Clinical forensic psychology, 7.5 credits

Passed results from semester 1-3 of the Psychology programme consisting 90 credits and at least 15 credits from semester 4.

Students who fail their VIL (clinical training opportunity) as a result of demonstrating such a serious lack of understanding, skills or attitude that patient safety or the patients' confidence in medical care is at risk, will only be qualified for a new VIL opportunity after completion of an individual action plan.

After the course, the student should be able to

• account for legal and organizational preconditions for clinical forensic psychology at a general level in Sweden
• describe some fundamental features within general criminological theory, give examples of risk factors for criminality among offenders with and without mental disorder and account for research about criminal recidivism
• reflect over ethical issues associated with compulsory institutional care
• define the key concepts psychopathy, risk and severe mental disorder and account for clinical applications of the concepts
• give examples of and describe psychological treatment for offenders and account for the evidence whereupon the treatment rests
• account for clinical psychologists' different spheres of activity and - assignments in the area of clinical forensic psychology in Sweden and reflect on the integration between theory and clinical application.

Forensic psychology is the field of psychology that integrates psychology and the judicial system. The course in clinical forensic psychology presents an introduction to clinical psychologists' work within the field. In Sweden, this work is carried out mainly within units for forensic psychiatric assessment, forensic psychiatric treatment, correctional treatment, youth detention centers, the police service but also within general psychiatric treatment. The course includes an orientation in the judicial and organizational preconditions with impact on clinical psychologists' work within the field. The course also presents theories of criminality among and treatment of different offender groups (for example mentally disordered offenders, sex offenders, and juvenile offenders). The course also gives an understanding of the key concepts of psychopathy, risk (assessment, prediction, management) and severe mental disorder, and gives an orientation as to how these concepts are used in clinical work. During the entire course ethical issues associated with psychological work with individuals treated in compulsory care are discussed. On completion of the course should students should be acquainted with a number of fields where clinical forensic psychologists in Sweden are active today along with the tasks they complete in their respective fields.

This course includes only two seminars, Introduction and Final seminar, and two lectures, Psychopathy and Risk assessment. The main part of the course is run through weekly, written discussions via KI's learning platform. In between, the student herself acquires information about given topics of discussion, through literature and internet searches according to teachers' instructions. The course includes a one-day clinical internship (auscultation, VIL) with a professional psychologist within the field.

Attendance is compulsory at seminars, lectures and the auscultation. Active contribution is compulsory at discussions on the learning platform and at oral presentation after the auscultation, see heading "Examination".

The course is examined in the following way:
a) compulsory posts, answers and comments in all discussions on KI's learning platform
b) compulsory attendance at all seminars and lectures
c) compulsory participation at auscultation
d) compulsory oral presentation at final seminar after the auscultation
e) a short, written report related to the auscultation, is graded U or G

The course is graded U or G. The grade G requires G on examination assignment e) as well as fulfillment of compulsory course elements.

Absence from or non-fulfillment of compulsory educational elements
Absence from a seminar or a lecture may be compensated with a specific advanced assignment. The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from or unfulfillment of other 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 cannot retake the element until the next time the course is offered. 

Limitation of the number of VIL opportunities
Regarding the auscultation, which is a so called VIL opportunity, the number of times a student has the right to do the auscultation is limited to two (2) times.

Guidelines in case of failure of VIL/ VFU
The examiner may, with immediate effect, interrupt a student's auscultation (VIL) if the student demonstrates such a serious lack of understanding, skills or attitude that patient security or the patients' confidence in medical care is at risk. If a VIL opportunity is interrupted in this way, this counts as one failed VIL opportunity. In such cases, an individual action plan should be established, where it is made explicit what activities and examinations are required before the student is qualified for a second VIL-opportunity on the course.

Possibility of exception from the course syllabus' regulations on examination
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus' regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes may not be changed, removed or reduced.

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

Course evaluation takes place according to KI's local guidelines. Results and possible measures are returned to the students via course web.

Teaching in English may occur.