Unit Outline

This unit introduces you to the key diagnostic frameworks and assessment methods for common mental health presentations. You 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	Use culturally informed approaches to assess 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	PSY702 Ethics and Professional Psychology Practice 1
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	KHA711

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Last year, competency in psychometric assessment (i.e., WAIS and WIAT) was assessed in one assignment, with students submitting a video of themselves administering the WAIS and WAIT to a peer. Feedback was received that splitting this assignment into two assessment tasks would allow greater skills development and improve competency in administration of the WAIS and WIAT in preparation for placement one in the University Psychology Clinic. Further feedback suggested greater standardisation in assessment of psychometric administration skills, as such, the assessment was move to two OSCE based assessment tasks.

As always, the teaching team will greatly appreciate your feedback both informally during the delivery of the unit in 2025, and formally through the University of Tasmania’s Unit Survey following your completion of the unit.

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:	Cognitive Assessment Scoring and Interpretation activity	Week 4	0 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Intake interview skills demonstration	Week 4	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Mid Semester Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration	Week 7	0 %	LO2
Assessment Task 4:	Diagnostic Commentary	Week 9	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 5:	End of Semester Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration	Exam Period	0 %	LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Cognitive Assessment Scoring and Interpretation activity

Task Description:

You will be required to score the WAIS IV and WIAT III, including calculating scaled scores, index/composite scores and briefly interpret these scores using data provided within the workshop.

Task Length:

3 hours

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply culturally informed methods in scoring and interpreting cognitive assessments for common mental health/psychology.	LO1, LO2
2	Apply culturally informed methods in scoring and interpreting achievement assessments for common mental health/psychology presentations.	LO2

Assessment Task 2: 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 4

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Conduct a culturally safe initial intake assessment with a client.	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 3: Mid Semester Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration

Task Description:

You are required to undertake a mid-semester OSCE assessment. During this you will demonstrate your competency in administering key subtests for a cognitive assessment and an achievement assessment.

Task Length:

Variable

Due Date:

Week 7

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Administer a cognitive assessment	LO2
2	Administer an achievement assessment	LO2

Assessment Task 4: Diagnostic Commentary

Task Description:

Using the case information provided as part of the online content, you will complete a short answer task requiring you to integrate your knowledge of psychopathology to identify plausible diagnoses and communicate a brief case formulation.

Task Length:

Variable

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Integrate knowledge of psychopathology consistent with that expected for stage of training to identify diagnostic hypotheses.	LO1
2	Differentiate between competing diagnoses for common mental health presentations.	LO1
3	Communicate tailored diagnostic information to relevant stakeholders .	LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 5: End of Semester Cognitive Assessment Skills Demonstration

Task Description:

You are required to undertake an end of semester OSCE assessment. During this you will demonstrate your competency in administering key subtests for a cognitive assessment and an achievement assessment.

Task Length:

Variable

Due Date:

Exam Period

Weight:

0 %

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 grade of AO (assessment ongoing) indicates that further assessments are required or resubmissions are needed before a mark can be finalised.

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.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

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.