UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

Clinical psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists work with people across the lifespan who experience a range of mental health and emotional wellbeing difficulties. This unit aims to provide a foundational conceptual and practical framework for the assessment and conceptualisation of common mental health, behavioral and/ or neurodevelopmental conditions in children, young people and adults.

Students are introduced to psychological assessment and the diagnostic process (using DSM-5-TR and/or ICD-11), clinical interviewing and observation methods (e.g., history taking and conducting a mental health status assessment) and psychometric instruments appropriate for the measurement and monitoring of a range of common mental health and/or neurodevelopmental conditions in both children and adults.

Students also learn how to organise clinical information into a case assessment report, and how to use the clinical information they gather towards an integrated biopsychosocial formulation to guide intervention and supports' selection and delivery. Consideration is given to co-occurring conditions and sociocultural diversity and how these may influence and inform clinical assessment and formulation, and clinical practice more broadly.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Semester 1	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) identify, self-reflect on, and consider the evidence base alongside relevant clinical information from different methods of psychological assessment in relation to formulating and intervening with common psychological presenting difficulties, across the lifespan and considering diversity (e.g., culture, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander).; (2) identify psychological conditions/ disorders using a taxonomy system and explain their clinical decision making in relation to diagnostic considerations, including differential diagnosis; (3) identify, organise and communicate in written report the presenting difficulties, predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective biopsychosocial factors across the lifespan in case formulation of common mental health presentations, drawing from case information, psychological theory and research to consider options for intervention; (4) administer common psychometric instruments of intellectual functioning and memory; and (5) use professional communication skills in written case-based scenarios and in verbal interactions in role-play scenarios being sensitive to context (e.g., developmental stage, diversity).

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) essay; (2) intake report; (3) video assessment: psychometric test administration; and (4) attendance. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the attendance component.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Andrew Sheridan and Associate Professor Iliana Magiati

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

01890/54590 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Neuropsychology
or 01870/54570 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology
or 53370 Graduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology

Co-requisites

Successful completion of
or Enrolment in

one Unit(s) PSYC5672 Foundations in Clinical Skills I

Contact hours

2 1/2 hours/week
plus workshops: 3 x 4 hours

Note

Students enrolled in an APAC accredited program must hold provisional registration as a psychologist. It is the students' responsibility to ensure registration eligibility. Enrolled students are also responsible for maintaining provisional registration for the duration of their enrolment in the program.

Texts

There is no one textbook for this unit. A selection of key books and readings will be given at the start of the unit, and specific readings will be shared by the lecturers for each seminar.