Unit Outline

This unit will introduce provisional psychologists to advanced clinical psychological interventions utilising a disorder-specific framework. Focus will be on the advanced understanding of the diagnostic features of clinical disorders and presentations and their development across the lifespan and diverse presentations. Where appropriate, sessions will be supplemented with audio-visual material and handouts, and students should be prepared to role-play elements of the key therapy skills when discussed.

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.	Apply and interpret current DSM and ICD systems to assess and diagnose comorbid mental health disorders.
2.	Evaluate the priority and severity of psychological symptoms for transdiagnostic clinical intervention.
3.	Develop and justify different clinical psychological interventions to create evidence-based, flexible treatment plans that are responsive to changes in client presentation.
4.	Evaluate the efficacy of selected interventions to reduce symptom severity in clinical disorders.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	Psychology Assessment and Intervention Skills

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Based on student feedback, the written assessment task for this unit has been split into two written assessment tasks. This will allow feedback to be given on the written case formulation before students write their treatment plan.

The order of content has also been changed as a result of feedback, with modules on attachment and schema therapy delivered first so these concepts can be applied in self-reflection throughout the rest of the semester

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:	Written Case Formulation	Week 6	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Written Treatment Plan	Week 10	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	OSCE	Week 14	0 %	LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Written Case Formulation

Task Description:

In this assignment, you will be provided with a clinical case and are required to compose an evidence-based psychological assessment plan, including case formulation and differential diagnoses.
In the assignment you will need to provide:
• A comprehensive case formulation
• An overview of the disorder
• An overview of relevant assessment tools
• A relevant theoretical model that can be used to explain the development and maintenance of the disorder

Task Length:

1500 w + appendix

Due Date:

Week 6

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Working hypothesis of diagnoses	LO1
2	Case formulation	LO2
3	Theoretical model	LO2
4	Assessment methods	LO4
5	Written communication skills (spelling, grammar, etc.)	LO3

Assessment Task 2: Written Treatment Plan

Task Description:

Written Treatment Plan (1500 w + appendix) –
In this assignment, you will write a treatment plan corresponding to the case formulation you prepared in Assessment Task 1: Written Case Formulation.
In the assignment you will need to provide:
• An overview of the treatment techniques (and supporting literature).
• A treatment rationale using the case formulation
• An evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the proposed intervention.
• Fictional examples of how you would apply the skills in treatment to a client presenting with that disorder (to be included in appendix).

Task Length:

1500 words + appendix

Due Date:

Week 10

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Description of treatment techniques.	LO3
2	Diagnostically relevant review of evidence for chosen treatment	LO1
3	Treatment rationale and application of case formulation.	LO2
4	Evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the proposed intervention.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: OSCE

Task Description:

OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination)

This task will require students to demonstrate competency in advanced clinical interventions that are taught in the unit.

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge of and skills in implementing the selected clinical interventions.

You must successfully pass all aspects of the OSCE for PSY715 in order to achieve an overall passing grade on this examination and this unit. If you do not achieve a passing grade on the PSY715 OSCE station, you will be provided remedial feedback and you will be required to repeat this OSCE at a date determined by the School of Psychological Sciences. If after a second attempt you are unable to obtain a passing grade you will be required to repeat this unit in the following academic year.
Hurdle Task - must pass

Task Length:

15 minutes

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Prioritisation of client symptoms	LO2
2	Intervention strategy skills	LO3
3	Rationale for intervention	LO3
4	Description of intervention	LO3
5	Client interaction skills	LO3
6	Communication skills	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

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 Psychology’s 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. Psychology’s 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.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

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.