PSYCH 772A/B : Clinical Practice 2

Science

2025 Semester One (1253) / Semester Two (1255) (60 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Advanced psychological assessment and therapy for diverse clinical populations, including adult, and child and family. Cognitive behaviour therapy, narrative therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and the trauma model are emphasised. Includes two, 200 hour placements, in either an adult setting or a child and family setting. Evaluation is by internal assessment, including assessment by field supervisors.

Course Overview

This course will contribute to the development of the knowledge base and skills that underlie safe and effective clinical psychology practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Students will study different therapeutic models and how these are applied with different client populations, both child and adult. Extending on Systemic, Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy models, the focus will be on 1. 3rd wave Cognitive Behavioural models- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Mindfulness, 2. Family Therapy, 3. Motivational Interviewing, and 4. Psychodynamic theory in regard to reflective practice. Students will develop knowledge and skills involved in conducting psychological assessments, and developing formulations and treatment plans. This course provides opportunity to develop diagnostic skills using the DSM-5. Students will be given skills to foster self-reflective practice, including the ability to monitor transference and countertransference processes. This university based component is designed to prepare students for Clinical Placements and to assist them to work competently as clinical psychology trainees, at the appropriate level of professional development for Year 2 of their professional training in the Doctor of Clinical Psychology Programme. To this end the course includes two 200 hour placements in either an adult or child and family setting. One placement will be at the Psychology Clinic.

Course Requirements

To complete this course students must enrol in PSYCH 772 A and B

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical and empirical literature related to mental disorders and serious mental health problems for both adult and child populations. Be able to articulate how clinical work is based on the relevant research literature in accordance with the scientist-practitioner model. (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 8)
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of intervention models used in clinical practice with adults, children, adolescents and their families. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8)
  3. Plan and implement psychological assessments incorporating this knowledge (1 and 2). (Capability 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Apply the diagnostic classification system DSM-5. (Capability 3, 4 and 8)
  5. Develop formulations using clinical psychological theory and assessment data. (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  6. Develop and apply treatment plans using clinical psychological theory, assessment data and formulations and monitor and measure the impact of therapeutic interventions. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)
  7. Understand and discuss the cultural foundations and possible limitations of clinical psychology models and techniques and demonstrate knowledge of the impact of culture and/or individual diversity in assessment and therapy processes. (Capability 1, 2, 4 and 8)
  8. Further develop the professional role, identity, boundaries and presentation of a Clinical Psychology student and registered practitioner and be able to work effectively within a team, relating respectfully to others. (Capability 1, 3, 6 and 8)
  9. Be self-reflective, and understand and discuss transference and counter-transference issues. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  10. Analyse critically, ethical issues and engage in ethical decision-making. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Two Paper Case Presentations 25% Group Coursework
Final Test 25% Individual Test
Two Case Studies 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Two Paper Case Presentations
Final Test
Two Case Studies
At the end of each of the two 200 hour placements students must gain a pass grade in c the Competency Evaluation from their placement supervisor. 

Key Topics

This course will contribute to the development of the knowledge base and skills that underlie safe and effective clinical psychology practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Students will study different therapeutic models and how these are applied with different client populations, both child and adult. Extending on Systemic, Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy models, the focus will be on 1. 3rd wave Cognitive Behavioural models- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Mindfulness, 2. Family Therapy, 3. Motivational Interviewing, and 4. Psychodynamic theory in regard to reflective practice. The varied client populations can include working with Maori and other cultural groups represnted in Tamaki Makaurau, or people with different presenting issues such as offending,  head injury, psychosis or intellectual disability. 

Special Requirements

1. Wānanga
As part of the cultural programme of the clinical training the 1-2 day wānanga ,  is compulsory for all students. 
2. Practicum Placements
The university based component of the clinical programme is designed to prepare trainees for Clinical Placements and to assist them to work competently as clinical psychology trainees, at the appropriate level of professional development for Year 2 of their professional training in the Doctor of Clinical Psychology Programme. To this end the course includes two 200 hour placements in either an adult or child and family setting. One placement will be at the Psychology Clinic. This equates to 12.5 weeks at 2 days per week completed during each semester. Students must pass the final supervisors' competency evaluations for both Practicum Placements.

Tuākana

This course is supported by the Tuākana in Science Programme, which facilitates the success and wellbeing of our Māori and Pacific students. The foundation of the Tuākana Programme is the Tuākana-Teina principle an integral relationship in which older or more expert Tuākana (traditionally brother, sister or cousin) guides a younger or less expert Teina (traditionally younger sibling or cousin). This is a reciprocal relationship which fosters safe learning and teaching environments. Read more here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-and-pacific-at-the-faculty/tuakana-programme.html

Workload Expectations

772 A and 772 B must be completed in the same year. Together they equate to a half time  course. It is possible to complete a Masters degree concurrently. 

For this course, you can expect 6-7 hours of lectures on a Friday, 16 hours of placement usually over 2 days negotiated with the supervisor, and at least 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content each week.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including placements, formulation sessions, powhiri, selection whakatau and applicant support and other events of the programme  to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including case discussion and formulation sessions will not be available as recordings.
The course will not  include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

RECOMMENDED READINGS will be provided on Canvas reading lists and linked to course content. Key texts available on Canvas are: 
Barlow, D.H. (2014) Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A Step-by-step treatment manual. Fourth Edition. New York: Guildford Press.
Carr, A. (2006). Handbook of child and adolescent clinical psychology. London: Routledge.
Waitoki, Waikaremoana W., Feather, Jacqueline S., Robertson Neville R. & Rucklidge, Julia J. (Eds.) (2016) Professional Practice of Psychology in Aotearoa New Zealand (3rd edition). Wellington: New Zealand Psychological Society
Waitoki, Waikaremoana W., and Levy, Michelle. (Eds.) (2016) Te Manu Kai i Te Mātauranga: Indigenous Psychology in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Wellington: New Zealand Psychological Society.
Code of Ethics for Psychologists Working in Aotearoa/New Zealand 2002
OTHER READINGS:
You should maintain familiarity with any Journal that is specific to your area of practice (e.g., Australia and NZ Journal of Family Therapy; Brain Injury; Criminal Justice & Behaviour, etc.) and also become current with more general clinical psychology and mental health journals. 
There is an expectation that you will be compiling your own reading resources as the course and placements progress.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

Regularly throughout the year the director of the clinical programme meet with the student reps for each year of the training plus a rep from Turuki Tū to pass on information about any developments or events planned and gain feedback and ideas from the reps.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Because Clinical Psychologist and trainees work with issues that are sensitive and sometimes traumatic we recommend that students seek psychological therapy to prepare to work in the field and in order to manage the effects of the work. We provide a list of therapists who are willing to provide services at a fees reduced rate for Clinical Psychology students. 

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 09/11/2024 08:06 a.m.