Students

PSYC8993 – Clinical Psychology Therapy 3

2021 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Maria Kangas
maria.kangas@mq.edu.au
Philippe Gilchrist
philippe.gilchrist@mq.edu.au
Email for appointments
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(PSYC985 or PSYC8985) and (PSYC988 or PSYC8988) and (PSYC989 or PSYC8989)
Corequisites Corequisites
PSYC8994 or PSYC994
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit covers evidence-based practice in the understanding and management of psychological disorders, at an advanced level. The focus will be on advanced therapy skills in the selection, tailoring and implementation of appropriate evidence-based and case-formulated interventions for specialised and complex mental health, neurological, health, and illness populations. Material will cover the monitoring of outcomes, and modifications required, based on evolving case formulations for the following across the lifespan: stress and trauma-related disorders including adjustment disorder and complex trauma, somatization disorders, autism spectrum disorder, chronic pain, blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and HIV.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

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

  • ULO1: Gather relevant information and report on updated evidence-based interventions using case formulation for working with stressed/trauma-related, neurological and health-related populations across the life-span.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate understanding and effective application of principles and methods of empirically supported therapeutic approaches for working with stressed, traumatized, neurological and health related populations across the lifespan.
  • ULO3: Describe how to monitor therapeutic progress for working with stress/trauma-related disorders, health-related populations including neurological conditions across the lifespan, informed by evolving case formulations.
  • ULO4: Demonstrate understanding of appropriate collaboration with relevant health service professionals regarding case formulation and treatment plans for working with individuals and families with complex mental health problems, medical conditions, and/or comorbidities.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate professional competency in applying appropriate evidence-based interventions using case formulation for: 1) somatic disorders, 2), health-related disorders, 3) autism spectrum disorder, 4) stress and trauma-related disorders, and 5) more complex comorbid presentations.

General Assessment Information

Please see links to the Assessment Policy and the Special Consideration Policy in the Policies and Procedures section of this Unit Guide.

Late submissions

All assessment tasks have a strict due date. Ordinarily, no extensions of time for submission of assessment tasks will be granted. If students experience unexpected, unavoidable, and serious circumstances affecting submission of assessable work they may lodge an application for Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au with supporting documentary evidence. All requests for special consideration must be made no later than five working days after the due date of the assessment task. Where special consideration has not been granted, late submissions will not be accepted. 

Hurdle requirements

All of the assessment tasks are hurdle requirements - they require a minimum level of performance in order for students to pass the Unit. The assessment tasks allow demonstration of 'fitness to practice' as a clinical psychologist. Consistent with the Assessment Policy of the University, students who make a serious attempt at the task but fail to meet the required standards, will be provided with one additional opportunity to complete the task to a satisfactory standard. Failure of the second attempt will result in a Fail (FH) grade for the entire unit (even if the raw mark for the Unit is over 50) and this, in turn, will result in a delay in starting the Clinic placement or further placements. The required standards for the hurdle tasks will be provided via iLearn prior to completion of the task. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Clinical Case Report 45% Yes Week 12
Practical viva 45% Yes Week 13
Reflective report 10% Yes Week 13

Clinical Case Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 45%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Formulate evidence-based treatment plan to address client’s presenting problem and discuss recommended treatment plan. Total 3000 words.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Gather relevant information and report on updated evidence-based interventions using case formulation for working with stressed/trauma-related, neurological and health-related populations across the life-span.
  • Demonstrate understanding and effective application of principles and methods of empirically supported therapeutic approaches for working with stressed, traumatized, neurological and health related populations across the lifespan.
  • Describe how to monitor therapeutic progress for working with stress/trauma-related disorders, health-related populations including neurological conditions across the lifespan, informed by evolving case formulations.
  • Demonstrate understanding of appropriate collaboration with relevant health service professionals regarding case formulation and treatment plans for working with individuals and families with complex mental health problems, medical conditions, and/or comorbidities.

Practical viva

Assessment Type 1: Viva/oral examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 45%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Twenty minute time limit to demonstrate part of an evidenced- based therapy question based on a vignette provided.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Gather relevant information and report on updated evidence-based interventions using case formulation for working with stressed/trauma-related, neurological and health-related populations across the life-span.
  • Demonstrate understanding and effective application of principles and methods of empirically supported therapeutic approaches for working with stressed, traumatized, neurological and health related populations across the lifespan.
  • Describe how to monitor therapeutic progress for working with stress/trauma-related disorders, health-related populations including neurological conditions across the lifespan, informed by evolving case formulations.
  • Demonstrate professional competency in applying appropriate evidence-based interventions using case formulation for: 1) somatic disorders, 2), health-related disorders, 3) autism spectrum disorder, 4) stress and trauma-related disorders, and 5) more complex comorbid presentations.

Reflective report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Students will be required to summarise in 1500 words, reflections on their performance.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Gather relevant information and report on updated evidence-based interventions using case formulation for working with stressed/trauma-related, neurological and health-related populations across the life-span.
  • Demonstrate understanding and effective application of principles and methods of empirically supported therapeutic approaches for working with stressed, traumatized, neurological and health related populations across the lifespan.
  • Describe how to monitor therapeutic progress for working with stress/trauma-related disorders, health-related populations including neurological conditions across the lifespan, informed by evolving case formulations.
  • Demonstrate professional competency in applying appropriate evidence-based interventions using case formulation for: 1) somatic disorders, 2), health-related disorders, 3) autism spectrum disorder, 4) stress and trauma-related disorders, and 5) more complex comorbid presentations.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Teaching will include weekly seminars and class discussions. There will also be some practical skills training (where appropriate).

There will be a number of required readings. Additional resources and reading material will be provided throughout the course during the relevant sections. 

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Lecturer

1

NO CLASS -Class in morning only (*see PSYC8994) 

PG/MK

2

Intro to somatization disorders (assessment and theories)  

MK

3

Somatization disorders

MK

4

Stress and Trauma-related disorders –Working with children/families

MK

5

Stress and Trauma-related disorders –Comorbid and complex presentations (1)

MK

6

Stress and Trauma-related disorders –Comorbid and complex presentations (2)

MK

   

 RECESS
7 Cardiac clinical psychology PG

8

Psycho-oncology

PG

9

Pain - part 1

PG

10

Pain - part 2

PG

11

Autism spectrum disorder

PG

12

Additional topics in clinical health psychology

PG

13

Full day Vivas (no class)

PG

Timetables with most up-to-date information for seminars can always be found on the University website at: https://timetables.mq.edu.au/

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook