PYN030 Professional Psychological Practice and Ethics

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This is a foundational unit that presents an overview of ethical, legal, and professional issues encountered in psychology practice. A major goal of the unit is to raise your awareness of the many ethical, legal and supervision issues you may encounter in practice, and to encourage you to become reflective practitioners throughout your professional lives. The practice of psychology requires an understanding of special roles, power relationships, boundaries and ethical principles in order to safeguard client rights. It requires skills in working with individuals and groups from a diverse range of backgrounds, including those from other cultural groups. An understanding of legal issues and relevant legislation and standards is also essential in professional practice. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit relate to direct client contact in practicum units and builds a foundation for future professional practice.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Identify and discuss key ethical and professional issues encountered in psychological practice, particularly as applied to the Australian population, including Indigenous or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians.
2. Analyse and reflect upon significant aspects of your own professional psychology practice in relation to ethical codes of practice, and articulate a decision making model to solve ethical dilemmas, includig those underlying professional supervision.
3. Identify and understand relevant legislation and standards including important issues in keeping records, writing legal reports and being an expert witness in a court case.
4. Synthesise and critique the research and theory on major emerging psychological issues and ethical practice from both professional and consumer perspectives.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit material is presented through a didactic, interactive approach augmented by student practical exercises integrated with group discussion and feedback. The unit has particular objectives focused on the development of skills relevant to clinical practice. Content and process can be adapted to the pace and needs of the class group and blended learning technologies are used throughout the unit to accommodate diverse learning styles and promote depth of learning. You are expected to take some responsibility for your own learning and are also encouraged to contribute your experiential knowledge and current learning in class activities.

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 engage in class activities and receive feedback on your knowledge of professional ethics and ethical decision making. You will receive individualised written feedback on your assessment 1. An overall general feedback will be provided to the cohort for the assessment 2.

Assessment

Overview

Much of the assessment in this unit will be submitted electronically, submitting your assessment via content-matching software. Assessment will be marked online and your feedback will be supplied via Canvas. Authentic assessment is emphasised through the application of knowledge and skills developed in the unit to practice settings and scenarios.

How your grade will be determined: You will receive a numerical mark for each individual assessment item in PYN030. At the end of semester, marks for individual items will be summed to determine your overall percentage.

Feedback will be provided on the assignment according to the criteria and standards provided in the rubric. Note that prior to release of marks, the unit coordinator undertakes a moderation process to ensure that the criteria and standards have been applied consistently and fairly. Final grades are not confirmed until reviewed by the relevant Faculty Assessment Committee and approved by the Executive Dean at the completion of each teaching period.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Case Study

You will be required to write a 3500 word assignment on an ethical dilemma or an issue related to the topics covered during the unit. This will allow you to do self-directed learning in an area in which you wish to gain more in-depth knowledge. You will be expected to articulate what the major issue or question is, including some cross-cultural perspectives, critically evaluate how it affects the work of a professional psychologist, drawing upon the evidence relating to the topic, and how you might effectively deal with the issue in your professional work as a professional psychologist.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Examination (Theory)

This will involve short answer and brief essay questions about issues related to practice of professional psychology: professional ethics, Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics and Guidelines, hypothetical questions about ethical dilemmas that may be experienced by a professional psychologist, issues related to the Mental Health Act and other legislation, writing reports and acting as an expert witness in court, issues related to supervision and evidence-based practices. This examination will test your ability to problem solve ethical dilemmas, make independent ethical and professional judgements and to justify these judgements, as well as testing your knowledge of APS ethical guidelines and principles.

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.

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Morrissey, S., Reddy, P., Davidson, G.R., & Allan, A. (Eds.) (2015). Ethics and Professional Practice for Psychologists. (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia.

Reference book(s)

Australian Psychological Society. (2007). Code of Ethics. Melbourne, VIC: Author.

Australian Psychological Society. (2020). Ethical guidelines. Melbourne, VIC: Author.

Australian Psychological Society. (2020). Professional Practice Guides. Melbourne, VIC: Author.

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. 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: Case Study, Examination (Theory)
2. Deliver Clinical Psychology services with a high degree of professionalism and reflective practice.
   Relates to: Case Study, Examination (Theory)

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, ULO4, Case Study, Examination (Theory)
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: ULO1, Case Study, Examination (Theory)
3. Plan, undertake and disseminate research in complex real world situations from diverse perspectives, demonstrating a high level of personal autonomy and accountability relevant to professional practice, .
   Relates to: ULO4, Case Study
4. Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant psychological information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional collaboration with a range of audiences and contexts that demonstrates creativity and initiative as an educational and developmental psychologist.
   Relates to: ULO2
5. 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: Case Study