SYG 2324 - Principles of Substance Abuse

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Summer 2025 (650)

Requisites

Prerequisite ENC 0025 or
Prerequisite ENC 0056 or
Prerequisite EAP 1695 or
Prerequisite satisfactory score on the SPC placement test

Course Description

This course is an overview of substance abuse. Topics examined include: historical perspectives; identification, intervention and outcome of abusers and their families; treatment techniques; prevention, intervention and rehabilitation resources; types of therapeutic and support groups; and the pharmacology of commonly abused substances. The course is recommended for those persons who would like to gain knowledge about substance abuse and its effect in today’s society.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will analyze the historical and current perspectives of substance abuse by discussing substance abuse based on the following historical and current perspectives:
    1. moral
    2. legal
    3. medical
    4. psychological
    5. sociological
  2. The student will employ, at the beginning level, concepts of identification, intervention and outcomes of substance abuse by:
    1. explaining social symptoms of substance abuse.
    2. explaining physical symptoms of substance abuse.
    3. summarizing factors in substance abuse including:
      1. dynamics of physiological addiction
      2. dynamics of emotional dependency
      3. the role of sociocultural factors
  3. The student will research and examine the treatment modalities and resources in the field of substance abuse by:
    1. describing various models of intervention and treatment.
    2. explaining basic principles of group dynamics.
    3. developing a program for prevention of substance abuse including employee assistance programs.
    4. developing and using client-education materials.
    5. analyzing legal issues in treatment and prevention.
    6. discussing moral and ethical issues in treatment and prevention.
    7. explaining the special needs of selected populations.
    8. summarizing characteristics of after care models and self-help groups.
  4. The student will exhibit behaviors that reflect knowledge of the nature of groups and group counseling techniques used in the field of substance abuse by:
    1. discussing major aspects of group dynamics.
    2. summarizing the dynamics of the family system.
    3. explaining the similarities and difference among in-patient, out-patient, after-care, self-help, and individual counseling dynamics.
  5. The student will demonstrate beginning knowledge of the pharmacology of substance abuse by:
    1. naming commonly abused substances
    2. defining cross-addiction/dependency.
    3. defining drug interactions and drug half-life.
    4. outlining nutritional needs.
    5. recognizing signs of abuse/addiction/dependency.
    6. identifying signs of abstinence.
  6. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the concept of codependency by:
    1. defining codependency and para-alcoholism.
    2. recognizing the signs of codependency.
    3. explaining the progression of codependency.
    4. discussing treatment modalities relating to codependency.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will, with a minimum of 75% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

DBT 5/15/86 Effective YrTrm 19861 3 Yr C&I Review 1992-93 Effective YrTrm 19972. Flex Delivery 2001. 3 Year Review 2005 eff20061.
C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Summer 2025 (650)

Related Programs

  1. Addiction Studies (ADS-CT) (595) (Active)
  2. Human Services (HUMSVC-BS) (640) (Active)
  3. Human Services (HUMSVC-TR) (670) (Active)
  4. Social and Human Services (HUS-AS) (640) (Active)