PSYC 6674/ Child Therapy

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:  Child Therapy  Psychology 6674
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract:   This open textbook is being utilized in a psychology course for graduate students by Stacy Forcino at California State University, San Bernardino. The open textbook provides an introduction to child assessment and therapy techniques for M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology students. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to reduce the financial burden on our graduate students. Most student access the open textbook by reading it online, through the Pfau Library website. 

PSYCHOLOGY 6674 - Child Therapy
Brief Description of course highlights:  PSYC 6674: Child Therapy. Advanced counseling skills used with children and adolescents, including detection, assessment, and treatment of child abuse. Classified standing in the Clinical/Counseling MS Program and consent of department is required. https://catalog.csusb.edu/coursesaz/psyc/

Student population:  Include range of majors, typical incoming knowledge and/or skills (including not meeting prerequisites). Share demographics for students who take the class e.g. common majors, previous preparation, etc

This class is a required course for the M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Psychology. Nearly all students come into the program having graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology. This course is taken in the last semester of the 2-year M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program. 

Learning or student outcomes:  Learning or student outcomes:  List student learning outcomes for the course. 

1. Review the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for child and adolescent disorders and commonly occurring problems, as well as empirically-supported strategies to assess those disorders and problems;
2. Learn intervention strategies for addressing child and adolescent problems;
3. Understand the legal/ethical and practical issues inherent in working with child and adolescent populations;
4. Understand the role of culture and other forms of diversity in child therapy;
5. Critically evaluate assessment and treatment strategies, including evaluating their empirical support.
6. Refine case presentation and writing skills.

Include range of majors, typical incoming knowledge and/or skills (including not meeting prerequisites). Share demographics for students who take the class e.g. common majors, previous preparation, etc  This class is a required course for the M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Psychology. Nearly all students come into the program having graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology. This course is taken in the last semester of the 2-year M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program.

Key challenges faced and how resolved: I did not experience any challenges. This is a great text, and I am glad to be able to offer it to the students for free. This is the one of the last courses that students take in the M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program. The students are working 15-20 hours/week in an external practicum, providing clinical services as an MFT Trainee, in addition to their coursework. Active, engaging teaching techniques are helpful.

Syllabus and/or Sample assignment from the course or the adoption: The case examples provided in their book offer an opportunity for rich discussion. The students can apply what they are learning in the class to these examples.

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. I was motivated by the cost-savings. Many of the graduate students in our program face financial struggles and the COVID-19 pandemic only made this issue more prevalent.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course?  I browsed the internet and received recommendations from colleagues. I also evaluated other text books. 

Sharing Best Practices: Students really appreciate the cost-savings. It is not hard to implement. They seem to like the ebook.

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: Assessment and Treatment of Childhood Problems: A Clinician's Guide (3rd edition).  https://csu-sb.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_USB/122a7o7/alma991011121049002916..

Brief Description: The textbook describes assessment and therapy techniques for common childhood disorders and problems. The text first covers developmental psychopathology and assessment. Then it describes specific problem areas, including etiology, prevalence, and diagnostic criteria in addition to a review of specific assessment and treatment techniques and their empirical support. Case examples are provided, and the authors provide free reproducible materials that readers can use in their own clinical practice with children and adolescents.
Authors:  Schroeder, & Gordon, B. N. (2017).
Student access:  Students access the e-book through the CSUSB library website. 

Supplemental resources:  The book offers free reproducible clinical materials, including assessment measures and handouts. This materials can be used by students in their own clinical practice with children, adolescents, and families.
Cost Savings:  $45/student

License: This book is copyrighted. 

Stacy Forcino, Ph.D.   
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology 

California State University, San Bernardino  https://www.csusb.edu/profile/sforcino

My teaching philosophy is best summarized by four goals: facilitate student engagement in course content, emphasize fundamentals of learning and professional success, increase students’ critical thinking and scientific literacy, and foster a supportive environment. I typically teach PSYC 6671: Marriage and Family Therapy Skills I, PSYC 6871: Marriage and Family Therapy Practicum I, PSYC 6872, and Marriage and Family Therapy Practicum II PSYC 6674: Child Therapy.