Self management Report

Background This assignment is designed to give you practice with the Intervention Case Studies which you will be required to submit to the Psychology Board and your supervisor during your 6th year (see Appendix D; note that this assignment approximates the actual 6th year case study for which 2500-2750 words are required). For the purpose of this assignment, you are the client. Be sure to follow the guidelines detailed in Appendix D in preparing this assignment. Note, however, that the section of Appendix D outlining specific requirements for Core Competency 3: Psychological assessment and measurement does not apply to the current assignment - please refer only to the specific requirements for Core Competency 4: Intervention strategies. With reference to specific requirement 2, you do not need to give a reason for the referral but the rest of this paragraph should apply. With reference to requirement 3, you do not need to consider a DSM-5 diagnosis but you may indicate any psychological tests or inventories which you utilise. For the actual 6th year assignment, the signature of your supervisor will be required prior to submission to the Board. For the current purpose, however, no signature is required. The assignment should be viewed as a self-monitoring/self-management task. You are required to consider an aspect of yourself that you may wish to change, such as a counterproductive habit, fear, or mode of thinking. Examples of suitable issues would include procrastination and/or perfectionism, poor eating habits, or overuse of a problematic word or phrase in your professional practice (e.g. “you know”). Please avoid diagnosable DSM-5 conditions and please seek advice from your Practica and Skills Training Co-ordinator or your lecturer if in doubt about the suitability of potential topics. Notes: - You should monitor and record relevant data (thoughts, behaviours, etc.) for a minimum of one week. - You should then carry out an intervention for at least one week and, again, carefully monitor and record relevant data. - You are expected to design an intervention that includes both cognitive and behavioural components. Affective aspects may also be involved. - Assessments should be appropriate to the issue in question (e.g., Subjective Units of Disturbance, behavioural measures, etc.) - Pre- and post-intervention assessments are required. - For all components of the assignment, please include summary information only in the text. - Detailed results for each component (e.g., details of recorded observations) should be included in one or more appendices. - You should provide references relating to evidence-based theory/practice for the chosen issue and the intervention/s used. - The report is completely confidential between yourself and the marker.

Hurdle assessment. This assessment enables students to demonstrate minimum competency in psychology skills integral to working with clients during an initial interview using CBT as an intervention with Socratic questioning throughout therapy. This live skills assessment will enable students to demonstrate ‘fitness to practice’ as a psychologist in terms of conducting core skills necessary to complete an initial interview with a client using empathy, challenging unhelpful thinking, while acting in a professional manner. This is an essential skill that all students need to demonstrate prior to their first placement. Consistent with the Assessment Policy, students who make a serious attempt, but fail to meet minimum standards will be given a second opportunity to complete the task to the minimum standard. The minimum standards will be defined as at least Functional level in a rubric that will be made available to students and that will be based on standards required by APAC. Students who fail to meet minimum standards on the second attempt will fail the unit. For those who pass the second attempt, a maximum mark of 50% (PASS) will be given for the PSYP903 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy & Related Techniques, CBT live skills assessment 2.

Live demonstration of CBT skills. Three hours small group supervision time (four in group, A interviews B, B interviews C, C interviews D, D interviews A). Interviewees: You will be given a scenario to role play when you are being interviewed. Interviewers: You will not be able to complete an exhaustive therapeutic intervention in 30 mins – the task is to demonstrate that you understand the CBT conceptualisation of the problem, and are able to begin to use cognitive restructuring and behavioural strategies to help the client. You will be assessed on the following specific skills: • Have the client identify and describe a specific incident that relates to their presenting problem. • For the incident identify the salient emotion • Identify thoughts and behaviours that preceded and followed the event • Using the example reflect back to the client the formulated link between thoughts, behaviours and feelings • Clarifying if this example and formulation is typical of their current problem • Using this scenario, collaboratively pick the most appropriate specific belief to challenge • Collect evidence for and against the thought using Socratic questioning • Have the client re-rate their strength of belief in the original thought • Assist the client to generate an appropriate alternate thought • Test the impact of this alternative thought • Construct a suitable assignment regarding constructive thinking for the client to carry out before the next session The following skills will be assessed throughout: • Ability to display empathy to the client • Ability to challenge unhelpful thinking • Ability to act in a professional manner Scoring criteria shown in handbook Sessions to be advised