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Course specification
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PSY5070 Adult Psychopathology

Semester 2, 2020 On-campus Toowoomba
Short Description: Adult Psychopathology
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: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MPPS or MCPS or be undertaking the course as professional development

Rationale

Psychological practice requires that Psychologists possess knowledge and skills to effectively recognise, assess and diagnose psychopathology. This course provides students with knowledge and skills in evidence-based methods for the assessment and treatment of common psychopathology in adult populations. This course provides knowledge and skill required to conduct differential diagnosis using the DSM-V classification system.

Synopsis

This course aims to support a problem-solving approach to understanding of common psychological disorders, including knowledge and skills related to diagnosis in addition to aetiology, maintaining mechanisms, and broad frameworks of intervention. Attendance at the five on-campus workshops is mandatory. Dates of the five workshops will be according to the 'Workshop Schedule' which will be emailed to students at the outset of the program.

Objectives

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. competently use semi-structured interview and standard clinical interview for diagnosis;
  2. apply theory-based conceptualizations of psychological disorders;
  3. integrate knowledge of aetiological and maintaining factors to develop effective inventions for specific psychological disorders;
  4. develop a comprehensive best-practice biopsychosocial treatment plan;
  5. conceptualise mental illness within a cross cultural context, and,
  6. formulate treatment plans in keeping with best practice in interprofessional care for mental health consumers with complex needs

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. The Queensland Mental Health Act, DSM-5, and ICD-10. Diagnosis of mental health disorders through semi-structure clinical interview and standard clinical interview. 20.00
2. Anxiety Disorders 15.00
3. Mood disorders 15.00
4. Differential and comorbid diagnoses: Psychoses 5.00
5. Differential and comorbid diagnoses: Obsessive Compulsive, Trauma, and Dissociative disorders 10.00
6. Differential and comorbid diagnoses: Eating, Sleeping, and Substance-Related disorders 10.00
7. Differential and comorbid diagnoses: Personality Disorders 5.00
8. Integrating legal, ethical, professional issues, and medication management 10.00
9. Working with Older Adults 10.00

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=02&subject1=PSY5070)

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

American Psychiatric Association 2013, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Test Revision (DSM-IV-TR), 5th edn, American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC.
((Online available to USQ students at .)
Shea, S. C. (2016), Psychiatric interviewing E-Book: The art of understanding: A practical guide for psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, social workers, nurses, and other mental health professionals, Elsevier Health Sciences.

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.
Barlow, DH 2018, Abnormal psychology: an integrative approach, 8th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Australia.
Hersen, M & Turner, SM (eds) 2018, Adult psychopathology and diagnosis, 8th edn, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Koocher, GP, Norcross, JC, & Hill, SS 2013, Psychologists' Desk Reference, 3rd edn, Oxford 精东传媒app Press, USA.

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Private 精东传媒app 125.00
Workshops 40.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Notes
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 30 30 28 Sep 2020 (see note 1)
SIMULATION: VIDEO RECORDING 35 35 07 Oct 2020 (see note 2)
SIMULATION: VIVA PRESENTATION 35 35 07 Oct 2020 (see note 3)

Notes
  1. This written assignment will be based on a recorded intake assessment session provided to students. The assignment will outline a diagnosis of a specific DSM-5 disorder, differential diagnoses and provide a diagnostic formulation.
  2. Student will interview an actor simulating a particular disorder. The student will have 90 minutes to conduct a clinical interview and prepare a presentation including a full clinical history, diagnostic formulation, and treatment plan to the examiner. You will be required to submit the video recording of the session.
  3. Student will interview an actor simulating a particular disorder. The student will have 90 minutes to conduct a clinical interview and prepare a presentation including a full clinical history, diagnostic formulation, and treatment plan to the examiner. You will be required to submit the video recording of the session.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in the compulsory workshops held on-campus, where the skills components of this course will be taught. During these workshops, students will engage in the development and practice of skills. 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, although it is important to note that it will be at the examiner鈥檚 discretion as to whether an alternative activity will be made available. Attendance at, and participation in, the five workshops and/or completion of one or more alternative activities at a standard judged to be appropriate by the examiner is required to pass the course. Attendance at the five on-campus workshops is mandatory. Dates of the five workshops will be according to the 'Workshop Schedule' which will be emailed to students at the outset of the program.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To satisfactorily complete an assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the in the essay and 70% in the viva voce. Students who receive under 70% in the viva will be expected to complete an alternate activity to demonstrate advanced competency, which is required as a clinical psychologist. Failure to pass the alternate activity, will result in the student failing the course and needing to repeat the course at its next offering.

  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 satisfactorily complete the course students must achieve at least 50% of the in the essay and 70% in the viva voce, in addition to attending all workshops. Students who receive under 70% in the viva will be expected to complete an alternate activity to demonstrate advanced competency, which is required as a clinical psychologist. Failure to pass the alternate activity, will result in the student failing 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, with a passing grade only awarded where all workshops were attended and all assessment items were passed.

  6. Examination information:
    The viva voce is open book. Candidates are allowed to bring any information that will assist with the interview or diagnostic formulation.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    There is no deferred/supplementary examination for this course.

  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. Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within two days if required by the Examiner.

  2. The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media.

  3. APA style is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use APA style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide.

Date printed 6 November 2020