Students

PSYC8986 – Clinical Psychological Assessment 1

2024 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jasmina Vrankovic
Philippe Gilchrist
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MClinPsych
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

In this Unit, you will study the principles and methods of psychological assessment in the clinical context. This will include a selection of appropriate assessment techniques; administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment devices; communication of information about assessments (report-writing and feedback to clients); and ethical principles relating to assessment and professional practice. Key aspects of administration, scoring and interpretation of a broad range of tests likely to be utilised in professional psychological practice will be reviewed. Students are also instructed in the accurate reporting of results.

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: Apply an evidence-based framework for selecting and judging the quality of psychological tests for treatment planning and outcome assessment in the clinical context. (Capability 1: Scientist scholar; Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner)
  • ULO2: Administer, score, and interpret results on a variety of tests used in the clinical context. (Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner)
  • ULO3: Report on the results of assessments and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding assessment techniques, professional communication, and the broader interpretation and application of the code of ethics in clinical practice. (Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner; Capability 4: Professional)

General Assessment Information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

 

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours)

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100  

 

75

0

For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration. No further submissions will be accepted after the marked assignments are returned and feedback is released to students.

Illness or Significant Disruption to Assessments

In the event of illness or significant disruptions during an examination or timed assessment, students must promptly cease their work. If the incident occurs in a classroom setting, they must inform the convenor/supervisor/invigilator immediately. If the disruption takes place outside the classroom, it should be reported immediately to the appropriate course authority. Subsequently, students are required to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Students who have already submitted an assessment or participated in an examination or timed assessment without reporting any issues during the assessment process will only be considered for a second opportunity to undertake that assessment only under exceptional circumstances. The decision to grant a second opportunity will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with careful consideration given to the nature and validity of the exceptional circumstances that significantly affected their performance in the initial assessment. A statement of fact cannot suffice as evidence in such cases.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Pass-out exam 40% Yes Week 5 (various timeslots)
Scoring and Interpretative task 40% Yes Part A: 12/04/2024, Part B: 17/05/2024, Part C: 24/05/2024
Ethical Practice Report 20% Yes 31/05/2024

Pass-out exam

Assessment Type 1: Viva/oral examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 5 (various timeslots)
Weighting: 40%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

 

Students will complete viva exams assessing administration of tests relevant to clinical practice

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply an evidence-based framework for selecting and judging the quality of psychological tests for treatment planning and outcome assessment in the clinical context. (Capability 1: Scientist scholar; Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner)

Scoring and Interpretative task

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Part A: 12/04/2024, Part B: 17/05/2024, Part C: 24/05/2024
Weighting: 40%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

 

Students will complete scoring of standardised tests relevant to clinical practice. Students will complete an interpretative task relevant to clinical practice.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Administer, score, and interpret results on a variety of tests used in the clinical context. (Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner)
  • Report on the results of assessments and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding assessment techniques, professional communication, and the broader interpretation and application of the code of ethics in clinical practice. (Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner; Capability 4: Professional)

Ethical Practice Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 31/05/2024
Weighting: 20%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

 

Students will be required to complete a brief report

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Report on the results of assessments and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding assessment techniques, professional communication, and the broader interpretation and application of the code of ethics in clinical practice. (Capability 2: Psychologist practitioner; Capability 4: Professional)

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

As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of face-to-face and online learning activities, including workshops, practical exercises, online modules, videos. Details can be found on the iLearn site for this unit.

Recommended Readings

These will be provided in workshops and throught the Psychology Test Library throughout the semester. 

Technology Used

Active participation in the learning activities throughout the unit will require students to have access to a laptop, tablet, or similar device. Students who do not own their own laptop computer may borrow one from the university library.

Unit Schedule

Week

Date

Workshop Topic

Assessment

1

23 February

WISC-V Workshop I

 

2

01 March

 

 

3

08 March

WISC-V Workshop II

 

4

15 March

 

 

5

22 March

 

Pass-out Exam

6

29 March

GOOD FRIDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

7

05 April

 

 

8

12 April

 

Scoring & Interpretive Task: Part A (WISC-V Scoring) Due

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

9

03 May

WAIS-IV Workshop

 

10

10 May

 

 

11

17 May

 

Scoring & Interpretive Task: Part B (WISC-V Report) Due

12

24 May

 

Scoring & Interpretive Task: Part C (WAIS-IV Scoring) Due

13

31 May

 

Ethical Practice Report Due

 

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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Inclusion and Diversity

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone.

Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.


Unit information based on version 2024.02 of the Handbook