PYN025 Psychological Interventions

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

The unit will focus on preparing psychology interns for the world of work as a psychologist delivering cognitive-behavioural therapy for a variety of client presentations. The unit focuses on developing skills to undertake detailed intake interviews, develop informative in-depth formulations for client presentations, and use these for treatment planning. You will explore the common factors and process issues important for all psychological interventions. The unit will also explore the key elements of delivering cognitive behavioural interventions to clients across the lifespan. It is assumed that you are competent in using counselling micro-skills such as observation, attending, questioning, reflection of content and feeling, information giving, reframing, interpretation and confrontation. It is also assumed that you will have had exposure to a basic understanding of counselling and other relevant areas of psychology from your fourth year training in psychology.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Critically evaluate the theoretical and philosophical foundations of cognitive-behaviour therapy, including the factors proposed to underpin change.
2. Demonstrate the skilful application of initial assessment, formulation, and treatment planning to provide cultrually aware psychological practice with adults and children.
3. Employ an evidence-based culturally sensitive approach to the practice of therapy in general, and CBT in particular, relating relevant theory and research to your professional practice.
4. Present evidence of reflective practice in a psychological context, including an understanding of relevant process issues and the common factors of psychological interventions.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit will normally be taught in face to face worskhop-style lectures. These will be used for didactic input, demonstrations, structured exercises and discussion. In small advanced graduate classes, your participation and contributions are extremely important in creating an optimal learning environment. Therefore it is expected that you will attend all classes, and inform the relevant lecturer in advance if you are unable to attend a specific class. You will also be given weekly or fortnightly homework tasks that will involve either practising the skills presented in class, or answering questions about therapeutic techniques or rationale for techniques. The PYN025 Canvas site is used to convey resource material and broadcast timely messages and alerts to engage you at key milestones.

PY18 and PY19 course design is intentionally blended to purposefully integrate active face-to-face learning experiences with blended/online learning experiences across the course consistent with the course learning outcomes, cohort needs and discipline professional practices. Canvas is used within this unit to inform and enhance your learning. All unit material required for learning and completing assessment is included online through Canvas. Additional readings and resources such as web links and video material is also posted where appropriate to expand your ability to advance your knowledge in the unit's subject matter.

A key aim of the unit and course is to support (provisional) psychologists in developing their knowledge, skills and competencies so they are able to provide the best quality care for their clients. Underlying this aim, and in line with registration guidelines, is a focus on ensuring the public's safety.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will participate in and receive formative feedback from peers and your lecturer on role plays and other exercises completed in class. You will also receive summative feedback on your demonstration of skills via your assessment. This will allow you the opportunity to further advance your knowledge and refine your skills.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment in this unit will consist of a case study due mid-semester and the submission of a video and reflective journal at the end of the semester. Satisfactory completion of both assessment items is required to successfully pass the unit. You will be given the opportunity to re-submit each assessment once if you perform at an unsatisfactory level. After one unsuccessful re-submission you will be deemed to have failed that component and will receive a 'U' (Unsatisfactory) grade in the unit. 

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Case Study

You will submit a formulation and treatment plan for one of the client case studies provided to you. Your assignment will consist of a 2500 word written submission where you present:

1. A detailed formulation for the client that uses CBT language to explain the mechanisms of change in your formulation (approx 1500 words)
2. A carefully considered and appropriately organised treatment plan based on your formulation (approx 1000 words), taking into consideration any relevant process issues that may impact on treatment progress.

1. This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Due to the essential nature of the professional skill of undertaking a supported formulation and treatment plan for your practice as a psychologist, you must achieve a 'Satisfactory' result in the assessment to be able to complete the unit. If you do not achieve a result of 'S' on this task, you are able to make one resubmission of this work. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

Assessment: Skill Demonstration and Reflection

You will submit a 30 minute video of you working with a real client or a simulated role play based on a real client where you demonstrate one of a number of approved cognitive behavioural therapy skills/competencies. This will be accompanied by a 500 word reflective journal where you discuss your skill use in the video, identifying competencies met and areas for improvement. The use of a video-recorded approach permits the observation of your skill demonstration and provides an opportunity for you to receive useful feedback on your practice. It also provides the opportunity for you to respond in a time-limited setting to new clinical information, to effectively establish rapport with a client, and to implement cognitive-behaviour therapy techniques to address client symptoms and presentation.

If a suitable session is relevant, students may elect to use a segment of a real client video from their work in the psychology clinic when completing this assignment instead of making a separate video.

This assessment item is an assignment for the purposes of an extension. 

Threshold Assessment:

Due to the essential professional skills demonstrated in this assessment you must achieve a 'Satisfactory' result in the assessment to be able to complete the unit. If you do not achieve a result of 'S' on this task, you are able to make one resubmission of this work. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Registration as a psychologist (provisional or general) with AHPRA is required to undertake this unit.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Teyber, E., & Teyber, F. H. (2017). Interpersonal Process in Therapy : An integrative model (Seventh edition.). Cengage Learning.

Tolin, D.F. (2016). Doing CBT: A comprehensive guide to working with behaviors, thoughts and emotions. New York: Guilford Press.

Recommended text(s)

Beck, J. S. (2021). Cognitive behavior therapy : basics and beyond (Third edition.). The Guilford Press.

Boswell, J.F. & Constantino, M.J. (2021). Deliberate practice in cognitive behavioral therapy. New York: APA.

Dobson, K.S., & Dozois, D.J.A. (2019). Handbook of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies (4th ed.). Guilford Press.

Reference book(s)

Barlow, D.H. (2014). Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual. New York: Guilford Press.

Risk Assessment Statement

You should be aware that some content in this unit may be confronting to certain audiences. Please exercise your own discretion when participating in classroom activities or discussions. The QUT Student Counselling service is also available and free of charge to all QUT students.

Course Learning Outcomes

PY18 Master of Clinical Psychology

1. Apply advanced and specialised knowledge of Clinical Psychology to plan, assess, treat and manage clients with mental disorders and conditions, across the lifespan and from a range of backgrounds, including accessing, evaluating and utilising digital health information.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Case Study, Skill Demonstration and Reflection
2. Engage in the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions, using advanced critical thinking and decision making skills, applying professional values and reflective practice to inform culturally safe and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Case Study, Skill Demonstration and Reflection
3. Promote and practice effective written, oral and digital communication to analyse and convey complex information and build productive professional relationships.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Case Study, Skill Demonstration and Reflection
4. Deliver Clinical Psychology services with a high degree of professionalism and reflective practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Case Study, Skill Demonstration and Reflection

PY19 Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)

1. Critically evaluate and apply theories of psychology and evidence-based knowledge and skills applicable to the professional practice of educational and developmental psychology, adhering to contemporary professional practice standards.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Case Study
2. Formulate approaches for engaging in critical thinking. decision making and reflective practice, drawing on cognitive, technical and creative skills, to identify and implement contemporary evidence-based intervention and assessment strategies in varied contexts that reflect culturally safe and responsive practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Case Study, Skill Demonstration and Reflection
3. Promote and practise effective written, oral and digital communication to analyse and convey complex information and build productive professional relationships across diverse stakeholders.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Skill Demonstration and Reflection