Outline

Overview

In this unit students will develop expert understanding of theories and acquire advanced clinical skills that are important for psychological assessment of children and adults. The unit is based on the scientist-practitioner model which highlights the importance of critical thinking and utilisation of up to date research in selection of instruments and techniques to be used in assessments. The unit will promote a clinical approach that integrates clinical history, presentation and results obtained from psychometric testing (when appropriate) to form an opinion. Assessment and management of suicide risk will also be covered. It will develop a conceptual framework for understanding core psychological and developmental disorders, and assessment of these disorders. The unit will focus on assessment of behaviour, affect and cognition across the lifespan. Students will be taught how to undertake psychological assessments and how to communicate these complex findings to a range of audiences.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PSYC6083
Academic unit	Psychology Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Suncica Lah, suncica.lah@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Suncica Lah, suncica.lah@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	David Horry, david.horry@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Skills-based evaluation	Clinical viva WISC-5 (Week 3 and 4) Clinical viva	0%	Multiple weeks	40 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Child report summary Report summary	0%	Week -05 Due date: 18 Mar 2023 at 15:00	200-500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Adult report writing assignment Clinical report	0%	Week 11 Due date: 06 May 2023 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Clinical viva WAIS-4 (Week 13) Clinical viva	0%	Week 13	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Clincal viva WAIS-4: Students are to demonstrate competence in administration of WAIS 4 in a clinical viva. Clinical vivas will be conducted face to face in the psychology clinic.
Adult report writing assignment: Students will be provided with case information they will need to analyse, interpret and integrate to produce an adult assessment report.
Clinical viva WISC-5: Students are to demonstrate competence in administration of WISC 5 in a clinical viva. Clinical vivas will be conducted face to face in the psychology clinic.
Child report summary: Students will be provided with case information. They will need to integrate test scores with background information and produce a report summary (formulation).

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

Result	Code	Description
Pass with Merit	PM	The material or clinical practice substantially exceeds the expected level of competence for the stage of training. Reserved for work of an exceptionally high standard that demonstrates independent thought, originality and comprehensive knowledge of the subject area. In order to be awarded a ‘Pass with Merit’, a student needs to perform in the top 10% of students.
Pass	P	The material or clinical practice meets the expected level of competence for the stage of training. A pass is considered to signify work that is of a good to very good standard, according to the relevant expectations.
Meet with Marker	MEET	The written material or clinical practice demonstrates some misunderstanding or a minor deficiency in level of competence. The student must meet with the examiner to discuss the problems with the work. If the marker is satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, the work is given a pass. Alternatively, the student may be required to resubmit or repeat the work.
Resubmit	RE	The written material or clinical practice does not meet the required competency. The student must resubmit or repeat the work within a period of time determined by the CPU and the work will be re-marked. Resubmitted or repeated work that on this basis fails to meet the required competency will then be marked independently by a second marker, and a third marker if the two initial markers disagree. Work that is deemed to have failed to meet course requirements by two markers will be assigned a Fail.
Fail	F	The written material or clinical practice is of a sufficiently low standard, or demonstrates unethical or dangerous practice. Any piece of written work that is marked with Fail will be marked independently by a second marker, and by a third marker if the two initial markers disagree. Where required, the three markers meet to decide upon a final mark to be awarded. Work that is deemed to have failed to meet course requirements by two markers will be assigned a Fail. In most cases, written assessments and clinical practice assessments examine core clinical competencies, and the Fail mark will result in the Unit of Study being failed. Any Unit of Study that the student is deemed to have failed will have to be repeated, and the student will be required to re-enrol in that Unit of Study. Students are only eligible to repeat Units of Study once.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties If you do not submit an assessment by the due date, and do not have an approved special consideration application, late penalties will apply. The following penalties apply for any assessment submitted late without an extension approved through special consideration: • Less than 1 week late > Meet with Marker (MEET) Requirement: Student to meet with Unit Coordinator plus either Director of Clinical Training or Head of the Clinical Psychology Unit. • 1-2 weeks late > Resubmit (RE) Requirement: Student to complete a new piece of work and resubmit within one week (e.g. new assignment or new case report or new research report). Unit Coordinator to provide new assignment question or instructions. • 2 weeks late > Fail (F) Requirement: Result reported as Fail for unit of study on student academic transcript.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week -02	[Child] Assessment of intellectual abilities in children; Test: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-5 (WISC-5) (Lah)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week -03	[Child] Specific learning disorders in children; Tests: WIAT 3 (Lah)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week -04	[Child] Child ADHD; Attention and executive skills; Tests: TEACh, Conners 3 (Lah)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 01	[Child] History taking; Developmental delay, intellectual disability and giftedness (Lah)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 03	[Child] Clinical viva WISC-5 (Lah)	Practical (2 hr)
Week 03	[Child] Clinical viva WISC-5 (Lah)	Practical (5 hr)
Week 04	[Child] Clinical viva: WISC-5 (Lah)	Practical (3 hr)
Week 04	[Child] Clinical viva: WISC-5 (Lah)	Practical (2 hr)
Week 05	[Child] Memory in children; Disorders and assessment: Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning 2 (WRAML 2) (Lah)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 06	[Child/Adult] Autism Spectrum Disorder: how to screen, and when and where to refer for full assessment; dd with ADHD/trauma (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	[Adult] Intelligence; Test: the WAIS-4 administration (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 08	[Adult] Intelligence; Test: the WAIS-4 administration (continued), scoring and interpretation (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 09	[Adult] Reading and writing; Tests: selected subtests from the Woodcock Johnson 4 (WJ 4); WRAT-5 (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 10	[Adult] Adult ADHD and report writing; Tests: Connors Adult ADHD Rating Scale; Test of Everyday Attention (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 11	[Adult] Episodic memory; Tests: the Wechsler Memory Scales-4 (WMS-4), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Rey Complex Figure (RCFT) (Wright)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 12	[Adult] Executive function; Tests: the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST), Rey Complex Figure Test, and Trails (Wright)	Independent study (3 hr)
Week 13	[Adult] Clinical vivas WAIS-4 (Wright)	Practical (7 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. demonstrate advanced knowledge of current diagnostic features and developmental progression of major neurodevelopmental disorders
LO2. demonstrate advanced knowledge of biological, psychological and social factors underpinning neurodevelopmental disorders and impacting the outcomes
LO3. utilise this advanced knowledge in case analyses and formulation of hypotheses prior to assessment
LO4. structure clinical interviews that will test clinical hypotheses generated from background case information
LO5. select assessment tools that are suitable for testing clinical hypotheses and have adequate psychometric properties
LO6. administer psychometric instruments
LO7. interpret scores obtained on psychometric instruments
LO8. integrate background, interview and psychometric data with the knowledge of neurodevelopmental disorders to arrive at case interpretation, diagnosis and oral and written recommendations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.2. Apply evidence-based and scientific methods to professional practice across the lifespan in empirically valid and culturally responsiveways. 3.5. Identify psychological disorders using a recognised taxonomy.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.2. Apply evidence-based and scientific methods to professional practice across the lifespan in empirically valid and culturally responsiveways. 3.7. Monitor outcomes and modifications based on evolving case formulation, including health and health concerns, family and support networks, and organisational, cultural or community contexts, with care given to the appropriateness of interventions for the client within their wider context.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.2. Apply evidence-based and scientific methods to professional practice across the lifespan in empirically valid and culturally responsiveways. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk. 3.7. Monitor outcomes and modifications based on evolving case formulation, including health and health concerns, family and support networks, and organisational, cultural or community contexts, with care given to the appropriateness of interventions for the client within their wider context.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.3. Employ professional communication skills, in a culturally responsive manner, with a range of socially and culturally diverse clients. 3.4. Perform appropriate standardised psychological testing, as part of broader assessment,to assess and interpret aspects of functioning. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.4. Perform appropriate standardised psychological testing, as part of broader assessment,to assess and interpret aspects of functioning. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.3. Employ professional communication skills, in a culturally responsive manner, with a range of socially and culturally diverse clients. 3.4. Perform appropriate standardised psychological testing, as part of broader assessment,to assess and interpret aspects of functioning. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.4. Perform appropriate standardised psychological testing, as part of broader assessment,to assess and interpret aspects of functioning. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk.
	Australian Psychology Accreditation Council - 3.4. Perform appropriate standardised psychological testing, as part of broader assessment,to assess and interpret aspects of functioning. 3.6. Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk. 3.7. Monitor outcomes and modifications based on evolving case formulation, including health and health concerns, family and support networks, and organisational, cultural or community contexts, with care given to the appropriateness of interventions for the client within their wider context.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

'No changes have been made since this unit was last offered'.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PSYC6083: Assessment Across the Lifespan

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect