Susan D. McMahon, Ph.D.
Byrne Hall, Room 309
773-325-2039
e-mail: smcmahon@wppost.depaul.edu
Office Hours: T, Th 2-3:10, 4:40-5:15
or by appointment
Class: T,Th 3:10-4:40 Rm 403
Text: Scileppi, Teed, & Torres (2000). Community Psychology: A Common Sense Approach to Mental Health, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Articles will be on electronic reserve through the library & password will be given in class.
COURSE GOALS:
1. To gain exposure to the major tenets of community psychology, and to explore several key perspectives and concepts in community psychology through lectures, classroom discussions, and small groups activities.
2. To introduce and illustrate the role of the environment in human behavior and the advantages of viewing behavior as a function of person-environment interactions.
3. To foster understanding that community interventions can occur at various levels and may include many community agents and agencies.
4. To encourage participation and involvement in community psychology research and action.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY:
Class time will be used for highlighting text material, introducing new material, and for discussing how to identify and apply principles and theories. There will also be several small group activities during class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. 5-in-1 Paper
There are many articles in the media about problems that community psychology might help solve. Choose a topic that you are interested in (a list of potential ideas will be provided- you can use the same topic for your community solution project if you wish), and then select one article from a popular (not professional) magazine, newspaper, or internet site, that deals with a subject or problem that might be addressed by community psychology concepts or interventions. Write a paper that demonstrates how community psychology is relevant to the problem by citing at least 5 journal articles. Use Psych-Info via the DePaul Library to assist you with finding appropriate articles. Three must be from any assortment of the following journals (i.e., all 3 could be from one of these journals, or 1 from 3 different journals): American Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Primary Prevention, Journal of Health and Social Policy, Journal of Community Practice, Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, Journal of Community Health, or the Journal of Social Issues. The others can be from other journals, but be sure they take a community perspective. Discuss how the concepts, theories, or findings of your articles provide possible solutions or new insights into the problem in the print-media article. If you have trouble finding articles from these journals, you may seek out the journals and browse through them for articles of interest (I might especially recommend the first one on the list).
The best papers will 1) briefly summarize the popular article (1 paragraph), 2) introduce the relevaspecific concepts or action strategies from the journal articles and apply them to specific parts of the problem in the popular article. Length: 4-5 pages of text (no longer). The paper should be APA style and should include a title page and reference list. The papers are due 9-30 (20% of grade). Late papers will be penalized.
2. Midterm Quiz
Multiple choice and short answer questions on material from the first half of the course (readings and lectures) (15% of your final grade)
3. Community Solution Project - This paper should have 4 sections: Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion. You may use parts of your 5-in-1 paper as part of this paper (the introduction), and then design an intervention to address the topic (Method). In the Method section, also include section on how you would assess your intervention. Choose a setting that is in some way linked with the topic you chose and that you have access to talk to people within this setting (i.e., school, community agency, neighborhood). Make specific reference to at least 3 concepts from the readings or lectures to support your improvement plan plus some ideas from other sources. Write in APA style (no abstract), as though you were planning to carry out the research/intervention. Present your ideas to 2 people in the setting you chose and get their feedback/ideas about what would work and what would be problematic. In the Results section, review the reactions others in the setting had to your ideas. In the discussion, say how you'd modify your plan based on the reactions and feedback. The papers (6-8 pages) are due 11-4 (30%). Late papers will be penalized.
Optional: I recommend that you work with one or more of your classmates to collaborate with each other on this project. You may turn in one paper that is a joint effort.
4. Informal Class Presentation
As part of a group, summarize your research project (#3 above). This will be a short presentation and worth 5% of your grade.
5. Final Exam: There will be a final exam that includes multiple choice and short-answer questions from the second half of the class. The exam will incorporate information from the text and material covered in class (20%).
6. Attendance & class participation:
Class attendance, participation, and individual responsibility are
necessary for successful mastery of the course material. Your opinions,
questions, ideas, concerns, etc., are valued and encouraged. (Participation
& attendance- 10%)
| Assignments | % of Total Grade |
| 5-in-1 Paper | 20% |
| Midterm Quiz | 15% |
| Community Solution Project | 30% |
| Presentation | 5% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Attendance/Participation | 10% |
Make-up Policy:
Final Exam: It is your responsibility to be present
for the exams & presentations. If you are going to miss the exam or
presentation, you need to contact the instructor before class. If you have
been granted permission to make up the exam, you must make arrangements
to take the exam at the Liberal Arts and Sciences Day Office in SAC 481
(x7310). This option requires you to complete an application at least five
business days before the test date and pay a $10 fee.
9/9 What is Community Psychology? Introduction and Historical Context
Text: Chapter 1
Article: Jason, L.A., & Kobayashi, R. B. (1995). Community building:
Our next frontier, pp. 195-2
9/14-9/16 The Ecological Model: Person-in-Context & Prevention
Text: Chapters 2 & 3
Article: Kelly, J. G. (1988). A guide to conducting prevention research
in the community: First steps. New York: The Hayworth Press,
pp
14-28.
9/21-9/23 Stress, Coping, and Social Support
Text: Chapters 4 &
5
Article: Bogat, A.,
Sullivan, L.A., & Grober, J. (1993). Applications of social support
to preventive interventions. In D. Glenwick & L.A.
Jason (Eds.) Promoting
health and mental health: Behavioral approaches to prevention (pp.
205-232). New York: Springer.
9/28-9/30 Consultation (5-in-1 paper due 9-30)
Text: Chapter 6
BUILD materials
Guest Speaker: David Yancy, B.U.I.L.D., Gangs and Community Interventions
10/5 Midterm Quiz 10-12
10/7-10/12 Program Evaluation
Text: Chapter 7
Article: To be announced
10/14-10/19 Community Change & Empowerment
Text: Chapter 8
Article: Zimmerman,
M.A. (1995). Psychological empowerment: Issues and illustrations. American
Journal of Community Psychology,
23, 581-599.
10/21-10/26 Strategies for Change & Human Diversity
Text: Chapter 9
Article: Trickett,
E. J., Watts, R. J., & Birman, D. (1994). Toward an overarching framework
for diversity. In E. Trickett, R. Watts, & D.
Birman (Eds.), Human Diversity:
Perspectives on People in Context, pp. 7-26. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Guest Speaker: Marizaida
Sanchez
10/28-11/2 Changes in Community & Training
Text: Chapter 10 & 11
11/4-11/16 Class Presentations. Community Solution Paper due 11-4
11/ 11. Final Exam