Psy3400 Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Causes and Treatment

The City College of New York

Department of Psychology

Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Causes and Treatment

Psychology 340
Fall 2017

Classroom: NAC Building, 7/236

Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30-10:45am

Instructor: Sarah Constantine, Ph.D.

Email: ___sconstantineccny@gmail.com
Office Hour: Mondays 12:30-1:30pm, Rm 7/229C , and by appointment

Psychology 34000: Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Causes and Treatment

Course meets New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)
requirements for Section I. Knowledge of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (28 hours (Classes
1-2, 4-7, 9, 10-15, 17-21, 24-25 and Section III. 6 hours Legal/Confidentiality (Classes 3, 23, 26,
27) in the Accredited CASAC-T Educational program

Course Description: This course addresses the social, biological, and psychological factors of
the major drugs associated with therapeutic and recreational use and abuse. Topics include drug
use as a social problem, theories and treatment of addiction, how drugs work, detrimental health
effects of drug use, and legal/ethical confidentiality issues. The aim of this course is to introduce
CASAC and other psychology undergraduate students to the basic concepts relevant to
understanding addictive behaviors.

This course is applicable to anyone interested in learning about the role of drugs in our society
and how drugs affect our behavior. The course covers three major areas surrounding drugs and
their use. In the first major area you will get a general overview of the role of drugs throughout
history and in todays society. You will also examine the biological actions of drugs. In the
second major area you will examine specific drugs and how they influence society and behavior.
Finally, in the third section you will learn about drug treatment and prevention. As this course
progresses, you will be required to complete homeworks, several online discussion assignments,
three exams and a major paper. Please print out and bring in your homework. Exams will be
completed in class. Please try to stay on task as you move through the material and contact me
with any questions.

Additional quizzes can be completed through the online resource link www.mhhe.com/hart16e
and will help you to master the course material, but will not be graded.

Objectives:
To promote critical thinking and to employ these skills while understanding basic models of
addictive behavior and a more nuanced understanding of this significant social problem. In
addition, a major aim will be for students to gain a repertoire of basic knowledge regarding drug

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and alcohol types, methods of actions and the clinical and societal issues relevant to each drug
class. As an overriding philosophy, psychological concepts will incorporate an understanding of
multicultural influences including (but not limited to) racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, sexual and
social class in relation to chemical dependency and treatments for substance use disorders.
Across all topics, communication skills in oral and written abilities will be tested. All internet
based written materials will be evaluated by the professor using a rubric (to be reviewed in the
introduction to the course).

Students with Disabilities:

Any student with a disability may be accommodated. Please speak to me in private about specific
needs. It is also recommended that you contact Disability Services at City College; they can
provide a number of helpful recommendations and remediation services. In order to
accommodate a student with any disability, that student must be on record with Disability
Services.

Academic Policies
Students are expected to behave in an ethical manner and to abide by City University and
Psychology Department policies. Disruptions, inappropriate classroom behavior, or disrespectful
comments by students will be responded to according to Departmental and University policies.

Cell Phones: The use of cell phones, including iPhones and PDAs, MP3 players, and other
electronic devices are NOT ALLOWED IN CLASS. If you are caught using any of these
electronic devices during an exam or quiz, you will receive an automatic zero for that test. If you
need to use a calculator for any reason, you must use one that is not stored on one of the
aforementioned electronic devices.

Dishonesty Policy:
Academic dishonesty is a basis for disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, activities such as cheating, using or purchasing ghost-written papers, and plagiarism
(presenting as ones own the intellectual or creative accomplishments of another without giving
credit to the source[s]). All papers will be checked through Turnitin. The faculty member, in
whose course or under whose tutelage an act of academic dishonesty occurs, has the option of
failing the students for the academic hours in question and may refer the case to other academic
personnel for further action. Penalties for academic dishonesty may include expulsion from the
university.

Required Textbook: Hart, C.L. & Ksir, C. (2014). Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. (16th
ed). Boston: McGraw Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-338090-2: To be referred to as DSHB henceforth.
Two copies will be placed on reserve in the library.

Student Learning Outcomes:

The student will:
1. Recognize, differentiate, and explain the influence of drugs on human behavior, cognitions,
and emotions.
2. Identify biological systems influenced by drugs, and how these systems adapt to habitual drug
use.

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3. Review, interpret, and evaluate research literature of pharmacology and behavior.

4. Describe how culture and environment influences drug taking behaviors.
5. Examine and differentiate between recreational and therapeutic drug use, as well as the
various methods of treating drug abuse.

Course Requirements:
Students will be required to complete weekly homework assignments (as described below).
These are due on the date of the class that they are listed for unless otherwise specified. Please
email, print or handwrite these assignments to turn in on the day of class.
Students will be required to complete three exams. All exams will be comprehensive but focus
on new material. Students will have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete each of the three exams.
Exams will include multiple choice, short answer and true-false questions. Exams will be
completed in class.
Exams will assess student learning of information presented in the course notes, course
textbook, and any additional resources that are presented in the lessons.
Students will participate in four online discussion forums over the course of the semester.
These discussions will address controversial topics in drug use and abuse. Students will be
required to respond to a question and support their opinion with research and other evidence (not
just opinion). These forum discussions will be facilitated by the professor, and a rubric will be
used to grade participation
Students will also complete a review paper on a drug that is discussed in their textbook or in
their course notes. The paper will be written in the format of the American Psychological
Association (APA) and be 6-7 pages in length (excluding title and reference pages). Formatting
instructions can be found on Blackboard. A topic paragraph and a rough draft will be due prior
to final draft collection.

The paper should address the following:

1. What is the history of the drug?
2. Why is the drug a problem to society?
3. What are problems or issues that surround the drug?
4. How does the drug work? What are the adverse health effects of taking the drug?
5. What are the psychological and physiological effects of the drug?
6. What is being done to combat the adverse health effects associated with the drug?
7. Are there any current treatments for addiction to the drug? How effective are they?
8. What recommendations do you have for a drug education/prevention program for this
particular drug?

Papers must reference at least 5 peer reviewed journal articles. The textbook should not be used
as a source. Grading will be based on the quality of the writing, the quality of the information
presented and adherence to APA formatting. Papers are to be submitted in hard-copy format
AND electronically through Blackboard.

Course Instructions:
After reading each chapter, the corresponding lecture notes, and any additional resources
presented in the lessons, homework assignments will be given that delineate the specified end-of-
chapter review questions to be completed each week. Completion of the review questions will

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help ensure that you understand the material.

These may be submitted directly to the professor in class on the class date it is listed. After the
fourth week of class, no late homework will be accepted.

If you have any questions, concerns, or problems, please DO NOT hesitate to contact me.

Assignments and Grades:

1. Attendance and Class Participation = 40 points

2. Weekly Homework Assignments = 30 points
3. Quality of Discussion Forum Entries = 30 points
4. Exam 1 = 75 points
5. Exam 2 = 75 points
6. Exam 3 = 75 points
7. Research Paper = 75 points

Total points: 400 points

Requirements:

Attendance and online class participation are a major part of this class. Only two excused absences
and one unexcused absence is permitted. If you are forced to miss several days you will be
encouraged to withdraw.

Policy for missed exam or late papers:

No makeup exams will be given and a failing grade will be issued for that exam. Late papers will
not be accepted.

Extra Credit Options: (You may only complete one, worth 10 points towards your overall grade)

Attend Colloquium on any topic related to substance abuse.

Attend a psychology colloquium at CCNY or any other CUNY school. Write a response to the
colloquium. Describe the topic addressed and examine strengths/weaknesses of the presentation.
Did any point in particular catch your attention? Were you surprised by the findings/theory? Other
reactions? Submit the response with a copy of any handouts from the colloquium or the
announcement of the colloquium.

Op-Ed
Find an article in a recent publication in the media, such as the New York Times or Time magazine
that addresses a topic related to substance use or abuse. This article may appear in the health or
science section of the paper. Write an op-ed piece (opinion/editorial article) in response to the
article. Your response should briefly explain the content of the article and offer your perspective
on the topic. Some questions you may want to address: Did the article accurately reflect the

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research cited? Is this area of research important? What are the implications of these findings?
Strengths/weaknesses? What kind of questions does this raise? Are there ethical concerns? Submit
a copy of the article with your response and cite the original research if applicable.

Twelve-Step Meeting/ Other Substance Abuse Recovery Support Group

Attend any 12-step meeting (AA, NA, MA, etc.). You can find a meeting on the various websites
for the organizations, for example: http://www.aa.org
You can also attend other substance abuse support groups that are not Twelve Step. One option is
Smart Recovery: http://www.smartrecoverynyc.org/meetings/

Before you attend a meeting, make sure that it is an Open Meeting or a Public Meeting,
meaning that it is open to new people interested in joining the group. Some meetings are Closed,
for people who have already been meeting together. You can check on the website, and also ask
the meeting leader when you arrive. Its also important for you to be respectful and keep in mind
that people go to these meetings because they are very serious about managing their problems and
staying sober. Do not draw attention to yourself, and if people ask you about yourself, you can tell
them Im here to learn about the program.
After attending a meeting, you should send me a 1-page (single-spaced) paper in which you:
1) Describe the meeting
2) Describe your own reaction to the meeting
3) Explain what you think might be helpful about it to people struggling with addiction, and what
might not be so helpful about it.

Psychodiagnostics Testing Volunteer or Research Participation

More information to be provided at later date.

Extra credit is due by Monday, December 11th]

Blackboard
I will post additional required readings and Class Powerpoints for the upcoming week on
Blackboard. To email me your papers, or any questions, please use the email indicated at the top of
the syllabus, not through Blackboard. Emailed papers will be accepted only if submitted by the
designated deadline.

Breakdown of Grades

A+ = 97-100
A = 93-100 C+ = 77-79
A- = 90-92 C = 73-76
B+ = 87-89 C- = 70-72
B = 83-86 D= 60-69
B-= 80-82 F= below 59

Monday, August 28th

Class I: Introduction to Class Structure and Objectives

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Objective: Discuss the objectives and assignments of this course. We will get to know each other
a bit, explore our prior knowledge of the subject, and talk about opportunities in the field.
Significant time will be spent reviewing course requirements and orienting students to the format
of the course.

Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 1: Drug Use: An Overview

Wednesday, August 30th

Class 2: Drug Use: An Overview

Readings:
DSHB -Chapter 2: Drug Use as a Social Problem
Assignments:
Homework #1 due: Answer Ch. 1 Review Questions #4, 5, 6 and Ch. 2 Review Questions
2, 4, 9

Monday, September 4th- NO CLASS LABOR DAY

Wednesday, September 6th

Class 3: Drug Use as a Social Problem

Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 3: Drug Products and their Regulations (Focus on Tobacco Regulation)
In Class Screening of Smoking Video

Assignments:
Homework #2 due: Answer Ch. 3 Review Questions #2, 3, 4, 5, 9
Discussion Forum #1 Due: Post answers to the question in Textbook on Page 67, Text
Box Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients?

Monday, September 11th

Class 4: Drug Products and Regulation

Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 4: The Nervous System
Assignments:
Homework #3 due: Answer Ch 4. Review Questions #1-3, 6, 10-11

Wednesday, September 13th

Class 5: Neurobiological Processes of Addiction

No assignments due, make sure you are caught up on reading and assignments.

Monday, September 18th

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Class 6: Neurobiological Processes continued

Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 5: The Actions of Drugs (e.g., nicotine)
Assignments
Homework #4: Answer Review Questions 2, 6 & 9

Wednesday, September 20th NO CLASS/ HOLIDAY

Monday, September 25th

Class 7: Exam Review

In class project
Assignments
Review for Exam 1

Wednesday, September 27th

Class 8: EXAM 1 (Chapters 1-5)

Monday, October 2nd

Class 9: Stimulants
Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 6: Stimulants
Assignments
Homework #5: Answer Review Questions 3-7

Wednesday, October 5th

Class 10: LIBRARY INSTRUCTION FOR RESEARCH PAPERS

Monday, October 9th- NO CLASS/ HOLIDAY

Wednesday, October 11th

Class 11: Depressants and Inhalants

Readings:
DSHB-Chapter 7: Depressants and Inhalants
Assignments
Homework #6: Answer Review Questions 3-8, 10.

Monday, October 16th

Class 12: Alcohol

Readings: DSHB-Chapter 9 (Note we will return to Chapter 8 later in the semester): Alcohol

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Assignments
Homework #7: In 2 paragraphs, describe general patterns and trends in alcohol
consumption in the U.S. About what proportion of adults are current drinkers? How is
this affected by such factors as religion, ethnicity, and region of the country? How has
per capita alcohol consumption changed in the past 30 years?
Discussion Forum #2: Read the Text Box Taking Sides: Protecting the Unborn from
Alcohol on p. 217. Express your opinion on the topic, and support your opinion with at
least one research study. Be sure to cite your source (Name of author, year of research
study, (Lopez, 2017).
REMINDER Paper Topic (1 paragraph and 3 references) due [Wednesday, October
18th)

Wednesday, October 18th

Class 13: Tobacco
DSHB -Chapter 10: Tobacco
Focus on Health Effects of Tobacco (e.g., lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, COPD)
Tobacco Recovery Resource Exchange Module 1- The Foundation: Integrating Tobacco Use
Interventions Into Chemical Dependence Services, Participant Manual, Pages 4-26
http://www.tobaccorecovery.org/Curriculum/
Assignments: **Paper Topic (1 paragraph and 3 references) due today. Bring hard-copy.

Monday, October 23rd

Class 14: Familiar Drugs

Readings:
DSHB- Chapters 11&12: Caffeine, Dietary Supplements and Over-the-Counter Drugs
Assignments:
Homework #8: Review Questions for Ch. 11 # 1, 6, 8 and Ch 12. #7, 8, and 10.

Wednesday, October 25th

Class 15: Exam 2 Review

Assignments: Review for Exam 2
In class project

Monday, October 30th

Class 16: Exam 2 (Chapters 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12)

Wednesday, November 1st

Class 17: Restricted Drugs

Readings:
DSHB- Chapter 13: Opioids

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Assignments:
Homework #9: Answer review questions #4-9

Monday, November 6th

Class 18: Hallucinogens
Readings: DSHB- Chapter 14: Hallucinogens

Assignments:
Homework #10: Answer Ch. 14: Review Questions #4, 5, 8
Discussion Forum 3: Read Text Box on p. 332 Taking Sides: Do you think the Federal
Government Should Fund Hallucinogen Research? Present at least two arguments on
each side and state your opinion, using at least one research study to support your
argument.

Wednesday, November 8th

Class 19: Marijuana

Readings:
DSHB- Chapter 15: Marijuana
Assignments:
Homework #11: Answer Ch.15 Review Questions 3, 6-10.

Work on Rough Draft w Four References Due: [Complete by Wednesday, November

15th)

In-Class Discussion: Review the pros and cons arguments for legalizing medical
marijuana and recreational marijuana. Should medical patients have access to marijuana?
Should it be legal for recreational use? Explore the question of whether or not you feel
marijuana is or is not like other illegal drugs and how this bears on the question. Make
sure you present supporting arguments with at least three specific points on each side.

Monday, November 13th

Class 20: Performance Enhancing Drugs

Readings: DSHB-Chapter 16 Performance Enhancing Drugs
Assignments:
Homework #12: Answer Review Questions #s 7 and 8 in Ch. 16.

Discussion Forum #4: Read Textbox on p. 380, Using Stimulants as Cognitive

Enhancers: Where do you Stand? What are the health risks? What about issues of
fairness? Post thoughts on this topic on the discussion Forum. Please provide specific
examples to back up your arguments.

NOTE: Friday, November 10th is the last day to withdraw from a class with the grade of
W; Last day to file for Pass/NC option.

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Wednesday, November 15th

Class 21: Exam III Review

Complete Rough Draft with 4 research references

Readings:

Monday, November 20th

Class 22: Exam III (Chapters 13-16)

Wednesday, November 22nd

To be determined

Monday, November 27th

Class 23: Intro to Ethics and Prevention of Addictions

Readings:
DSHB- Chapter 17: Preventing Substance Abuse
Readings:

1) Nuremberg Code: http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/nuremberg/

2) Helsinki Statement: http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm
3) Belmont Report: http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.htm

Assignments:
Homework: Complete Ch. 17 Homework Review Questions # 1, 5, 7, &10

Wednesday, November 29th

Class 24: Treatment of Addictions

Readings:
DSHB- Chapter 18: Treating Substance Abuse and Dependence
Assignments:
Homework: Complete Ch. 18 Homework Review Questions # 2, 7, &10
Work to complete Research Paper, Due [Monday, December 11th]

Monday, December 4th

Class 25: Chapter 8: Psychotropic Medications

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Readings:
DSHB- Chapter 8: Medications to Treat Mental Illness
Assignments:
Homework: Complete Ch. 8 Homework Review Questions # 7 & 10
Work to complete Research Paper, Due [Monday, December 11th]

Wednesday, December 6th

Class 26: Professional Ethics in Treatment

Readings:
The APA Code
(www.apa.org/ethics); also take a look at the description of 2002 update
(www.apa.org/monitor/nov02/ethicscode.html).
Assignments:
Complete Extra Credit Assignment, Due [Monday, December 11th] (Optional)
Work to complete Research Paper, Due [Monday, December 11th]

Monday, December 11th

Class 27: Research Ethics, Class Evaluation

1) Nuremberg Code: http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/nuremberg/

2) Helsinki Statement: http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm
3) Belmont Report: http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.htm

Assignments:
Final Paper is Due. Note: If you want a copy of your paper returned with edits and comments,
please submit your final paper with an attached self-addressed, stamped mailer envelope and I
will send it back to you.

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