Health Psychology for Clinicians PG (6308.6)

Please note these are the 2021 details for this unit
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Health Psychology for Clinicians PG
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-Campus
 UC - Canberra, Bruce
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Health
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Psychology Post Graduate Level Band 1 2021 (Pg Clinical Psychology)
Band 2 2021 (Prof Pathway Psychology-After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 2 2021 (Prof Pathway Psychology-Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 2 2021 (Standard Course Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
Band 4 2021 (Standard Course Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
This unit introduces students to key skills, theories, and practice issues in health psychology. Specific health problems are conceptualised from a biopsychosocial perspective. Emphasis is given to working with those who are currently ill and those who are not engaging in health protective behaviours. Pharmacological interventions currently used in Australia are introduced, and cultural factors and interprofessional practice in this setting are also considered.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify the areas of health in which psychological practitioners work, including behavioural medicine, rehabilitation, and health promotion;
2. Critically evaluate the interaction of psychological, biological, and social factors in health problems;
3. Apply knowledge of, and practice in, the use of relevant psychological assessment and intervention approaches in both acute and chronic conditions with critical consideration of their appropriateness when working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
4. Evaluate potential ethical issues in psychological practice in health psychology; and
5. Apply knowledge of psychopharmacology, including biological action and clinical implications for use of psychotropic medications.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

Must be enrolled in 742AA Master of Clinical Psychology OR 958AA Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology.

Incompatible units

  • None.


Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2022 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2021 UC - Canberra, Bruce Semester 2 02 August 2021 On-Campus Dr Douglas Boer
2022 UC - Canberra, Bruce Semester 2 01 August 2022 On-Campus Dr Douglas Boer
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

A number of readings related to topics in the unit are available through Canvas in the Reading List.  Students are required to read these before the workshops in order to gain initial insight into the topics reviewed and optimise learning in formal teaching. 

Additional resources are listed below:

Andrasik, F., Goodie, J.L. & Peterson, A.L. (Eds) (2015). Biopsychosocial Assessment in Clinical Health Psychology, The Guilford Press: New York.

Belar, C.D. & Deardorff, W.W. (2009). Clinical Health Psychology in Medical Settings: A Practitioner's Guidebook, Second Edition. American Psychological Association: USA.

Nikcevic (A.V.), Kuczmierczyk, A.R. & Bruch, M. (Eds). (2006) Formulation and Treatment in Clinical Health Psychology. Routledge: UK.   Miller, W.R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational Interviewing: Helping people change. New York: The Guilford Press

Australian Psychological Society (2007). Code of ethics. Melbourne. [Available online at http://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/Code_Ethics_2007.pdf] Copies are also available from the library.

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed. Arlington, VA: Author. 

 

 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Extensions:

Please read the above information carefully regarding extensions and late penalties. In addition to the above, please note the following:

  1. Students are expected to work on the assessment items throughout the teaching period. Early communication of problems is strongly advised. Students should assess early in the teaching period whether they have a reasonable likelihood of being able to complete the unit and should consider withdrawing by the census date, if required.
  2. Completed Assignment Extension forms should be emailed to the unit convener along with supporting documentation (please put "Extension request" in the subject line) .
  3. The unit convener will consider your request, determine the length of the extension to be granted and email you advising whether your request is approved or declined. If approved, the new due date will also appear on your Moodle site where your assignment is submitted.
  4. Assignments submitted after the due date, regardless of whether an extension was granted, will be returned at a later date than those submitted on time.

Special assessment requirements

None

Academic integrity

Not offered.

Use of text matching software

In each assessment task, an ungraded pass is achieved by demonstrating competency overall through a passing grade.  Students must demonstrate an appropriate standard across all task requirements.  If a student has passed assessment task requirements overall but is marked as below competency standards on some criteria, they will have the opportunity to address these criteria through one resubmission to demonstrate competency at appropriate standard.  Unit convenors (or markers) will provide specific feedback in these circumstances to inform the student of the issues and criterion to be addressed. However, if the assignment still does not meet appropriate competency standards following resubmission, a fail grade will be applied.  If a student has not passed the assessment task requirements overall in the first submission, there will be no option to resubmit and a fail grade will be applied.

Students must submit/attempt all assignments to be eligible to pass the unit, and must achieve an ungraded pass in all assessment tasks in a given unit to achieve an ungraded pass for the unit.

Participation requirements

It is expected that all students will attend all workshops. Students should familiarise themselves with attendance rules in the Master of Clinical Psychology Program.  If you cannot attend a workshop, you are encouraged to discuss this absence with your unit convener in advance.  Students must provide documentation for any absences, and if accepted by the unit convenor, provide a 1000 word summary on the topic/s missed (due by end of semester) in order to demonstrate competency.   Students cannot miss more than one full day (or two three-hour workshops) in a unit or they will fail the unit. Material will not be repeated outside workshop time for those who miss a workshop with an approved absence. Delivery of material discussed in workshops will be assumed to be known by all, even those who do not attend. Please note that you may fail the unit if you miss any workshops without documentation given the unit is competency based, and students cannot miss mandatory workshops (outlined below). Students are also expected to attend workshops on time and work effectively with others.
 
Mandatory Workshops
Please note that the full day  Introduction to Motivational Interviewing workshop in this unit requires mandatory attendance.  Students cannot miss mandatory workshops, and if they are absent for these workshops they will receive a fail grade for the unit or should consider a late withdrawal if there are extenuating circumstances.  If a student has appropriate documentation supporting an absence under exceptional circumstances on the day of a mandatory workshop, students may be given the option to attend the workshop when it is next delivered in the course (and receive a WHE grade until such time if approved by the ADE and meeting all other pass requirements for the unit) or complete an equivalent workshop approved by the unit convenor at the student's own expense (please note documentation will be required as proof of  completion).  Students should also note that absences may impact course progression.

Required IT skills

No special IT skills are required for this unit, although it is expected that all students will have basic word-processing skills. If you are unfamiliar with searching specialist databases for accessing Psychology journals, please see the UC library site for details of training sessions:

http://www.canberra.edu.au/library/research-gateway/research-skills-training

In-unit costs

There are no set costs for this unit.

Work placement, internships or practicums

Not applicable

Additional information

Moderation Processes
In accordance with University policy (3.15 in Assessment Procedures), moderation is required to ensure consistency in standards of marking in a unit.  The Master of Clinical Psychology program and units undertake moderation in a number of domains, specifically through review of unit outlines and unit content, assessment item details and marking guides, and in marking assignments.  All assessment pieces or marks resulting in a fail grade will be moderated by another member of the clinical team, as well as a random selection of assignments covering a range of participants in the unit. This process ensures that marking across the program is consistent.  All units are subjected to moderation at the Discipline level at the conclusion of each teaching period.

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