The Mind Behind Abnormal and Deviant Behaviors

CLASS OUTLINE AND AGENDA (CLICK HERE)

Core Course Objective: Instructor and class participants will define atypical behaviors, discuss societal normality behaviors, mental health detention, sexual deviant behaviors, intrusive thoughts, suicide attempts, and more. This course will allow law enforcement officers to gain insight to mental health persons or emotionally disturbed persons while in the field and how to properly approach a person in crisis, identify possible needs, when is it appropriate to [detain] or utilize a mental health professional.

Day 1: Deviant Behaviors

• Define atypical behaviors- behaviors that are undesirable, harmful to self or others, goes against societal norms or expectations of society.
• Common abnormal/atypical diagnosis- What is abnormal psychology? schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar, antisocial personality disorders, sociopath, psychopath descriptions.
• Psychosis! Hallucination types, command hallucinations, stimuli
• Class discussion of mental health professional involvement/crisis teams including detainment or use of a DCR (Designated Crisis Responder) for grave disability, danger to self, danger to others, or danger to property. Class research and discussion for a mental health profession who has the ability to detain.  
• Suicide attempts or threats of suicide- suicide lethality, are there plans, means, or intentions? Suicide history of the individual- assessing for safety, are there resources offered? Class participants will be asked to spend a couple minutes researching basic resources in their area to become familiar.
• Basic needs- Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs- Food, Shelter, Water, Sleep

Day 2: Sexual deviant behaviors

• Paraphilias, paraphilic & perversions- definition, class engagement on cases

1. Fantasy- need driven behaviors/stimulus
2. Voyeuristic Dx
3. Exhibitionistic Dx
4. Frotteuristic Dx
5. Sexual masochism Dx
6. Sexual sadism Dx
7. Pedophilic Dx
8. Fetishistic Dx
9. Transvestic Dx

• Class discussion and case studies

Day 3 (.5)

• Class discussion on personal communities, what is considered normal in their communities, current issues that may cause atypical behaviors- substances (drugs or alcohol), environmental stressors.
• Personal self-care and coping skills for law enforcement officers
• Testing over abnormal behaviors!