Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE PSY5617

 
TITLE Core Placement 2 Clinical Psychology - Adults

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 10

 
DEPARTMENT Psychology

 
DESCRIPTION This is the second core placement for trainees to develop their practical psychological skills when working with adults diagnosed with various clinical syndromes or disabilities. Trainees will observe Clinical Psychologists and other professionals at a service or services which provides assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation and reporting for adults with psychiatric disorders. Trainees will also have the opportunity to work with this patient population in this same setting under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

They will spend a minimum of 9 hours per week on site engaged in supervised practice, including one hour per week of direct supervision. Trainees are expected to collaborate with their supervisor and other psychologists in diverse roles. The trainees will take a minimum of 2 cases involving clinical work with adults in consultation and under the supervision of their supervisor. Trainees will also be live- supervised and will attend group supervision with the stream coordinator or the university group supervisor for one hour per week. Further details regarding this placement may be found in the MPsy practice placement guidelines on the Department of Psychology website.

In addition, the expert witnessing component will seek to address the presenting of evidence in a Court of Law via case studies and video-tapes. Trainees will have the opportunity to practice their presentation in court by working in small groups and by receiving feedback.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims at enabling participants to acquire the understanding and skills in the practice of clinical psychology as related to adults diagnosed with various types of psychiatric disorders.

Trainees will learn to develop and practice a broad range of relevant skills pertaining to clinical psychologist's roles and functions, namely assessment and diagnosis with reference to the most commonly used diagnostic classification systems (DSM-V and ICD-10): Formulation - the trainees will learn the guiding principles of how to use clinical information to create an effective case formulation; Intervention - both
through direct work with children and adolescents as well as consultation with their families and the relevant professionals involved. They will also learn how to benefit from individual and group supervision.

The main objective of this placement is to introduce trainees to the roles and functions of clinical psychologists when working with adults. It also aims to help trainees to develop and practice competencies in evaluation and reporting related to psychological intervention with adults. Trainees will also learn how to benefit from individual and group supervision. The expert witness component will seek to draw the trainees' attention to the practice and to the professional and ethical issues involved in providing expert witnessing in a court of Law.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Describe and critically evaluate the different theoretical approaches to assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation related to psychological work with adults diagnosed with psychiatric disorders;
- Describe and critically evaluate the major challenges facing patients and their families;
- Critically evaluate the legislation, and social policies that guide the delivery of psychological services to adult clients;
- Describe and critically evaluate the professional characteristics pertaining to the role of the clinical psychologist when working with adults in a psychiatric setting;
- Critically evaluate the most appropriate evidence-based treatments for adult clients;
- Demonstrate a reflexive approach to working with adult psychopathology and with other professionals in this particular context;
- Describe and critically evaluate the width of psychological theory and research and and their application in psychological practice, related to working with adults;
- Describe, using a critically integrative approach, issues pertaining to human development and the role of psychologists in supporting people and communities to flourish together;
- Describe the grounding of their own preferred approaches;
- Critically evaluate the role of the psychologist in the service where they are placed;
- Describe the strategies for making best use of individual and group supervision;
- Define and describe ethical standards including those which pertain to the role of expert witness.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Demonstrate adequate skills, including assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation and reporting related to psychological intervention with adults;
- Conduct assessments where they take consideration of the major challenges facing adults diagnosed with psychiatric disorders;
- Conduct adequate clinical interviews with adults, and their significant others where necessary;
- Formulate adult challenges according to a variety of diagnostic and assessment information whilst considering developmental and neuro-psychological aspects as well as contextual information;
- Conduct psychotherapeutic interventions with adults in accordance with the research pointing to the most relevant updated therapeutic interventions that are recommended by international bodies (such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines from the UK);
- Demonstrate critical reflection and reflexivity in their practice;
- Demonstrate adherence to ethical standards in their practice;
- Build meaningful rapport and therapeutic alliances with patients;
- Consult and collaborate appropriately with other professionals;
- Demonstrate use of evidence-based practice;
- Integrate relevant psychological theory and research in their professional work with patients;
- Write effective reports according to decision-making goals including those pertaining to the role of court witness;
- Demonstrate the adequate use supervision for the benefit of their patients and their personal and professional development;
- Present adequately casework in group supervision and to discuss critically and constructively the work presented by others;
- Demonstrate preparatory skills in providing expert testimony in a court of law effectively and confidently.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

No core texts will be assigned but various readings will be given according to the type of patients that are being seen and the learning needs of the trainees.

Supplementary readings:
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). DSM - 5. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
- Bentall, R.P., (2003). Madness explained. Psychosis and human nature. Penguin.
- Bracken, P & Thomas, P. (2005). Postpsychiatry: mental health in a postmodern world. UK: Oxford Medical Publications.
- Evans, K. & Sullivan, M.J. (2001). Dual Diagnosis: Counselling the Mentally ill Substance Abuser. (2nd ed.). USA: Guilford Press.
- Johnson, S. M., (2004) Creating Connection: The Practice of Emotionally Focused Marital Therapy., 2nd edition, New York, Brunner/Mazel (now Brunner /Routledge).
- Miller, W.R. & Rollnick, S. (2012). Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change. (3rd ed). USA: Guilford Press.
- Najavits, L.M. (2002). Seeking Safety: A treatment manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse. USA: Guilford Press.
- PDM Task Force. (2006). Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual. Silver Spring, MD: Alliance of Psychoanalytic Organizations.
- Rothschild, B. (2011). Trauma Essentials. The go-to guide. London: W.W. Norton.
- Sattler, J.M. (1998). Clinical and forensic Interviewing of children and families: Guidelines for the mental health, Education, Pediatric and Child Maltreatment Fields. San Diego: Jerome M. Sattler.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-Requisite qualifications: BPsy (Hons) or equivalent

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Placement

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 10%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 10%
Portfolio SEM2 Yes 35%
Placement SEM2 No 45%

 
LECTURER/S Chantal Avellino

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit