Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Assessment procedures used in educational and community counselling settings, including intake assessment, case conceptualization, observational procedures, diagnostic categories, ethics, bias and multicultural and diversity issues.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is designed to introduce students to a wide range of formal as well as informal assessment strategies available for entry-level counsellors, in order to ensure rigor in their clinical as well as actuarial approaches to case conceptualization/formulation. The scope of the contents covered in the course is limited to Master/Entry-level counsellors. Topics of discussions include:  

1. Introduction to & forms/types of assessments in counselling and psychotherapy
2. Ethical principles, responsibilities, and qualifications in conducting assessments
3. Contextual/diversity/equity/social justice issues in assessment
4. Introduction to psychological ‘constructs’  
5. Fundamental principles of psychometrics
6. Conducting intake interviews, assessing readiness for change, risks & resources  
7. Assessing the therapeutic alliance & conducting end-of-session case processing
8. Assessing psychopathology
9. Introduction to transdiagnostic approach
10. Interest and career assessment 
11. Suicide risk assessment
12. Responding to potential child abuse and neglect
13. Introduction to case conceptualization/formulation
14. Approaches to goal setting and treatment planning

Note: Please note that students do NOT engage in administering, scoring, and/or interpreting standardized measures.
Refer to the SFU course calendar to see if a course of this nature is being offered.
Otherwise, UBC offers a test and measurement course, which may be taken through the Western Deans's Agreement in consultation and with permission of your pro-tem advisor. 

Professional Requirements:
Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with ethical and professional guidelines at all times so that an atmosphere of safety and trust can be established. Respectful dialogue is expected between students and with the instructor. Each student is responsible for being prepared for class and participating fully in all aspects of the course. Students missing more than two classes will be required to withdraw from the course as per the Counselling Psychology Policies and Procedures.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Objectives:
At the completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Develop hypotheses about client problems, patterns, and strengths
2. Develop foundational knowledge and skills for conceptualizing cases and formulating problems
3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the purposes and function of the DSM
4. Describe and identify specific common DSM diagnoses
5. Describe and identify the limitations of the DSM
6. Describe emerging transdiagnostic mechanisms
7. Develop essential knowledge and skills to conduct suicide risk assessment and in responding to potential child abuse and neglect  
8. Develop assessment skills for working with diversity issues (e.g. SES, gender)
9. Develop cultural competency in assessing culturally diverse clients 8. Understand the guidelines and ethics related to assessment and diagnosis

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Custom courseware

RECOMMENDED READING: