96074 Advanced Clinical Skills 2
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96051 Clinical Placement 2 AND 96052 Clinical Placement 3 AND 96053 Advanced Clinical Skills 1 AND 96054 Research Project 2 AND 96056c Research Project 3 AND 96073c Clinical Placement 4
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject follows on from 96053 Advanced Clinical Skills 1. It is designed to facilitate students' knowledge and understanding of, and their ability to utilise, evidence-based therapeutic approaches in clinical psychology. The subject intentionally draws on a selection of clinical approaches that represent the most recent evidence-based advances in theory and treatment, and discusses these in terms of their evidence base, their theoretical contribution and their clinical application.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 001. | Locate scholarly literature relevant to a given topic |
|---|---|
| 015. | Apply research in a given clinical context |
| 016. | Integrate diagnostic information with formulation in treatment planning |
| 017. | In collaboration with the client, adapt a standardised formulation to an individual case |
| 020. | Develop a formulation from a range of clinical perspectives |
| 021. | Review and re-formulate based on new information |
| 030. | Draw on clinical evidence to propose an intervention |
| 031. | Justify the selection of a particular intervention |
| 033. | Evaluate stakeholder perspectives in the planning of an intervention |
| 044. | Integrate varying stakeholder needs and input to achieve optimal client outcomes |
| 053. | Identify goals with clients and stakeholders |
| 054. | Explain one’s own role within the context of the service |
| 057. | Use written and spoken communication in a manner appropriate to the target audience |
| 061. | Maintain professionalism in inter and intra-professional communication |
| 067. | Conduct ongoing self-evaluation |
| 072. | Select appropriate assessment measures and methods for a given case |
| 073. | Provide a rationale for the method(s) of assessment utilised |
| 078. | Respond appropriately to any risk arising from assessment |
| 098. | Represent the perspectives of clinical psychology in interdisciplinary teams |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Engage in reflexive practice to evaluate and integrate emerging evidence into practice, and to promote the growth of personal and professional learning, and the education of others. (01.1)
- Interpret, implement and evaluate psychological assessments and interventions using psychological theories, models and evidence to optimise client or organisational health. (02.1)
- Lead and collaborate, supporting an interdisciplinary approach, to provide ethically and legally accountable client-centred care, with awareness of own capabilities and limitations. (02.2)
- Engage in systematic enquiry, evaluating the evidence and reporting on individual and population psychological health status, using appropriate methodologies. (02.3)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
Lifelong learning: Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology are lifelong learners, committed to and capable of reflection and inquiry in their quest for personal development and excellence in professional practice.
Professional capacity: Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology are client-focussed, ethical practitioners with the understanding and proficiency to be leaders in their profession, capable of effectively researching and communicating solutions in a global context.
Global citizenship: Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology contribute to society, resolving to undertake those actions and responsibilities that will enhance their role in local, national and global communities.
Teaching and learning strategies
Preparation for Learning: Students are required to prepare for learning by completing relevant learning activities before attending face-to-face classes. These activities include completing the required readings and skills observation and practice prior to attending the workshop. Completing these activities will ensure that students have ample time in class to learn from the expert instructors and will inform experiential learning and collaborative learning tasks (e.g., skills practice).
Active Lectures: During classes, the lecturer will demonstrate various clinical techniques and interventions, which students will then practice in pairs or small groups throughout the semester. During these simulations, students are encouraged to provide feedback to their peers and to obtain feedback from their peers. Coordinators will also provide limited feedback where possible during these simulated sessions.
Expert Instruction: This subject uses expert instructors to convey the latest treatment techniques for a number of treatment approaches as well as provide insights from their own practice. Students are encouraged to come to class prepared to engage with the expert instructor on the topic of their expertise.
Case-based Learning: Case-based learning is a form of problem-based learning and is a key learning strategy in this subject. Authentic and de-identified case examples will be provided to students to inform their simulated practice throughout the semester. This will assist the student in learning how to apply the skills taught in class to real-world examples.
Collaborative Learning: Much of our work as clinical psychologists involves working with multi-disciplinary teams as well as teams made up of multiple psychologists. Therefore it is essential that clinical psychology students develop skills in teamwork. Collaborating with peers during class and outside of class activities assists students in building collaboration and leadership skills. In this subject, students are required to collaborate on various workshop activities, as well as assessable tasks. Students are also encouraged to pair up with other class members to practice skills outside of class.
Reflective Learning: Reflective practice is an essential skill of a clinical psychologist. This subject aims to foster reflective practice by regularly asking students to reflect on their role-plays and identify areas of strength and weakness.
Practice-based Learning: Specifically students will engage in a considerable number of role plays throughout the semester to ensure that they are comfortable doing assessments and various clinical interventions with clients.
Simulated Clinical Experiences: Students will observe experienced clinicians completing assessments and interventions and will role play skills with their peers.
Ongoing Feedback: In-class feedback is an important teaching and learning strategy employed throughout the subject. Specifically, the lecturers will observe skills practice and provide feedback on skills as required. Students will also be provided with written feedback on their assessment tasks.
Content (topics)
While this subject assumes demonstrated ability in clinical work, particularly cognitive behaviour therapy, it asks students to consider therapeutic options when this typically first-line intervention is unsuccessful. The lectures draw student’s attention to a range of specific advanced clinical interventions
This knowledge is frequently underscored by the presentation of clinical casework and practical exercises.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Inter-professional practice exercise
| Intent: | Modern healthcare including mental healthcare frequently requires clinical psychologists to engage collaboratively with other professions to the benefit of shared clients. Effective collaboration requires understanding professional role distinctions and overlap, effective team-based communication, acknowledgement of shared values/ethics and teamwork dynamics as well as respect for each other’s expertise. This task requires participants to consider the complex needs of a client on an inter-professional basis and as reflect on the process with respect to this exercise and experiences to date of inter-professional working ( e.g., on placement). |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 033, 044, 053, 054, 057, 061, 067 and 098 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .006, .008, .009, .010 and 02.3 |
| Type: | Demonstration |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Length: | Maximum 1000 words |
| Criteria: | The marking criteria for this assessment task is provided on Canvas. |
Assessment task 2: Skills Demonstration and Reflection
| Intent: | Clinical psychologists have high levels of expertise in the delivery of a variety of interventions for psychological conditions. Clinical psychologists must also have high level skill in reflective practice, allowing them to identify their clinical strengths and weaknesses. This task is designed to demonstrate the ability of the student to carry out a specific type of therapy with fidelity, and then to engage in reflective practice. |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 016, 017, 030, 031, 053, 057, 067, 072, 073 and 078 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .005, .006, .008, .009, 01.1, 02.1, 02.2 and 02.3 |
| Type: | Demonstration |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 15 minute video capture, plus 1000 word critique (including references) |
| Criteria: | Marking criteria will be provided on Canvas. |
Assessment task 3: Case Re-formulation and Treatment Plan
| Intent: | Clinical psychologists are required to complete case formulations for each client and this formulation should be used to develop a treatment plan for the client. Across different theoretical orientations, clinicians will formulate cases differently, resulting in differing treatment plans. Occasionally the chosen treatment is ineffective requiring the clinician to consider other perspectives. The intention of this assessment task is to equip students with the skills to formulate (and re-formulate) a clinical case across multiple modalities. |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 001, 015, 016, 017, 020, 021, 030, 072 and 073 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .005, .006, 01.1, 02.1, 02.2 and 02.3 |
| Type: | Case study |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1500-2500 words |
| Criteria: | Marking criteria for this assessment task is provided on Canvas. |
Minimum requirements
Students must attend all thirteen workshops (100% attendance). Students must pass all assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)
References
Harris, R. (2019). ACT Made Simple: An Easy to Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2nd Ed.). United States: New Harbinger Publications.
McKay, M., & Wood, J. (2011). The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Diary: Monitoring Your Emotional Regulation Day by Day. New Harbinger Publications.
Please Note: Other additional readings associated with each topic may be posted in the Canvas site for this subject. Students are encouraged to check regularly to ensure they have completed the recommended readings for this unit.