PSYC663 - Advanced Psychotherapeutic Interventions

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

PSYC638 Therapeutic Skills

Unit rationale, description and aim

To address the increasing prevalence of complex psychological disorders in Australia and around the world, clinical psychologists need to be knowledgeable of, and competent in, a wide range of innovative and evidence-based interventions. Although cognitive-behaviour therapy is the treatment of choice for many disorders, a lack of treatment response is not uncommon for complex psychological disorders. Therefore, more advanced knowledge and application of other psychotherapeutic approaches are essential. This unit is designed to provide more detailed study of advanced psychotherapeutic interventions. Students will gain an understanding of principles and techniques associated with a range of interventions, including transdiagnostic approaches (i.e., approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy that target a broad range of diagnoses), and eHealth approaches, as well as ways of tailoring interventions (e.g., adapting a treatment that is sensitive to indigenous issues). In learning to develop, monitor, and modify case formulations and treatment plans consistent with these principles and based on an understanding of intra- and interpersonal processes, students will attain competencies in selecting, designing, and implementing individually tailored and culturally responsive interventions. The aim of this unit is to provide students with in-depth knowledge and opportunities to practice evidence-based therapeutic modalities that go beyond standard cognitive-behavioural interventions.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the relevant principles in assessment, formulation, treatment planning and intervention consistent with advanced therapeutic interventions for the treatment of complex psychological disorders (GA5);

LO2 - Synthesise and critically evaluate the empirical research literature pertaining to these advanced therapeutic modalities (GA3, GA4, GA8);

LO3 - Apply skills in assessment, formulation, treatment planning and intervention consistent with advanced therapeutic interventions and empirical knowledge to their own clinical practice (GA1, GA3, GA5, GA6, GA9)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include:  

With a focus on specific core concepts and theoretical principles of the advanced psychotherapeutic modalities: 

• Assessment and case formulation  
• Treatment strategies 
• Evaluating treatment outcomes 
• Evaluating the empirical evidence 
• Addressing treatment non-response 
• Transdiagnostic approaches 
• E-health approaches 
• Personality and trauma-informed approaches 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Postgraduate students in psychology are expected to be independent learners. This is reflected in an approach that puts students at the centre of their learning through participation in discussions. This unit therefore uses an active learning approach presented in face-to face mode with three contact hours per week or equivalent in intensive mode, and utilises a combination of lectures, workshops and web-based learning. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in class activities. Learning and teaching strategies used in lectures and workshops include case-based learning, demonstrations, role plays, web-based learning, and reflective/critical thinking activities. Lectures and demonstrations are structured to deliver essential content, while workshops and role plays provide students with opportunities to practice and discuss assessment and intervention strategies. Web-based learning and reflective/critical thinking activities will enhance learning and provide opportunities for students to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively. This range of strategies will provide students with appropriate access to required knowledge and understanding of unit content, and opportunities for development of competency in clinical adult psychology.

This unit may also be offered in intensive mode on an international campus. The materials and assessments are consistent with the semester mode materials. Intensive mode delivery of PSYC663 will be transparently equitable in delivery of content, to that of students participating in face-to-face delivery on campus.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit allows students to collaborate and demonstrate their acquisition and critical application of evidence-based assessment and intervention skills. In order to best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment, consistent with university assessment requirements, is used. The written assignment is designed to assess students’ ability to critically evaluate and integrate information provided in a case study and to develop a case formulation and treatment plan consistent with the empirical research literature and theoretical principles underlying an advanced psychotherapeutic modality. The skills demonstration is designed to assess students’ ability to demonstrate their skills in advanced psychotherapeutic techniques. The exam is designed to assess students’ knowledge in the relevant principles in assessment, formulation, treatment planning and intervention consistent with advanced therapeutic interventions for the treatment of complex psychological disorders. Students must pass all assessment tasks in order to pass the unit because in order to address complex psychological disorders effectively, students must demonstrate an appropriate level of competence across all learning outcomes. A failure in any of these tasks is likely to translate to an unacceptable level of risk to clients the student will come into contact with as practising psychologists.

Intensive mode assessment of PSYC663 will be transparently equitable to that of students participating in face-to-face delivery on campus.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Artz, A., & Jacob, G. (2013). Schema therapy in practice: An introductory guide to the schema mode approach. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change. (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Pederson, L. D. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy: A contemporary guide for practitioners.  Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell

Richards, D., & Richardson, T. (2012). Computer-based psychological treatments for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 32, 329-342.