| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Adult Psychopathology |
| Unit ID: | PSYCM7015 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090701 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit addresses the common psychological disorders occurring in adulthood. Knowledge and skills will be taught in relation to aetiology and diagnosis of these disorders, the mechanisms that maintain them as well as their neurobiological underpinnings. It will also introduce students to frameworks of assessment, formulation and intervention with consideration of client and clinician variables. Intervention will be approached from a pharmacological as well psychological perspective. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:No |
| Supplementary assessment is not available to students who gain a fail in this Unit. |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | |  | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
|
| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Accurately and effectively communicate the key features of mental disorders, including prevalence, presenting clinical features, diagnostic criteria (DSM), and comorbidities to peers and clinicians/supervisors. |
|
| K2. | Effectively and accurately articulate the role of psychopharmacology in psychological practice to peers, clinicians, and clients. |
|
| K3. | Evaluate complex cases of psychological disorders, analysing and communicating clinical information to inform treatment planning and intervention strategies. |
|
| K4. | Explore evidence-based approaches to treating psychological disorders and use critical thinking to develop treatment plans for individual clients. |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Perform a detailed clinical assessment of adult psychological disorders and evidence-based formulation and treatment plan |
|
| S2. | Create a detailed diagnosis of adult psychological disorders based on DSM-5 criteria and relevant international taxonomies of classification in conjunction with a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment. |
|
| S3. | Critically evaluate the relevant literature to create an informed best-practice/evidenced based approach to clinical assessment and diagnosis. |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Describe, explain and evaluate the process of clinical assessment and diagnostic procedures. |
|
| A2. | Communicate professional insights from clinical data and assessments to enhance understanding and clinical decision-making between and within teams. |
|
| A3. | Incorporate feedback from peers and supervisors on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment practices, showing self-awareness and a commitment to ongoing improvement. |
|
| Unit Content: |
• Diagnosis of psychological disorders using diagnostic classification systems such as the DSM-5
• Sress and adjustment
• Anxiety Disorders
• Mood disorders
• Neurobiological bases for common mental health problems |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
|
| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | |
|
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3 | Case study presentation for a multi-disciplinary team in a primary health care setting and written reflection. | Oral Presentation and Written Reflection | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Students will complete a test to demonstrate their knowledge of common psychological disorders, competency in the application of DSM and international diagnostic classification systems for diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and knowledge of the role of psychopharmacology within psychological practice. | Test | 40-60% |
|