Professional Ethics and Psychopharmacology
Overview
This unit provides an overview of critical ethical issues relevant to the practicing psychologist and encourages students to engage with the nuances of common ethical dilemmas. It also introduces neurobiological models of the major classes of mental disorder so that students can understand the neurobiology of disorders and the neurobiological targets of pharmacotherapy.
Requisites
Rules
Pre-requisite
Admission to the Graduate Diploma of Science (Clinical Psychology)
OR
Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)
OR
Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) program
OR
Master of Psychology (Counselling Psychology) programs
Equivalent
HAY543 - Professional Ethical and Legal Issues and HAYC554 - Professional Ethics and Psychopharmacology and PSY60004 - Professional Ethical and Legal Issues and PSY80085 - Professional, Ethical and Legal Issues and PSY80086 - Professional Ethics and Psychopharmacology
01-June-2025
03-August-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply a body of knowledge that includes the extended understanding of the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines as they apply to confidentiality and informed consent, professional boundaries, report writing and record keeping, and cultural issues
- Evaluate psychopharmacology in the treatment of a range of mental health disorders
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major neurobiological pathways implicated in mental health disorders and the pharmacological treatments that act on these pathways
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class | 3.00 | 4 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Class | 3.00 | 8 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 5.50 | 12 weeks | 66 |
| Specified Activities Group Meetings | 4.00 | 12 weeks | 48 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Studies | Individual | 50% | 1 |
| Online Quiz | Individual | 30% | 2,3 |
| Presentation | Group | 20% | 1 |
Content
In the ethics component, the topics covered may include: confidentiality and informed consent, professional boundaries, report writing and record keeping, and cultural issues.
In the psychopharmacology component, topics covered may include:Â
- Principles of chemical transmission, the action of disease and drugs on chemical transmission.
- Neurochemical bases of bipolar depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
- Specific neurochemical actions of mood stabilizers, anxiolytics and sedative hypnotics, antipsychotics and cognitive enhancers.
- Graduate Attribute: Communication Skills: Verbal Communication
- Graduate Attribute: Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
- Graduate Attribute: Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
- Graduate Attribute: Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
- Graduate Attribute: Digital Literacies: Information literacy
- Graduate Attribute: Digital Literacies: Technical literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.