THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED TO ADVANCE STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FAMILIES AND CANCER. SPECIAL FOCUS WILL BE ON THE NEW ERA OF GENETICS. STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXAMINE PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR FAMILIES COPING WITH CANCER ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS.
DATE
SUBJECT DISCUSSANT REFERENCE
2/19 INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
2/26 KEEPING THE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY IN FOCUS CH1 A
3/5 TOWARD A PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL FOR THE NEW ERA OF GENETICS CH2A
3/12 THE INDIVIDUAL FACING GENETIC ISSUES CH3A
3/19 IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
FAMILY REORGANIZATION IN RESPONSE TO CANCER CH4A,
CH2B
3/26 LIVING WITH ANTICIPATORY LOSS IN THE NEW ERA OF GENETICS CH5A
4/2 PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES COPING WITH
GENETIC CONDITIONS CH6 A
4/9 BEHAVIOR GENETICS, FAMILIES, AND MENTAL HEALTH CH7A
4/16 PSYCHOSOCIAL PROCESSES IN GENETIC RISK ASSESSMENT FOR BREAST
CANCER CH10 A
CH5 B
4/23 BLOWING AWAY THE MYTHS ABOUT THE CHILD’S EXPERIENCE WITH THE
MOTHER’S BREAST CANCER CH12B

4/30 GENETIC AND FAMILY-RELATED ISSUES WITHIN A COMPLEX DISEASE MODEL CH11A
5/7 LUNG CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY CH12A
5/14 CULTURE, CANCER, AND THE FAMILY CH6B
CH5,7C
5/21 RELIGION, CANCER, AND THE FAMILY CH25B
CH4C
5/28 HOLIDAY
6/4 PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION TO ASSESS AND CARE FOR GENETIC DISORDERS CH20A
CH29B
CH3C
6/11 ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION: PSYCHOSOCIAL ONCOLOGY
COURSE EVALUATION



REQUIRED TEXT
A MILLER, S. M., ROLLAND, & MCDANIEL, S. (2006). INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND THE NEW ERA OF GENETICS: BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE. NEW YORK: W. W. NORTON.
B LEA, B. (2000). CANCER AND THE FAMILY.
C DIEN, S. (2006). CULTURE AND CANCER CARE: ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSIGHTS IN ONCOLOGY. NEW YORK: OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS.

RECOMMENDED TEXT
BARRACLOUGH, J. (1999). CANCER AND EMOTION: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY. WILEY.
INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE AND NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (2006). FROM CANCER PATIENT TO CANCER SURVIVOR: LOST IN TRANSITION. WASHINGTON, DC: NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS.

4/16
A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG ASIAN-AMERICAN AND EURO-AMERICAN WOMEN FOLLOWING BREAST CANCER

5/14
CULTURE, TREATMENT AND CANCER
CULTURAL ASPECTS OF PALLIATIVE CARE, DEATH AND DYING

5/21
THE CULTURAL RESPONSE TO CANCER, COPING AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY

6/4
COMMUNICATING THE DIAGNOSIS AND CANCER COMMUNICATION
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS OF ONCOLOGY