Module PPC-4006:
Approaches and Therapies 2

Module Facts

Run by School of Psychology

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Prof Fay Short

Overall aims and purpose

This module provides you with an opportunity to broaden your understanding of the mental health, psychological wellbeing, and emotional standing of a client. You will develop an insight into the work of other practitioners in the field of mental health, including researchers and clinicians. In applying these different perspectives, you will consider a range of classified disorders (e.g. mood, anxiety) to recognize and support those presenting with specific difficulties. However, you will also be encouraged to view such disorders as part of a continuum and we will explore the limitations of the medical approach to diagnosis and treatment. In addition to this focus on mental distress, you will be introduced to interventions designed to enhance mental wellness through wellbeing, resilience, and positive psychology training. Throughout this content, you will be encouraged to reflect on your own development as a practitioner in relation to the topics under consideration. Content will be illustrated with case study examples so that you can apply your knowledge. You will be supported in debating the academic content with consideration of professional practice, therapeutic theory, and research evidence.

Course content

Topics covered in this module may include: • Psychopharmacology • Brain Trauma and Disease • Mood • Anxiety • Psychosis • Dissociation • Substance Use • Child Sexual Abuse • Sexuality • Wellbeing, Resilience, and Positive Psychology Please note that these topics are subject to change dependent on staff availability and the assessed needs of the students

Assessment Criteria

good

• Some insight into the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress • Strong knowledge of Mental Health & Wellbeing • Clear understanding and mostly free of factual errors • Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas • Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Some independent research • Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims • Focused and well structured • Good presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style

threshold

• Limited insight into the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress • Some knowledge of Mental Health & Wellbeing • Understanding of the main concepts, but with factual errors in non-core concepts • Limited analysis showing only obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas • Highly limited originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Highly limited evidence of independent research • Arguments presented but lack coherence with evidence for only some claims • Focused but with some irrelevant material and weaknesses in structure • Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression • Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style

excellent

• Insightful awareness of the assessment, symptoms, risks, and treatment for different forms of mental distress • Comprehensive knowledge of Mental Health & Wellbeing • Detailed understanding with no factual errors • Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas • Originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Extensive independent research • Logically defended arguments with evidence for all claims • Highly focused and well structured • Excellent presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Correct format in appropriate referencing style

Learning outcomes

  1. Synthesise psychological, social, and pharmacological theories to analyse the continuum of mental health and wellbeing

  2. Explain and evaluate the possible presentations, diagnoses, causal factors, and interventions for psychological difficulties

  3. Debate the psychological and biological explanations and interventions for relieving mental distress and enhancing mental wellness, with critical evaluation of their empirical evidence base and potential risks

  4. Critically reflect on how own practice may be influenced by the mental health and wellbeing of both the counsellor and client

  5. Orally present critical insights into a therapeutic case study in a simulated group supervision setting

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
Oral Group Exam 40.00
Insight and Evaluation 50.00
What is Mental Health? 10.00

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Lecture

Your lectures will focus on the core theories and concepts for each of the topics in the curriculum content.

 22
Workshop

Your case study discussions will involve small group discussions focusing on case studies related to the lecture topic for that week.

 11
Private study 167

Transferable skills

  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
  • Caring - Showing concern for others; caring for children, people with disabilities and/or the elderly
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Subject specific skills

  • Understand the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.
  • Apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues and integrate ideas and findings across the multiple perspectives in psychology.
  • Communicate psychological concepts effectively in oral form.
  • Retrieve and organise information effectively.
  • Handle primary source material critically.
  • Engage in effective teamwork for the purpose of collaborating on psychological projects.
  • Be sensitive and react appropriately to contextual and interpersonal psychological factors.
  • Use effectively personal planning and project management skills.
  • Work effectively under pressure (time pressure, limited resources, etc) as independent and pragmatic learners.
  • Problem-solve by clarifying questions, considering alternative solutions, making critical judgements, and evaluating outcomes.
  • Reason scientifically and demonstrate the relationship between theory and evidence.
  • Understand and investigate the role of brain function in all human behaviour and experience.
  • Be aware of ethical principles and approval procedures.

Resources

Reading list

Carlson, N. R. & Birkett, M. A. (2017). Physiology of behavior. Essex, UK: Pearson. Davey, G. (2014). Psychopathology: Research, assessment and treatment in clinical psychology. Oxford, UK: BPS Textbooks in Psychology Series with Blackwell Publishing. van Rijn, B. (2014). Assessment and case formulation in counselling and psychotherapy. London, UK: Sage.

Pre- and Co-requisite Modules

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses: