Courses
I teach mainly three courses on a regular basis:
PSY 143: Abnormal Child Psychology
PSY 220: Health Psychology
PSY 200: Professional Seminar
Each is described in more detail below 
PSY 143: Abnormal Child Psychology
This course reviews scientific knowledge and approaches to learning about and intervening with major psychological disorders in childhood, including adolescence. Examples of disorders that are covered include attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders, depression, autism, intellectual disability, and substance use.
Course Learning Goals: In this course, you will learn:
1. What distinguishes the major categories of psychological disorders in childhood.
2. What is the impact of psychological disorders on children’s functioning and development as well as on their families.
3. What are the major causes of psychological disorders in childhood.
4. What are scientifically supported methods of intervention with psychological disorders in childhood.
5. How psychologists conduct research to enhance understanding about psychological disorders in childhood.
Course Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Knowledge of what distinguishes the major categories of psychological disorders in childhood (Measured by Exams and Case Study responses).
2. Knowledge of what is the impact of psychological disorders on children’s functioning and development as well as on their families (Measured by Exams and Case Study responses).
3. Knowledge of what are the major causes of psychological disorders in childhood (Measured by Exams).
4. Knowledge of what are scientifically supported methods of intervention with psychological disorders in childhood (Measured by Exams and Case Study responses).
5. Knowledge about how psychologists conduct research to enhance understanding about psychological disorders in childhood (Measures by Exams).
Required Texts:
• Mash, E.J., & Wolfe, D.A. (2010). Abnormal Child Psychology (4th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
• Kearney, C.A. (2010). Casebook in Child Behavior Disorders (4th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson/Wadsworth
PSY 220: Health Psychology
This course provides an overview of core topics in health psychology. It is designed primarily for doctoral students in psychological sciences, and therefore emphasizes psychological research on health issues, but could well also be accessible to other students with a background in empirical behavioral sciences. Even a semester does not permit covering all relevant topics, nor any topic in great depth. As a compromise, we cover most of the main topics in the field, and a sampling of both fundamental and current issues. The focus furthermore is on basic theory and research, with little coverage of applications, policy, or clinical treatment issues.
Course Learning Goals: This course is designed to enable the student to acquire the (or further their) ability to:
1. Explain salient psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning.
2. Describe prominent approaches used to understand psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning.
3. Identify limitations in current understanding of psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with how research is conducted in health psychology.
5. Critique health psychology research.
6. Synthesize knowledge at an advanced level on one specific topic in health psychology and indicate how to advance knowledge on that specific topic.
Course Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
1. Explain salient psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning (Measured by Discussion of Readings, responses to Study Questions, and Paper)
2. Describe prominent approaches used to understand psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning (Measured by Discussion of Readings and responses to Study Questions)
3. Identify limitations in current understanding of psychological influences on health and the impact of health problems on psychological functioning (Measured by Discussion of Readings, responses to Study Questions, Empirical Critiques, and Paper)
4. Describe how research is conducted in health psychology (Measured by Empirical Presentations, Empirical Critiques, and Paper).
5. Critique health psychology research (measured by Empirical Critiques).
6. Synthesize knowledge at an advanced level on one specific topic in health psychology and indicate how to advance knowledge on that specific topic (Measured by Paper)
PSY 200: Professional Seminar
The professional seminar is designed to acquaint early-stage graduate students in the core professional knowledge and skills central to the discipline of academic empirical psychology. In addition, it is designed to provide familiarity with the research of the faculty in psychology and related disciplines.
Course Learning Goals: In this course, you will:
1. Be introduced to the major professional activities that constitute graduate and professional-level work in the psychological sciences.
2. Develop and refine writing abilities in the psychological sciences.
3. Become familiar with the fields of study of faculty in Psychological Sciences and related disciplines at UC Merced
Course Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Familiarity with academic journals and the publication process in the area of future research; demonstrate comfort with basic grant writing and professional research presentations; demonstrate understanding of the academic requirements of the PhD at UC Merced.
2. Production of improved prose in accordance with APA standards
3. Knowledge of the areas of psychological research currently being undertaken at UC Merced