Mental Health Issues Across the Lifespan

Subject PSYC90010 (2012)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2012.

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 1.5 hours of lectures/seminars per week for 12 weeks.
Total Time Commitment:

54 Hours

Prerequisites:

The following are prerequisite subjects:

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites:

None

Recommended Background Knowledge:

Completion of APAC approved psychology studies to fourth-year (Honours) level.

Non Allowed Subjects:

None

Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements, Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Dr Rowena Conroy

Contact

Sarah Drew

sarah@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

The objective of this subject is for students to develop an understanding of mental health issues at several distinct life stages; namely, infancy, adolescence, and older adulthood. Six seminars will address mental health in infancy and adolscence. Lectures covering infancy will focus on topics such as common mental health problems in infancy and early childhood, the attachment relationship and implications for mental health, and approaches to intervention with infants and their parents. Lectures on adolsecent development will focus on issues such as engagement, confidentiality, riks-taking, depression, personality disorders, self harm and suicide, and substance use. Six lectures will address topics of clinical relevance to older adults. These include life transitions, normal development and cognitive change in later life, theoretical models of ageing, models for psychological intervention with older adults and how intervention might be modified in light of maturational and contextual variables, and psychological intervention in people with demential and their families.

Objectives:

To provide students with an opportunity to:

  1. gain an understanding of mental health issues at several life stages; namely, infancy, adolscence, and older adulthood
  2. develop the skills and knowledge necessary to provide clinical assessment and interventio services to these populations
  3. develop the skills necessary to critically evaluate theoretical approaches to assessment and intervention at these different life stages, and to select the most appropriate and evidence-based interventions
Assessment:
  1. A mid-semester written assignment of 1250 words based on case material provided in class and related to work with infants/adolescents (50%)
  2. An end-of-semester written assignment of 1250 words based on case material provided in class and related to work with older adults (50%)
  3. A hurdle requirement of satisfactory class participation
Prescribed Texts:

Reading pack, available at the start of the lecture series.

Readings made availble through the LMS

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  1. Advanced information interpretations skills
  2. Advanced analytic, integration and problem solving skills
Related Course(s): Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology)
Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology)/Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy

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