Course syllabus for Clinical Practice with Children and Adolescents for Psychologists

Psykologarbete bland barn och ungdom

Specific entry requirements

To be eligible to advance to this course, students must have no more than 15 credits remaining from the previous term, and no credits remaining from any terms preceding this.

Students who fail a clinical placement (VIL) as a result of demonstrating such a serious lack of knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or the patients' confidence in medical care is at risk, will only be qualified for a new clinical placement once the individual action plan has been carried out.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Module 1, Theories, models and methods that concerning children and adolescents

• give an account of basic theories and models in psychologist work with children and adolescents e.g. concerning development and maintenance of problems
• describe attitudes and basic strategies in psychological interventions that target children and adolescents, e.g., how guardians can be involved and how one can handle a lack of motivation
• formulate analysis and conceptualization based on theories, models and methods relating to children and adolescents.

Module 2, Applied clinical practice with children and adolescents

• carry out behaviour consultation, including interviewing a pedagogue/teacher, doing child observations and giving oral and written feedback to the pedagogue/teacher
• integrate theoretical knowledge of children and consultative work (from module 1) in the practical implementation of behaviour consultation
• Show a professional approach and attitude in the consultative work as psychologist.

Content

The student is expected from earlier courses (Developmental psychology and Clinical psychology 1) to have basic knowledge about assessment - and testing methodology, communication methodology and behavioural analysis. This course mainly all intends to provide knowledge about how these skills can be applied in psychological work with children and adolescents.

The course is divided in the following two modules:

Module 1, Theories, models and methods concerning children and adolescents, 3 credits
A smaller part of the module is devoted to theories and models that concern psychologist work with children and adolescents, as for instance knowledge of risk and protective factors, prevention models, system theory and models of interaction. The larger part of the module is about attitude and basic strategies in psychological interventions. This includes, aspects of the psychologist work that are central in work with children and adolescents - in particular consultative work with parents and school staff.

Module 2, Applied clinical practice with children and adolescents, 3 credits
The second module includes a placement (VIL), where the student conducts behavioural consultations with a pedagogue/teacher at a preschool. This includes interviewing a pedagogue/teacher, observing the interplay between pedagogues/teachers and children, analyzing the interplay and giving feedback to the pedagogue/teacher. The student also considers ethical aspects during the work with the behavioural consultation. No individual children are subject to observation or documentation.

Teaching methods

Module 1, Theories, models and methods concerning children and adolescents
The teaching consists of teacher-led lectures. Researchers and clinically active psychologists with experience working with children and adolenscents lead the teaching. Throughout the module, students apply knowledge of theories, models and methods to fictional cases.

Module 2, Applied clinical practice with children and adolescents
The main part of the module is devoted to the placement activity at pre-schools (VIL). The students visit a preschool individually or in pairs on four occasions. During these visits, each student carries out consultative work with a pre-school pedagogue/ teacher. Before and between the visits, the students participate in compulsory lectures and seminars to obtain necessary guidance in the practical work.

Some course elements are compulsory, see heading "Examination".

Examination

The course is examined in the following way:

Module 1, Theories, models and methods concerning children and adolescents
a) compulsory presentation at a seminar based on the course book
b) compulsory opposition at a seminar
c) assignment based on fictitious cases, is graded U or G 
d) compulsory opposition on assignment based on fictitious cases e) compulsory seminars according to schedule

The module is graded U or G. The grade G requires G on examination c, as well as fulfillment of compulsory course elements, according to instructions.

Module 2, Applied clinical practice with children and adolescents
a) individual written report from the clinical practice at the pre-school, is graded U or G
b) continuous examination of professional approach in connection with VIL, is graded U or G
c) compulsory seminars according to schedule

The module is graded U or G. A student who begins but does not complete the VIL/VFU, without special reasons, shall be given the grade U (Fail). The student will then have used up one VIL/VFU opportunity. The grade G requires G on examination a and b, as well as fulfillment of compulsory course elements, according to instructions.

Course grade
The entire course is graded U or G. The grade G requires G on both module 1 and 2.

Absence from or unfulfillment of compulsory course elements
The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from or unfulfillment of compulsory course elements can be made up for. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in or fulfilled compulsory course elements, or compensated for any absence/ failure to fulfill in accordance with instructions from the examiner. Absence from or unfulfillment of a compulsory course element may imply that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

Limitation of the number of examinations
Regarding VIL/VFU (clinical training) opportunities, the number of times a student has the right to participate, is limited to two (2) times.

Guidelines in case of failure of VIL
The examiner may terminate a student's placement or equivalent with immediate effect if the student shows serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills or approach that jeopardize patient safety or erode patient trust in healthcare. If a placement is terminated this way, the student fails the practical work. In such cases, an individual action plan must be drawn up, stating what activities and tests are required before the student is qualified to a second VIL/VFU opportunity. The number of times a student has the right to undergo activities and tests according to the individual action plan is limited to two times.

Possibility of exception from the course syllabus' regulations on examination
In the event of special circumstances, or a need of adjustments for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to depart from the syllabus' regulations on examination form, number of examination opportunities, possibility of completion or exemption from compulsory educational elements, etc. Content and intended learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and approach must not be altered, removed or lowered.

Transitional provisions

If the course is cancelled or goes through substantial changes, information about interim regulations will be stated here.

Other directives

This is a translation of the Swedish version (Psykologarbete bland barn och ungdom). In the event of any discrepancy between the versions, the Swedish version constitutes the official decision, and the Swedish wording will prevail.

Literature and other teaching aids

Mandatory literature

Rosengren, Anna
KBT ur ett barnperspektiv: förhållningssätt och anpassningar i psykiatriskt arbete
Första utgåvan : [Stockholm] : Natur & kultur, [2019] - 325 sidor ISBN: 9789127823242, LIBRIS-ID: x73m8949vlkckdnd,

Articles accordning to teacher's instructions (100-150 pages)