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Research Methods in Psychopathology (PSYC205-01) Spring 2019

Image: Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985)

Day/Time: Fridays, 1:20 – 4:10 pm Location: Judd Hall 113 + Exley 074 computer lab Instructor: Dr. Sarah Kamens Email: skamens@wesleyan.edu Office Hours: Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:00 pm and Fridays 4:30 – 5:30 pm. Optional sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/y9blu4gw Office: Judd Hall, Room 400A Teaching Assistant (TA): Bryan Chong Email: bchong@wesleyan.edu TA Office Hours: Thursdays, 1:30 – 2:30 Location of Office Hours: Exley 074 Course-Specific Writing Tutor: Rachel Pomeranz Email: rpomeranz@wesleyan.edu Office Hours: Tuesdays, 10:15 – 12:15 Location of Office Hours: Exley 074

Course description: How do psychological researchers study unusual and distressing human experiences? This combined laboratory and lecture/discussion course provides an introduction to methods used in the study of clinical and subclinical phenomena. With an emphasis on methodological pluralism in the ‘psy’ disciplines, the course covers both quantitative and qualitative approaches, exploring the intersections between diverse modes of inquiry. Throughout the semester, students conduct a team research project on a psychological topic of the group’s choosing, proceeding through each stage of the research process: developing a topic, searching the literature, designing the method, obtaining approval, collecting data, conducting data analysis, interpreting the findings, and summarizing the full project. Along the way, we consider the sociocultural contexts of psychological science, as well as contemporary debates about the nature of psychopathology. We also think critically about the relationship between research methods and the topic(s) under investigation, asking questions such as: Why do psychologists use the methods that

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they use? How is research in psychology different from research in the other sciences and humanities?

Students with disabilities: Wesleyan University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a disability as defined by the ADA. Since accommodations may require early planning and generally are not provided retroactively, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible. If you have a disability, or think that you might have a disability, please contact Accessibility Services in order to arrange an appointment to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. Accessibility Services is located in North College, rooms 021/022, or can be reached by email (accessibility@wesleyan.edu) or phone (860-685-5581). More information is available at https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/disabilities/index.html

Discrimination and Harassment: Wesleyan University is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. Wesleyan will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes or related retaliation against or by any employee or student. For purposes of this Wesleyan policy, Protected Classes refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at 303-492-5550. More information is available at https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/studenthandbook/StudentHandbook.pdf. Human experiences: When we learn about psychopathology, we learn about a range of human experiences that include distressing or unusual mental states. These psychological experiences overlap with “normal” experiences rather than being qualitatively distinct from them, and it is common to recognize some of these experiences in yourself or in other people you know (e.g., family or friends). It is also normal for discussion of these topics to sometimes bring up uncomfortable thoughts or feelings. In addition, although we will not be conducting high-risk research, it is possible for unexpected thoughts, feelings, or situations to arise in the course of developing and conducting research related to the topic of psychopathology. Some students may find certain topics to be particularly difficult or unsettling, and in such situations it is often helpful to strategize with me and/or seek support. Some of the topics that we discuss in the course might lead you to consider disclosing your own experiences, or those of others you know, such as family or peers. Students are not required or expected to share personal or family experiences in class or through assignments. You may share if you choose, but before doing so, it is important to think through the various meanings of disclosing personal or family experience. If you are thinking about doing so, please (1) read and complete the HOP workbook for college students (http://comingoutproudprogram.org/images/HOP_college_workbook_FINAL.pdf), which includes worksheets for contemplating the pros and cons of disclosure, and (2) make an appointment to discuss with me in office hours beforehand. After each class, I will be available until 4:30 pm to talk with any students who have questions or concerns about the material. I am also available during office hours and by

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appointment. Students can also seek private and confidential support at Wesleyan Counseling and Psychological Services (http://www.wesleyan.edu/caps/). Office hours: Students are welcome and encouraged to visit during office hours or by appointment. You can sign up for an appointment in advance online at https://tinyurl.com/y9blu4gw. Although you are always welcome to drop by during office hours, signing up in advance will reduce the likelihood of waiting. TA and Writing Tutor office hours: Students are strongly encouraged to visit the TA and Writing Tutor during their office hours. The TA provides support, wisdom, and assistance in all aspects of the course, and the Writing Tutor provides writing-specific support, including assistance with APA style. You can drop by their office hours or request a different meeting time via email using the contact information on the first page of this syllabus. Feedback and questions: Moodle allows for the submission of anonymous (or non-anonymous) feedback and questions about the course. I welcome your thoughts, reflections, and/or ideas at any point in the semester. Please note that I am unable to respond to comments and questions submitted anonymously. Moodle: Please check the course Moodle regularly. Important announcements such as changes to the syllabus will be communicated via Moodle. Powerpoint slides, surveys, and other activities will also be posted on Moodle throughout the semester. Computers: We will meet in the Exley 074 computer lab on the days specified on the schedule below. Students are responsible for saving all work to a thumb drive or email before leaving the lab. However, please remember not to send confidential data via email. When saving data, please follow the guidelines in your approved Ethics Committee protocol (see below). Readings: It is important to come to class prepared to discuss the readings. Some readings are assigned in full; others (as designated below) should be browsed to gain basic familiarity. All readings can be found on the course Moodle. Because papers are written in American Psychological Association (APA) style, some students opt to purchase:

• American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Ed. Washington, DC: Author.

For those who do not purchase the manual, there are free APA-style guides available online. One helpful APA-style guide can be found at the Purdue University Online Writing Lab: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html. The APA Style Blog also posts free information and tips at https://blog.apastyle.org. Attendance and class participation: Attendance in each full class is mandatory; participation in class discussions and activities is required. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from attending a class, please notify me in advance and provide written documentation of the reason for your absence. Students are responsible for submitting assignments and for learning the material for each class regardless of an absence.

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Assignments: Assignments should be submitted via Moodle by 7:00 pm on the due date. For each day that an assignment is late, 10% of the total grade for that assignment will be deducted. See the schedule of assignments below for all due dates. Please note that because we meet once weekly, some assignments are due prior to the day of class. For group assignments, one student can submit on behalf of the group. Students are expected to know and adhere to the Honor Code (https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/studenthandbook/StudentHandbook.pdf) when completing assignments. Research projects and papers: The primary focus of this course will be the development and completion, from start to finish, of a collaborative research project related to the topic of psychopathology. In doing so, students will work on teams to complete a full research article with four standard sections: introduction, method, results, and discussion. Each section will initially be submitted and graded as a separate paper. Expected lengths for each paper are as follows: introduction, four to six pages; method, two to three pages; findings, two to six pages; discussion, four to six pages. The final paper will also include a title page, abstract, reference list, and a table or figure. All papers should adhere to APA style. Teamwork: Research is often conducted in teams. In fact, collaboration is essential to the scientific process. In this course, students will gain experience with team science by conducting a group research project over the course of the semester. Teams will be assigned at the beginning of the semester based on research interests. Part of conducting research on teams involves regular communication, collaborative time management, and navigating individual and shared roles. Students are expected to practice these skills by working collaboratively throughout the year. For most assignments, you will be graded as a team (see below). Ethics Committee review: In this course, we will learn about institutional review boards (IRBs) and other ethics committees, which are institutional bodies that evaluate and approve research in order to protect the rights of human research participants. Students will complete an application to the Wesleyan University Psychology Department Ethics Committee (http://www.wesleyan.edu/psyc/resources/index.html) to have their research project approved. Ethics Committee approval is necessary before data collection can begin. A template will be provided to guide you in completing your Ethics Committee Application. Presentation: At the end of the semester, students will present research posters at the Psychology Department Poster Session (see http://www.wesleyan.edu/psyc/resources/postermaking.html). Writing assistance: This course has a Writing Tutor who has expertise in APA style and scientific writing. Students are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Tutor before submitting each paper. Students interested in additional assistance with writing are encouraged to request a tutor or mentor at the Wesleyan University Writing Workshop (http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/writingworkshop/Tutoring/index.html). SPSS assistance: We will have an in-class SPSS workshop prior to the start of data analysis. For students conducing quantitative studies, the course TA is familiar with SPSS and can provide additional assistance. Students are also encouraged to utilize the tutoring

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resources at the Quantitative Analysis Center (https://www.wesleyan.edu/qac/tutoring.html). Other academic resources: Peer tutors are available through the Dean’s Peer Tutoring Program (https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/resources/peertutoring/). Peer advisors are also available for questions about registration and academic resources (https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/resources/peeradvisors/index.html). Honor code: Students are expected to abide by the Wesleyan University Honor Code (https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentaffairs/studenthandbook/StudentHandbook.pdf) Grading: Below is the grading breakdown for each assignment/requirement. An asterisk (*) indicates assignments that are graded individually.

Assignment/requirement Percentage Further breakdown

CITI exam/certificate* 3% (Pass/Fail)

Paper 1: Introduction 10% Literature review (6%), project rationale (2%), APA style (1%), organization/clarity (1%)

Paper 2: Method 10% Participants (2%), materials (2%), procedure (2%), data analysis (2%), APA style (1%), organization/clarity (1%)

Consent form, debriefing form, and Ethics Committee application

12% Consent form (3%), debriefing form (3%), Ethics Committee application (6%)

Data collection activities* 4% (Pass/Fail) Participation at recruitment table (2%), Conducting surveys/interviews (2%)

Paper 3: Results 10% Content (3%), accuracy (2%), descriptions /examples (2%), APA style (1%), organization/clarity (2%)

Paper 4: Discussion 10% Summary of findings (1%), comparison to past research (4%), limitations (1%), future research directions (1%), implications and conclusion (1%), APA style (1%), organization/clarity (1%)

Poster presentation 12% Introduction (2%), method (2%), results (2%), discussion (2%), poster format (1%), APA style (1%), Q & A (2%)

Final paper 22% Abstract (2%), introduction (3%), method (3%), results (3%), discussion (3%), reference list (3%), table or figure (1%), APA style (2%), organization/clarity (2%)

Attendance, teamwork, and class participation*

7%

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At the end of the semester, your final grade will be calculated as follows: A 95.0% D+ 68.3% A- 91.7% D 65.0% B+ 88.3% D 61.7% B 85.0% E+ 58.3% B- 81.7% E 55% C+ 78.3% E- 51.7% C 75.0% F 45% C- 71.7% Extra credit. Students have the opportunity to obtain 4 extra credit points by volunteering at Gilead Community Services (http://gileadcs.org), a local community mental health center serving adults with mental health conditions, or Keep the Promise (http://www.ctkeepthepromise.org), a local coalition specializing in advocacy for persons with mental health conditions. If you are interested in one of these volunteer opportunities, please sign up for the opportunity on Moodle by February 8. Interested students must fill out paperwork and go through a background check before being approved for volunteering. In order to obtain extra credit, students must volunteer in person at least twice before May 8. Further information and instructions can be found on Moodle.

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Class Schedule

Class date

Other due dates

Lecture/discussion topics Lab activities

Readings due Assignments due

1/25 (Judd 113)

Introduction & selecting research topics Lab: Generating topics and designing projects

Brief survey

1/29 Creswell (2014a) Browse: Im et al. (2017) Bakker et al. (2017) Söderström et al. (2017)

Potential research topics

2/1 (Exley 074)

Research ethics & the literature search TA tips Lab: PsycINFO search

Get started on CITI modules

2/5 CITI certificate Team topic proposal

2/8 (Exley 074)

Writing an introduction; structure of a research paper; APA style; reference lists Lab: The literature search (cont.)

Creswell (2014b) Browse: APA (2010), pp. 21-60

Approved research topic

2/12 Creswell (2014c) Browse: Jablensky (2016) Kendler (2016)

Plan for data collection

2/15 (Judd 113)

“Naming Madness” symposium Attend any two of three sessions

Paper 1: Introduction

2/19 Psychology Department Ethics Website Wesleyan IRB website Browse: Haverkamp (2005)

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2/22 (Judd 113)

Developing research methods; reliability, validity, and utility; consent forms Lab: Developing methods

2/26 Ethics Committee application (with consent & debriefing forms)

3/1 (Judd 113)

Developing methods (cont.) Lab: Interview/ survey/ open reading workshop

3/5 Jones et al. (2016) Browse: Johnson et al. (2015)

Revised/Final Ethics Committee applications

3/8 Preparing for data collection Lab: Conducting interviews

Lahey et al. (2016) Loch (2012)

3/15 Midsemester recess – no class

3/22 Midsemester recess – no class

3/26 Browse: Kalian et al. (2008) Lichtenberg et al. (2003)

Ethics Committee Approval Recruitment sign-up

3/29 (Judd 113)

Data collection Lab: Collecting data TA presentation

Paper 2: Method Printed flyers

4/2 Browse: Appelbaum et al. (2018) Levitt et al. (2018)

4/5 (Judd 113 & Allbritton 204)

Data preparation Lab: SPSS Workshop Transcriptions and database creation

Poster draft

4/9 Wertz et al. (2011a) Full poster draft

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4/12 (Exley 074)

Data analysis Lab: Data analysis

Belz et al. (2017) Poster abstract

4/15 Revised poster and abstract Completed data collection

4/16 Kurtz & Tollman (2011) Browse: Bateman et al. (2016) Krueger & Markon (2006)

Optional: Preliminary results Final poster PDF and poster abstract

4/19 (Exley 074)

Participatory approaches Lab: Social justice and participatory action research

4/23 Morawski (2011) Wertz et al. (2011b)

Paper 3: Results Table or figure

4/25, 11:40 am – 1:20 pm Beckham Hall

Psychology Department Poster Session!! Davidson et al. (1997) Browse: Desai (2014) McInerney (2016) Watkins (2015)

4/26 (Judd 113) Class finished at 2:45 pm

Interpreting findings; mixed methods Lab: Multiple interpretations: Discussing the discussion

4/30

Strauss (2017) Whaley (2002) Luhrmann et al. (2015) Browse: Sundararajan et al. (2000)

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5/3 (Judd 113)

Cross-cultural & indigenous approaches Lab: Cultural differences TA class discussion Guest speaker: John Strauss, MD

Paper 4: Discussion

5/6

5/16 Final paper

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Full List of Readings

American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association, 6th Ed (pp. 21-60). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (Topics: manuscript structure and content)

Bakker, J. M., Goossens, L., Lange, I., Michielse, S., Schruers, K. (2017). Real-life

validation of reduced reward processing in emerging adults with depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126, 713-725.

Bateman, A., O’Connell, J., Lorenzini, N., Gardner, T., & Fonagy, P. (2016). A

randomised controlled trial of mentalization-based treatment versus structured clinical management for patients with comorbid borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. BMC Psychiatry, 16(304), 1-11.

Belz, M., Belz, M., Özkan, I., & Graef-Calliess, I. T. (2017). Posttraumatic stress

disorder and comorbid depression among refugees: Assessment of a sample from a German refugee reception center. Transcultural Psychiatry, 54, 595-610.

Bharj, N., & Hegarty, P. (2015). A postcolonial feminist critique of harem analogies

in psychological science. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 3, 257-275. Cohen, J. (1990). Things I have learned thus far. American Psychologist, 35, 1304-

1312. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design:

Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.

Davidson, L., Stayner, D. A., Lambert, S., Smith, P., & Sledge, W. H. (1997).

Phenomenological and participatory research on schizophrenia: Recovering the person in theory and practice. Journal of Social Issues, 53, 767-784.

Desai, M. (2014). Psychology, the psychological, and critical praxis:

A phenomenologist reads Frantz Fanon. Theory & Psychology, 24, 58-75. Im, H., Ferguson, A., & Hunger, M. (2017). Cultural translation of refugee trauma:

Cultural idioms of distress among Somali refugees in displacement. Transcultural Psychiatry, 54, 626-652.

Jablensky, A. (2016). Psychiatric classifications: validity and utility. World

Psychiatry, 15, 26-31. Johnson, S. L., Wibbels, E., & Wilkinson, E. (2015). Economic inequality is related

to cross-national prevalence of psychotic symptoms. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 1799-1807.

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Jones, N., Kelly, T., & Shattell, M. (2016). God in the brain: Experiencing psychosis

in the postsecular United States. Transcultural Psychiatry, 53, 488-505. Kendler, K. S. (2016). The nature of psychiatric disorders. World Psychiatry, 15, 5-12.

Kalian, M., Catinari., S., Heresco-Levi, U., & Witzum, E. (2008). Spiritual

starvation in a holy space - a form of “Jerusalem syndrome.” Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 11, 161-172.

Kendler, K. S. (2016). The nature of psychiatric disorders. World Psychiatry, 15, 5-12. Krueger, R. F., & Markon, K. E. (2006). Understanding psychopathology: Melding

behavior genetics, personality, and quantitative psychology to develop an empirically based model. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15, 113-117.

Kurtz, M., & Tolman, A. (2011). Neurocognition, insight into illness and subjective

quality-of-life in schizophrenia: What is their relationship? Schizophrenia Research, 127, 157-162.

Lahey, B. B., Lee, S. S., Sibley, M. H., Applegate, B., Moline, B. S. G., & Pelham, W.

E. (2016). Predictors of adolescent outcomes among 4–6-year-old children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 125, 168-181.

Lichtenberg, P., Vass, A., & Heresco-Levy, U. (2003). Politics and psychopathology

in an Arab-Israeli patient. Psychiatry, 66, 360-363. Lilienfeld, S. O., & Lynn, S. J. (2003). Dissociative identity disorder: Multiple

personalities, multiple controversies. In S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, & J. M. Lohr (Eds.), Science and pseudoscience in clinical psychology (pp. 109–142). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Loch, A. A. (2012). Stigma and higher rates of psychiatric re-hospitalization: São

Paulo public mental health system. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria: Official Journal of the Brazilian Psychiatric Association, 34, 185-192.

Luhrmann, T. M., Ramachandran, P., & Tharoor, H. (2014). Differences in voice-

hearing experiences of people with psychosis in the USA, India and Ghana: Interview-based study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 206, 41-44.

McInerney, R. G. (2016). A hermeneutics of love for community-based, participatory

action research. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 56, 263-285. Morawski, J. (2011). Our debates: Finding, fixing, and enacting reality. Theory &

Psychology, 21, 259-274. Söderström, O., Söderström, D., Codeluppi, Abrahamyan, L. A., & Conus, P. (2017).

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Emplacing recovery: How persons diagnosed with psychosis handle stress in cities. Psychosis, 9, 322-329.

Strauss, J. S. (2017). Uncertainty theory: A powerful approach to understanding psychiatric

disorder. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 80, 301-308. Sundararajan, L., Girishwar, M., & Marsella, A. (2000). Indigenous approaches to

assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. In I. Cuellar & F. A. Paniagua, Handbook of multicultural mental health (pp. 69-87). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Wertz, F. J., Charmaz, K., McMullen, L., Josselson, R., Anderson, R., & McSpadden,

E. (2011). Five ways of doing qualitative analysis: Phenomenological psychology, grounded theory, discourse analysis, narrative research, and intuitive inquiry. New York: Guilford Press.

Whaley, A. L. (2002). The culturally-sensitive diagnostic interview research project:

a study on the psychiatric misdiagnosis of African American patients. African American Research Perspectives, 8, 57-66.