Overview

The main aim of this unit is to provide students with a detailed understanding of the disorders seen in infancy, childhood and adolescence according to the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). A further aim is to demonstrate the key principles relevant to conducting psychological assessments with children /adolescents and their families, including understanding typical child development, case formulation, evidence-based treatment planning, and inter-professional learning and practice.

Requisites

Prerequisites
PSY60003 Psychology Practice with Children and Adolescents

Rules

Pre-requisite
Admission to the Masters of Psychology ( Clinical Psychology)

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of normal child development
  • Understand the role of early experiences in shaping children’s development and behaviour
  • Consider possible diagnoses and differential diagnoses
  • Develop a comprehensive case formulation and treatment plan
  • Write assessment reports
  • Discuss case relevant issues and consider a range of factors that might influence clinical presentations

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Seminar		3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Case Report Individual  60%  1,2,3,4,5,6 
Report Individual/Group  40%  1,2,6 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

  • Students are expected to attend 10 out of 12 classes unless exceptional circumstances prevail, in which case they should email/phone the convenor
  • To pass this unit, you must have attempted and passed all assessment components including hurdle components

    • Content

    Topics cover the broad areas of:

    • Clinical presentations seen in children and adolescents.
    • Assessment framework, clinical case formulation, diagnostic decision making, and treatment planning.
    • Principles of inter-professional practice and their application
    • Working with children and adolescents from a cultural lens
    • Typical child development; the importance of taking a developmental perspective when working with children, adolescents, and their families.
    • Theoretical frameworks, including a psychodynamic framework for understanding child development and behaviour.
    • Graduate Attribute 1 (Communication 1 - Verbal Communication)
    • Graduate Attribute 2 (Communication 2 - Communicating using different media)
    • Graduate Attribute 3 (Teamwork 1 - Collaboration and negotiation)
    • Graduate Attribute 4 (Teamwork 2 - Teamwork roles and processes)
    • Graduate Attribute 6 (Digital Literacies 2 - Technical literacy)

    Study resources

    Reading materials

    A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.