Module Directory

This module is taken by trainees on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) programme in the first year of training. It comprises three topic areas namely Adult Mental Health, Older Adult Mental Health and Neuropsychology and aims to provide trainees with the knowledge, understanding and competencies required to provide clinical psychological services to Adults, Older Adults and people who require neuropsychological assessment and related interventions.

HS762 introduces the cycle of assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation and includes an analysis of the application of this process in work with adults of working age and older adults. Emphasis on the sociocultural context in which psychological difficulties can develop will be explored. Trainees will learn about common presentations and risk encountered in clinical practice across the lifespan and will learn about the process of assessment and formulation using the different theoretical models. Additionally, HS762 provides trainees with a foundation in neuropsychological theory and practice, encompassing assessment, formulation, and intervention.

Adults

The main aim of this topic is to provide Trainees with clinical psychological perspectives and frameworks for assessing, formulating and providing interventions for a range of common psychological problems encountered in working within services for adults. Although some of the teaching in this topic area focuses on specific clinical presentations, links are made throughout to broader processes and practices relevant to thinking about adults and the psychological difficulties they may present with.

The focus includes also how broader processes and structural factors (e.g. Whiteness, structural inequalities) can impact on service users, and the role played as trainees, with considerations of not replicating this in therapy.

Throughout this topic area, the focus is on helping trainees make theory-practice links when thinking about the application of general clinical psychological theories and approaches relevant to working with adults. Trainees are also provided with opportunities to reflect on attachment and broader developmental processes in their own lives and in the lives of clients, across the lifespan and how to use the assessment, formulation, intervention to address the wider factors such as racism that impact on people, The aim is to enable Trainees to work effectively with adults from all backgrounds. E.g. incorporating racism into the formulation.

Throughout the teaching sessions, we aim to discuss racism and gender inequalities as barriers to accessing mental health services, explore the implications for mental health and adopt a critical examination of the causes of disparities in the adult population.

The teaching in Adult Mental Health considers why racialised individuals are less likely to be offered psychological therapy and the impact that this disparity has on the individual and on the society.

Teaching includes clinical psychological approaches to problems in adulthood such as PTSD, Psychosis, Addiction and Personality Difficulties. Additionally, trainees develop an understanding of psychological approaches instead of / alongside biomedical approaches.  Throughout the topic, Trainees will have opportunity to critique theories, approaches and ideas. The topic will also aim to include service-user involvement and perspectives.

Neuropsychology

The neuropsychology topic aims to provide trainees with knowledge and understanding of Person-Centred Neuropsychology with a consideration about the origins of neuropsychology assessment and culturally specific factors in applying the tests. This places the client’s experiences at the centre of any understanding of their brain function and provides context and critical analysis of the origins of neuropsychological testing, for example how IQ tests were historically used and the impact of using test norms that are primarily based on native English speakers.

The module also examines how whiteness and racist ideology may shape the interpretation of neuropsychological test results, addressing issues such as eugenics, disparities, culturally specific factors in the application of tests. The content is presented from an intersectional lens, reflecting on how the intersection of multiple disadvantages can impact cognitive functioning.

Teaching on this part of the module includes: brain anatomy, neuro development, psychometric testing, with a consideration of the limitations of demographically adjusted norms. The teaching on this topic will also link into more specialist Neuropsychology teaching for older adults, people with intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injury (including HIV), eating disorders and children. 

Older adults

This topic aims at developing trainees’ understanding of relevant psychological theories of ageing and an awareness of psychological problems presenting in older people through an intersectional lens, considering the additional marginalisation that elders may experience. In the course of this topic, trainees will develop an understanding of the main therapeutic approaches as applied to problems of later life, including cognitive-behavioural, systemic, psychodynamic and other therapies. Additionally, the topic focuses on approaches to assessment in neuropsychology as applied to this client group. Trainees will also develop an understanding of approaches to behaviour that challenges, including psychological interventions, as well as indirect work with carers and staff teams (i.e., consultation). In this component of the module, trainees will develop increased capacity to reflect on the experience of older adults in health and social care settings, and the staff working with them.

Adult topic area

By the end of this module, trainees will be expected to be able to:

1. Understand the developmental context of adulthood and to be able describe the associated developmental tasks and roles and to appreciate the impact of transition through adolescence to later life.


2. Understand fundamental psychological theories and frameworks (such as attachment etc.) used in understanding the range of psychological problems experienced through the lifespan.


3. Have an understanding of the main psychological problems that can occur during adulthood, their clinical features and aetiological factors relevant to their development.


4. Engage critically with diagnostic classification systems of psychological problems and to provide psychologically informed formulations for such problems.


5. Appreciate the role of clinical psychologists and the application of psychological theory in physical health settings.


6. Develop specific knowledge and skills in the application of psychological approaches to the assessment, formulation and treatment of pain.


7. Understand how clinical psychologists can engage with the medical model; including developing ways of working psychologically alongside / as alternatives to medical treatments of psychological problems Neuropsychology.

Neuropsychology topic area

By the end of this module, trainees will be expected to be able to:

1. Select and conduct neuropsychological and other specialist psychometric testing as appropriate to the client’s presentation and needs.


2. Critically interpret and appropriately communicate findings from neuropsychological assessment to clients, carers and systems relevant to the client’s care.


3. Understand how approaches and interventions need to be adapted in response to findings from neuropsychological investigations.


4. Have a thorough grounding in the neurophysiological basis for the most common conditions relevant to the client groups trainees will encounter in the course of their training.


5. Understand the basics of neuro development and brain function and interaction.

Older Adults topic area

By the end of this module, trainees will be expected to be able to evidence:

1. Knowledge of different theoretical models for understanding the ageing process, including factors that support successful ageing, as well as those likely to impede development in later life.


2. Knowledge of some of the physical, psychological and social/economic factors that are relevant to the experience of ageing.


3. Knowledge of the range of clinical skills and approaches to working with older adults and those who care for them.


4. Knowledge of one’s own experiences of clinical work in settings serving older people.


5. Knowledge of the network of services for this client group and the roles of the different disciplines within them.


6. Knowledge of organisational difficulties in older adult services, as well as approaches to intervening at system and team levels.


7. The ability to provide psychological help to older people, their families or carers presenting with complex and multiple problems, within a variety of settings, to improve their quality of life.


8. The ability to bring awareness of lifespan development and issues associated with ageing to psychological work in any setting which may, directly or indirectly, impact upon the lives of older people.


9. The ability to contribute to improvements in services for older people and to help reduce age discrimination.

This module is undertaken in all three terms of year one and comprises three topic areas namely:

• Adult mental health


• Working with older adults


• Neuropsychology

In line with the general approach to teaching on the DClinPsych, the module places the emphasis on the application of underlying psychological theory clinical practice. This first year module introduces trainees to the fundamental principles necessary to work with clients of working age as well as older adults. The module runs in parallel with the two clinical placements of the first year, namely a placement in a service for adults and a service for older adults (or equivalent lifespan placements). Such placements generally include neuropsychological and related assessments and some placements specifically focus on adults or older adults who have acquired brain injuries or other neuropsychological problems.

This module provides trainees with an understanding and related competencies required for working with adults, older adults and people who require neuropsychological assessment and intervention.