Unit Outline

This unit introduces students to the key diagnostic frameworks and assessment methods for common mental health presentations. Students are also introduced to cognitive assessment and oriented to risk assessment and safety planning. Consideration is also given to cultural and developmental factors relevant to these processes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Integrate information to construct diagnostic formulations for a range of common mental health presentations
2.	Formulate and conduct culturally appropriate psychological assessments for a broad range of common mental health presentations
3.	Tailor verbal and non-verbal skills to engage stakeholders and manage psychological assessment across a range of settings

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Concurrent Pre-requisite	Ethics and Professional Psychology Practice 1
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	KHA711

Alterations as a result of student feedback

No alterations have been made as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Intake interview skills demonstration	Week 6	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:	Diagnostic Commentary	Week 8	20 %	LO1, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration	Week 12	40 %	LO2

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Intake interview skills demonstration

Task Description:

You will be required to role play an intake interview assessment with a pseudo-client.
You will be allocated a role play date, time and provided with referral information prior to the role play.

Task Length:

30 minutes

Due Date:

Week 6

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate an ability to conduct an initial intake assessment with a client	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 2: Diagnostic Commentary

Task Description:

Using the intake information gathered during the intake interview assessment, you will complete a brief written diagnostic summary, outlining your diagnostic decision-making rationale and processes (e.g. potential diagnostic categories).

Due date - approximately week 8. Note this task is due 12 business days following the intake interview

Task Length:

1000 Words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critically apply knowledge of psychopathology consistent with that expected for stage of training	LO1
2	Engage intellectual curiosity and organised reasoning to identify diagnostic hypotheses consistent with that expected for stage of training	LO1
3	Justify possible differentiation between diagnoses consistent with that expected for stage of training	LO1, LO3

Assessment Task 3: Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration

Task Description:

You are required to record yourself administering a cognitive and achievement assessment to a peer and submit this for assessment. You will be advised of which assessment measures to use.

Task Length:

Variable

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Validly administer a cognitive assessment	LO2
2	Validly administer an achievement assessment	LO2

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes.

Your grade will be determined in the following way: 

All assessments within the Postgraduate Professional Training Programs at the University of Tasmania adhere to an ungraded pass profile. Similarly, your academic transcript will use this same grading system.  

This means all assessable work will be graded as either UP (ungraded pass) or NN (fail grade), which indicates you need to continue towards developing that competency. You are required to achieve a UP on all assessment pieces in order to successfully pass a unit of study – be that coursework, placement, or thesis.  

A UP grade equates to achievement of 70% or higher on a given task, and this benchmark must be achieved to be awarded a UP. These criteria are consistent with both the required performance on the National Psychology Exam, as well as within the School of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania.  

Marks are reviewed by the Unit Coordinator and School of Psychological Sciences Assessment Committee and may be adjusted to ensure fairness, consistency, and appropriateness before the final marks and grades are assigned in accordance with University policy and the specified unit assessment. Grades and marks are also reviewed by the College of Health and Medicine Assessors’ Committee.  

Note: In order to obtain a full passing grade in this unit, students are expected to submit and achieve a UP grade on all assessable work

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.