PSY8045 Clinical Assessment and Intervention I

Contents

• Staffing
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Reference materials
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Other requirements
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

RATIONALE

There are competencies that students are required to have mastered adequately before commencing supervised practice. This course will allow students to integrate previously learned skills and knowledge regarding assessment into clinical practice. Students will also learn how to construct a treatment plan once a comprehensive diagnosis has been completed.

SYNOPSIS

This course focuses on discipline knowledge and basic diagnostic and therapeutic competencies required of students before commencing supervised practice in clinical settings. Students will learn and practice different forms of structured clinical interviewing, and the use of standardized measures in the context of clinical diagnosis. Building on these, students will learn how to develop an appropriate treatment plan for each case. This course will be offered via three compulsory workshops on-campus, each of two days' duration, and via readings, assignments and web-based discussion groups.

OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate competencies as identified in the APS (Australian Psychological Society) Competencies for Psychologists (1996) and the APS College of Clinical Psychologists (1998). They should be able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge of survey/questionnaire methods, observation techniques, case study, and qualitative techniques (1.1, b);
2. demonstrate knowledge of major principles and significant empirical facts concerning psychological intervention (1.2, a);
3. display familiarity with major methods of psychological intervention (1.2, b);
4. demonstrate an ability to use appropriate problem-solving skills in effective interviewing;
5. display familiarity with the effectiveness of an intervention (1.2, c);
6. display knowledge of methods of evaluation of the effectiveness of intervention;
7. Demonstrate an ability to frame, measure, and solve problems in the context of clinical practice.

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

American Psychiatric Association 2000, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn, Washington, DC.
(text revision)

Berghuis, DJ & Jongsma, AE 2000, The severe and persistent mental illness treatment planner, Wiley, Brisbane.

Morrison, J 1995, The first interview: revised for DSM IV, Guilford Press, New York.

Page, A. & Stritzke, W. 2006, Clinical psychology for trainees: Foundations of science-informed practice, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.

Schulte-Markworth, M, Riedesser, P & Marutt, K (Eds) 2003, Cross-walks ICD-10 - DSM-IV-TR: A synopsis of classifications of mental disorders, Hogrefe & Huber, Toronto.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Allen, J & Francis, R 2001, DSM-IV-TR Case studies: a clinical guide to differential diagnosis, APA, Washington, DC.

Barlow, DH (Ed) 2001, Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: a step-by-step treatment manual, The Guilford Press, New York.

First, MB et al 2002, DSM-IV-TR Handbook of differential diagnosis, APA, Washington, DC.

Johnstone, L., & Dallos, R. (Eds.) 2006, Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems, Routledge, London.

Meyer, RG & Deitsch, SE 1996, The clinician's handbook: Integrated diagnostics, assessment, and intervention in adult and adolescent psychopathology, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

Morrison, J 1995, The first interview: revised for DSM-IV, The Guilford Press, New York.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

Attendance at three on-campus workshops is required according to the 'Postgraduate Workshop Schedule'.

2.

Two videotaped interview sessions must be submitted over the course of the semester, in which the student must demonstrate his or her ability to conduct a structured and semi-structured clinical interview.

3.

The in-class test takes place during the last workshop.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in the three, two-day compulsory workshops held on-campus, where the skills components of this course will be taught. During these workshops, students will engage in the practice of techniques for a variety of situations. It is also the students' responsibility to participate weekly in the online discussion groups. Further, it is the students' responsibility to study all assigned material. If circumstances prevent a student from attending any portion of a workshop, the student must contact the examiner IN ADVANCE, if at all possible. The student must also contact the examiner in order to arrange an alternative activity. This could be a written assignment based on the material covered in the missed workshop. Attendance at and participation in the three workshops and/or completion of one or more alternative activities at a standard judged to be appropriate by the examiner is required before the one mark for the workshops can be awarded.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each item.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no examination in this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   As there are no examinations in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1. Students will require regular access to e-mail and internet access to USQConnect for this course.

This version produced 27 May 2008.