锘� Course specification for PSY3030

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Course specification
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PSY3030 Abnormal Psychology

Semester 1, 2020 Online
Short Description: Abnormal Psychology
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Psychology and Counselling
Student contribution band : Band 1
ASCED code : 090701 - Psychology
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: PSY1010

Rationale

Abnormal Psychology is a major focus of theory, research, and practice in mental health. As a more specialised third level course, the content elaborates on concepts introduced in introductory courses and seeks to provide a foundation to later study of clinical and counselling theory and development of skills of intervention.

Synopsis

The course involves an elaboration of the main concepts and issues regarding abnormal behaviours and mental illness. Major questions addressed include: (1) what is mental illness? (2) what types of maladaptive behaviours and psychological disorders are there? (3) how are they classified? (4) what are the proposed aetiologies of these disorders and with what characteristics are they correlated? (5) what general modes are available to intervene in disorders? Students will require access to e-mail and internet access to USQConnect for this course.

Objectives

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate a critical awareness of past and current Western notions of behavioural abnormality and mental illness;
  2. demonstrate an understanding of models of aetiology, assessment, and diagnosis in broad areas of psychological disorders;
  3. demonstrate an understanding of the types, processes, and issues related to collecting information relevant to assessment and treatment of psychological disorders;
  4. demonstrate an understanding of the clinical interview including the Mental Status Examination (MSE)process through observation and reporting of clinical interviews, and participation in clinical related research or mock counselling sessions.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Note: Topics below are rough guide to relative emphases only.

History and Concepts of Mental Illness: Current Western understanding of psychological disorders will be traced from pre-Greek times to more modern critiques of psychiatry and clinical psychology. Various causal models of psychological disorders, and modes of assessment and intervention which logically follow from them, will be reviewed.		 5.00
2. Assessment and Report writing: Including Mental Status Examination, case reports and diagnostic formulation. 10.00
3. Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, Trauma Related Disorders: Concepts of stress and anxiety will be discussed along with manifestations, diagnosis, and approaches to intervention in a variety of these disorders. 10.00
4. Somatic and related disorder and dissociative disorders and Eating Disorders: Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa and their diagnoses and presumed aetiology will also be discussed. 10.00
5. Depressive Disorders, and Bipolar Disorders: Different diagnoses in each category. Models of understanding of these disorders and contemporary issues in classification and intervention in depression and mania, will be reviewed. 10.00
6. Psychotic Disorders: Classification, models, and management of a range of thought disorders will be reviewed. 10.00
7. Substance Use Disorders: Societal, family, and individual factors relating to substance dependence plus modes of intervention will be discussed. 5.00
8. Sexual Disorders relationship problems, and Gender Dysphoria: Manifestations and classification of, and approaches to intervention in, a variety of paraphilic disorders and sexual dysfunctions will be reviewed. 5.00
9. Personality Disorders: A range of issues relating to classification and models of various personality disorders will be discussed. 10.00
10. Disorders of Childhood: Including conceptualisations, family issues and interventions. 10.00
11. Disorders of Aging: Including changing of demographics, diagnosis and interventions. 10.00
12. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues 5.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=PSY3030)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

Rieger, E 2017, Abnormal Psychology: Leading Researcher Perspectives, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill, Australia.
(ISBN: 9781743766620.)

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.
American Journal of Psychiatry.
American Psychiatric Association 2013, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC.
(Available online to USQ students on .)
Barlow, D.H. & Durand, V.M 2017, Abnormal psychology, An integrative approach, 8th ed edn, Wadsworth, Belmont CA.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
Koocher, G. P., Norcross, J.C., & Green, B.A 2013, Psychologists' Desk Reference, 3rd ed edn, Oxford 精东传媒app Press, Oxford, NY.
(Available online via the USQ Library's eBrary Database.)

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Directed 精东传媒app 50.00
Examinations 2.00
Online Lectures 26.00
Online Tutorials 13.00
Private 精东传媒app 29.00
Report Writing 45.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Notes
CASE REPORT - MSE 15 15 27 Mar 2020
CASE REPORT- FULL 30 30 17 May 2020
ONLINE SURVEY PARTICIPATION 5 5 22 May 2020 (see note 1)
Online Exam 100 50 End S1 (see note 2)

Notes
  1. Students who participate in mock counselling are to provide a 1 page (maximum) summary on their reflections on the experience. Students who participate in clinical psychology research are also expected to provide a 1 page (maximum) summary of the experience, in addition they are required to attach evidence that they have participated in the surveys. Students who are unable to complete either option need to contact the course examiner for an alternative assessment item.
  2. This will be an open examination. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their course examiner via 精东传媒appDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the official examination timetable has been released.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    To satisfactorily complete an assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the total marks available for the assignment. Students do not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to be awarded a passing grade in this course. Refer to Statement 4 below for the requirements to receive a passing grade in this course.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle). Note that the Conceded Pass is not available in this course due to APAC accreditation..

    Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.

    To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2).

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: An Open Examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination.

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    Candidates are allowed access only to specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination). Students whose first language is not English, may, take an appropriate unmarked non-electronic translation dictionary (but not technical dictionary) into the examination. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: The details regarding deferred/supplementary examinations will be communicated at a later date.

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.

  8. 精东传媒app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene 精东传媒app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. The due date for assessment is the date by which a student must upload the assessment electronically. The onus is on the student to provide proof that they successfully uploaded the assessment, if requested by the Examiner.

  2. APA style is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use the 6th or 7th edition of the APA Style Manual to format their assignments. The APA Style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide.

  3. Reliable access to the internet is a requirement of this course as the course contains electronic assessment and/or submission elements. In order to avoid internet issues, on-campus students should upload their assignments electronically using the on-campus computer laboratories. External students who knowingly do not have reliable access to the internet should actively seek alternative internet access (e.g., Internet cafes, local libraries, or work places) for assessment submission. External students are able to use the on-campus student computer laboratories once access has been enabled. To be granted access, external students need to contact ICT and ask to have a student account enabled so that they can work on-campus. This needs to be requested at least one week before access is required.

Date printed 19 June 2020