Interpersonal Relationships


A. Psychology 447/547: 

B. Instructor: T.Treadwell, 

Department of Psychology,

33 Peoples Building

Phone: 436-2723

Office Hours: 5-7 PM; W

C. Texts: Greenberger, D., & Padesky, C.A.(1995). Mind over mood: A cognitive therapy treatment manual for clients. New York: Guilford Press.

Young, J. & Klosko, J. (1995). Reinventing your life. New York: Plume Books (Division of Penguin Books).

D. Course Purpose: Familiarize students with action group experiential methods to explore dysfunctional interpersonal relationships and the connection with family schematic patterns.  A schema is a pattern that starts in childhood and is duplicated throughout one’s life.  A schema or ‘lifetrap’ organizes how you think, feel, act, relate, and understand as well as determining how you interpret the world.

You will be familiarized with tests measuring various aspects of inter & intra personal relationships. The data will become part of your class file to be used for both instructional and research purposes. The long-range purpose is to improve the effectiveness of interpersonal relationships. 

Assessment Instruments: [administered pre-post and during the 15 Weeks]

Å     Group Cohesion Scale

Å     Beck Depression Inventory II     

Å     Beck Hopelessness Scale      

Å     Beck Anxiety scale 

Å     Personal Belief Questionnaire (PBQ)

Å     Social Networks Inventory

Å     Automatic Thought Records 

Å     Spontaneity Scale

Å     Intimacy Attitude Scale

Å     Young's Schema Questionnaire (L-2)

Å     Young Parenting Inventory (YPI). Identifies the most likely origins of each schema for a particular patient.

Å     The Young-Rygh Avoidance Inventory (YRAI). Measures the degree to which a patient utilizes various forms of schema avoidance.

Å     The Young Compensation Inventory (YCI). Measures the most common ways that a patient overcompensates for his or her schemas.

Objectives:

1. To acquaint students with the varied aspects (including gender differences and cross-cultural perspectives) of interpersonal relationship issues.

2. To examine schemas/core-beliefs that affect interpersonal behaviors and relationships.

3. To familiarize students with tests used in measuring various aspects of interpersonal relationships. The data will become part of your class file for both instructional and research purposes. The long-range purpose is to improve the effectiveness of the group-cognitive therapy model for the training of group and individual therapists.

 

E. Course Requirements: Attend all classes and participate in class activities. Students must meet all the deadlines for the submissions of the assignments. Since all sessions will be videotaped a consent form must be signed for videotaping/confidentiality. A portion of each class will be devoted to discussion about the previous session. Video tapes will be reviewed in the FHG Library-IMC area (lower level of library).  No tape will leave campus!  

F. Course Outline:

1.      Three general ways that we adapt to our schemas; 5 schema domains; 18 maladaptive schemas.

2.      Measurement of interpersonal issues within the family and social network system.

3.      Conflicts in interpersonal relationships, where they stem from, and possible ways of dealing with them.

4.      Thought records, core-beliefs/schemas, and the data they produce that determine conflictual communication patterns in interpersonal relations.

5.      Factors and communication strategies in initiating, developing, maintaining, and terminating relationships?


 

G. Evaluation Policy: Your grades will be based upon the following:

1. Design a Genogram of your family of origin (include two generations). Outline these findings according the 'genogram' handout.  [Genogram development will be illustrated in class - 2nd session!] (30 points) Click here to download Genogram Update:

2. Each week there will be one genogram presented to group - xerox a copy to be passed out in class.  Volunteering will determine the order of presentations.  Family thought records are to be utilized in conjunction with the genogram. Basic family schemas will be addressed.  

3. Design a Social Network of your current relationships (includes family of origin)-psychological network, your work/school network (collective), persons from that network you consider significant (individual) and if you had it your way -- whom would you have in your 'social network' (ideal network). Outlining your Social Network follows a written format and will be illustrated in class! (15 points)

**Note - The social network is a measure of your current relationships that the genogram might not pick up.  

4. Running Log of sessions: The running log includes the following details: (d) date of class, (b) nature of the session, the type of techniques used and their purposes, (c) name of person & core belief(s)/schema's) that emerged (d) what role's) did you serve, if any, and if not what might have you contributed, and (d) your thoughts of that session 'topic - or genogram' and how it activated your schema's/core beliefs. (Due last class day of each month, January, February, March, & April. (50pts)

5. A Personal Theory Paper: Use textbook and selected articles to write a scholarly paper that details your personal schema history & its effect upon your current interpersonal relationships. The focus is on identifying and understanding; challenging and overcoming long-standing maladaptive patterns in thinking, feeling and behavior that create obstacles in getting needs met and attaining life goals.

The paper should be no longer than 15 pages, and should contain references to both research and theories that support your views. Indicate the sources of your ideas from the textbook by citing studies and page numbers. The paper should be typed using the APA style manual (5th edition). Graduate students are expected to do a more thorough integration of literature with their own viewpointsDue Date - April (75pts)

6. Thought Records & BDI'S: Are due weekly and placed in your file. Submit weekly (15 points).

7. Contribution to Class:  Relationship dilemmas and interpersonal conflicts (initiation, maintenance, termination, love, jealousy, shyness, power, gender differences, communication issues, self-disclosure, attraction, conflict resolution, etc.) are the primary focus. Many of our communication patterns we developed are rooted in our family system.  Thus, interpersonal and relationship core beliefs/schemas will be activated and it is important that you share these schemas during class. (15 points).

8. Class Attendance: An experiential course requires your attendance and participation. Each absence deduct 7 points. You must also come to the class on time.

Grades depend upon: (a) clarity of writing, (b) relevance of your personal comments, and (c) conformance with The Publication Manual (APA)(5th  Ed.).


Video Consent Form

Confidentiality Consent Form

Technician Consent Form