m.).
- Courtesy and consideration for your fellow classmates is important to a positive learning environment. As such, it is important that you avoid distracting your classmates by holding private discussions or by coming in late or leaving early. In addition, please make certain that your cell phone does not ring during class. Your attention to these matters will make for a more enjoyable and productive atmosphere for everyone.
- It is recommended that you get to know some of your classmates. This can greatly facilitate the sharing of knowledge within the class (e.g., forming study groups, getting class notes).
Course Outline:
|
Date |
Topic |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tue. |
Aug. 29 |
Welcome! |
|
|
|
Thu. |
31 |
Introduction to Alcohol & Other Drugs (Last
day to Drop/Add) |
Steele
& Josephs (1990) |
|
|
Tue. |
Sept. 5 |
“” |
|
|
|
Thu. |
7 |
Why Do People Take Drugs? Youth &
Substance Use |
Boys et al. (2001) |
|
|
Tue. |
12 |
What is Addiction? |
|
|
|
Thu. |
14 |
“” |
Sartor et al. (2003) |
|
|
Tue. |
19 |
Co-Morbidity and
Sub-Types of Addiction (Exam) |
|
|
|
Thu. |
21 |
Biological Factors in Addiction &
Treatment |
Koob
(2006) |
|
|
Tue. |
26 |
Is Addiction a Disease? |
|
|
|
Thu. |
28 |
AA and 12-Step Approaches to Treatment |
AA
(1976) |
|
|
Tue. |
Oct. 3 |
Psychoanalytic Factors in Addiction &
Treatment |
|
|
|
Thu. |
5 |
Conditioning Factors in Addiction &
Treatment (Exam) |
|
|
|
Tue. |
10 |
Cognitive Factors in Addiction &
Treatment |
|
|
|
Thu. |
12 |
"" |
Bargh
& Chartrand (1999) |
|
|
Tue. |
17 |
Familial Factors in Addiction &
Treatment |
|
|
|
Thu. |
19 |
"" |
Chassin et al. (1999) |
|
|
Tue. |
24 |
Social/Cultural Factors in Addiction &
Treatment (Exam) |
|
|
|
Thu. |
26 |
"" |
|
|
|
Tue. |
31 |
Overview of
Addiction Treatment |
|
|
|
Thu. |
Nov. 2 |
Motivating Change in Addictive
Behaviors |
|
|
|
Tue. |
7 |
Prevention, Harm
Reduction, and Public Policy |
|
|
|
Thu. |
9 |
“” (Research
Paper Due) |
|
|
|
Tue. |
14 |
Smoking as an Addiction (Exam) |
Piasecki
(2006) |
|
|
Thu. |
16 |
Can Behaviors be
Addictive? |
Shaffer et
al. (2004) |
|
|
Tue. |
21 |
Gambling as an Addiction |
Room
et al. (1999) |
|
|
Thu. |
23 |
Thanksgiving:
No Class |
|
|
|
Tue. |
28 |
Eating Disorders as Addictions |
Joranby
et al. (2005) |
|
|
Thu. |
30 |
Sexual Behavior as an Addiction |
Bancroft
& Vukadinovic (2004) |
|
|
Tue. |
Dec. 5 |
Integrating What
We’ve Learned and Looking Forward (Exam) |
|
|
|
Thu. |
7 |
Wrap
Up/Conclusion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tue. |
TBA |
Conceptual
Applications Due |
|
|
