S/T Abnormal Psychology

Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches in Psychotherapy.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches have been successfully utilized to treat a variety of psychological disorders.  This seminar will be an introduction to the theory, methods, and outcomes associated with cognitive and behavioral treatments.  We will begin by discussing cognitive-behavioral theories of abnormality and how they differ from alternative perspectives, and the general principles and techniques used in cognitive behavioral therapy.  We will then delve into specific disorders and the empirically supported cognitive behavioral interventions utilized to treat those disorders (e.g., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, etc).  The seminar will attempt to strike a balance between encouraging and facilitating critical review of the outcome literature, and introduction to the clinical practices used by cognitive behavioral therapists today.  Students will be expected to be active participants in all aspects of class discussion and will also be required to write several papers during the course.   This seminar is open only to advanced psychology majors.