Psychological Studies

This course provides students with a foundation in research and evaluation methodologies and strategies, program evaluation and needs assessment. Students will gain an understanding of different types of research and research design, procedures for data collection and analysis, analysis of both hard and soft data, and ethical and legal considerations associated with research. Students will leave the course prepared to conduct and be discriminating consumers of research.

This course deals with the nature of neurotic behavior, abnormal behavior and the psychoses, as well as the nature of normal and abnormal intellectual, social, and emotional development and learning in childhood and adolescence. Particular attention is given to ego-defensive, adaptive and sociocultural aspects of behavior, health and wellness, and ways in which adaptive behavior becomes symptomatic. This course organizes disorders according to the organization of the DSM-5. Historical contexts in which psychopathology has been diagnosed and viewed from early medical concepts through the currently used Diagnostic Criteria in the DSM-5 are presented. Learning disorders, including emotional issues affecting student achievement and their treatments are investigated. Attention is focused on differential diagnosis, treatment planning and best practices in applied settings. Discussions focus on psychopharmacology, knowledge of medical conditions and medication related to physical disabilities and learning disorders, prevalent psychotherapies, and theories of abnormal behavior and development. Case studies provide experience in classifying, diagnosing and categorizing various mental disorders from childhood throughout the lifespan. Discussions of treatment of mental illness include psychopharmacology, prevalent psychotherapies used in individual, family, couple and group psychotherapy and current research findings related to treatment. Discussions also focus on health and wellness, multicultural issues, plus variables related to resiliency and student learning. Additionally, the effects of abuse, violence, theories of normal and abnormal behavior and development are examined. Current research that can assist the school counselor in developing a plan of action for referral and treatment that relates to personal, social and academic functioning of students will be procured through the online library. This course utilizes films, tapes, case studies, class presentations, lectures, and group discussions. It includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction. This course also includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker: h: Knowledge of medical conditions and medication related to physical disabilities and learning disorders. c. Learning disorders, including emotional issues affecting student achievement, and their treatment This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standards for School Guidance Counseling: c. Psychology of learning. d. Understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of learning and behavior disorders. e. Theories of normal and abnormal intellectual, social, and emotional development.

This course explores forensic settings, the counselor’s roles within these settings, and appropriate counseling and systems skills. It introduces concepts of addiction, relapse prevention, and stages of personal change, as they relate to forensic counseling. Students are introduced to the continuum of forensic settings including court clinics, juvenile detention and rehabilitation facilities, houses of correction, jails, prisons, pre-release and post-release centers. Students explore the stages of the judicial process, legal and procedural issues during incarceration, the offender’s transition to release and community life, and the dynamic tension between the goals of rehabilitation and punishment. Students then survey counseling and systems skills appropriate to such settings and engage in realistic role-plays in order to develop or improve their skills. The course then surveys approaches to addiction, relapse prevention, and stages of personal change, with an overview of appropriate counseling techniques. Includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction.

In this course students will develop strategies to effectively counsel adolescents. This course will address the stages of development in the adolescents’ transition into adulthood, with a focus on the tasks of differentiation, autonomy, relationships, family, work, post-secondary education, military service, and other developmental challenges. Collaboration and consultation with parents/guardians, community collaterals, school support staff, and employers, as well as access to resources will be addressed. For those adolescents considering entry to higher education, the college/post-secondary training program and its funding will also be discussed. Special emphasis will be placed on ways to help those who traditionally face substantial barriers to success, including low-income students, minority and ELL students, and students with disabilities. The fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction are emphasized throughout the course.
This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standards for School Guidance Counseling: m. Development of skills for consultation with parents, teachers and administrators. n. College counseling and use of college and other post-secondary resource materials (grades 5-12).

This course focuses on theory, research and practice of trauma by addressing systemic and cultural aspects of diagnosis, assessment, dynamics, and trauma treatment. This includes acute stress disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and complex PTSD, as well as dual diagnoses. Immediate and long-term effects of trauma on various populations will be explored: trauma in adults, children, and families, sexual and physical abuse survivors; victims of crimes, large scale disaster, war; workplace violence and complicated grief. Other topics include trauma resilience, natural courses of coping; transgenerational aspects of traumatization and life span perspectives on trauma. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker: d: Prevention and treatment of substance abuse, physical and sexual abuse, and violence in PreK-12 students. This course includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction.