Description This subject provides an examination of a range of major categories of psychopathology, including more typical presentations for psychological treatment and inter-professional indications and communication. Students will critically evaluate the common diagnostic systems of adult psychopathology, and examine the diagnostic criteria for a range of major psychopathology presentations. The subject will equip students with skills in the application of diagnostic and psychometric assessment of these psychological disorders and the ability to construct a case formulation with systemic and cultural considerations, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform psychological treatment interventions. Students will also develop skills in discerning when, why and how to collaborate and communicate with multidisciplinary teams in inter-professional context.
Students must be enrolled in 1812 Master of Clinical Psychology or 1814 Master of Professional Psychology.
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
Critically evaluate the history and characteristics of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD), analysing their strengths and limitations as classificatory systems of adult psychopathology (APAC GA: 3.16, 4.2.1i, 4.2.1iii & 4.2.2i).
Evaluate and assess the diagnostic features and associated characteristics of major and comorbid psychological disorders and indications for inter-professional treatments, collaboration and communication. (APAC GA: 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 4.2.1iii, 4.2.2ii, 4.2.2iii & 4.2.3iii).
Examine the current major theories of the aetiologies of these disorders, identify risk and resilience factors and apply these within a systemic and culturally informed framework, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. (APAC GA: 3.2, 4.2.1i & 4.2.1ii).
Implement and evaluate their practice of a clinical diagnostic interview that assesses adult psychopathology to generate provisional and differential diagnoses and case level formulation to inform treatment planning that takes into consideration systemic and cultural contexts, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (APAC GA: 3.3, 3.6, 3.14, 3.15 & 4.2.2iii).
Theoretical and empirical foundations of psychopathology, including current diagnostic classification systems ? International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD 11), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5).
Clinical and psychometric assessment of psychopathology, including risk assessment.
Case formulation that includes systemic and cultural considerations in client presentations.
Anxiety disorders.
Mood disorders.
Trauma and stressor-related disorders.
Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.
Eating and Feeding disorders.
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Personality Disorders.
Substance Related Disorders.
Assessment
The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.
