Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Psychological Interventions in Childhood and Adolescence
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Introduction
The subject of PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENCE aims for students to acquire the most relevant knowledge for evaluation and psychological intervention in the clinical field with infant-juvenile child and youth population.
The subject is oriented from a cognitive behavioural perspective based on the most current evidence and scientific literature, offering a broad overview of effective intervention techniques for each specific disorder of childhood and adolescence.
Throughout the subject students will be offered tools so that they can make a correct clinical formulation of the most frequent mental health problems, as well as criteria that allow them to choose and design the type of evaluation and intervention technique that best suits the clinical case presented.
Pre-course requirements
It must have been done: Child psychopathology.
It is recommended that you have previously taken the following subjects: Evolutionary Psychology, Introduction to Psychopathology.
Objectives
General objectives:
- Understand and know the main intervention techniques in infant-juvenile clinical psychology
- Establish the importance of using psychological treatments based on current empirical evidence
- Know, understand and apply the main evaluation techniques in infant-juvenile clinical psychology
Specific objectives:
- Acquire terminology regarding clinical evaluation and intervention techniques.
- Understand the most relevant aspects of the treatment of each mental disorder in childhood.
- Study the specific characteristics of the therapeutic intervention process in childhood and adolescence.
- Understand the importance of multidisciplinary coordination to solve a clinical case.
- Understand the specific role of each technique, the specific characteristics of its application to the relevant problem and the proven effectiveness to date.
- Know how to choose the psychological intervention techniques indicated for each specific problem.
- Know the interventions considered iatrogenic and not use them.
- Know and be able to perform a functional analysis of the case correctly.
- Reflect on the current situation of psychological intervention in real clinical practice.
- Learn how to make a clinical case.
- Know and be able to apply the corresponding evaluation technique to evaluate a specific mental disorder.
- Learn how to interpret different infant-juvenile evaluation techniques.
- Start using intervention strategies.
- Know the ethical questions that arise in this area.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB02 - Students must know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competences that are usually demonstrated through the creation and defence of arguments and the solving of problems within their field of study.
- CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) in order to issue judgements that include a reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
- CB04 - Students must be able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CE01 - The ability to carry out appropriate Psychology-specific actions to achieve set targets in a specific work environment.
- CE02 - The ability to write reports on the results obtained during the evaluation process using Psychology-specific language.
- CE03 - The ability to make adequate decisions about what Psychology-specific methods and measuring instruments to use in each situation or evaluation context.
- CE04 - Know the principles and procedures of psychological intervention.
- CE05 - Design and apply a psychological intervention strategy depending on the context or service requested.
- CE08 - Awareness of the professional reality of psychologists in a specific field of application.
- CE12 - The ability to explain and identify the main stages of human development, recognise their progression and identify the characteristic signs and symptoms of the most frequent psychological conditions in each stage of development.
- CE16 - The ability to communicate evaluations in a critical, well-founded manner, respecting the ethical commitment involved in disseminating psychological knowledge.
- CG01 - Capacity for critical and creative thinking, and capacity to investigate and adopt a scientific and ethical approach in distinct professional settings.
- CG02 - The ability to make critical and well-founded judgements and assessments as part of the decision-making process.
- CG03 - The ability to read scientific literature in a critical, well-founded manner, take into account its provenance, situate it within an epistemological framework and identify and contrast its contributions in relation to the disciplinary knowledge available.
- CG04 - The ability to respect and enforce the code of ethics and act ethically in all activities related to the practice of the profession.
- CG06 - Flexibility, respect and discretion in the use of data corresponding to people, groups and organisations.
- CG08 - The capacity to interpret the content and scope of the information received or requested, orally or in writing, and process it appropriately according to the nature of the matter at hand.
- CG09 - The ability to integrate psychological knowledge and developments into professional practice.
- CG10 - Sensitivity to the needs and expectations of others.
- CG11 - Recognition, understanding and respect for the complexity of multicultural diversity.
- CT01 - The capacity to organise and plan.
- CT02 - The capacity to solve problems.
- CT03 - The capacity for analysis and synthesis.
- CT04 - The capacity to work in a team
- CT05 - The ability to reason and assess situations and results from a critical, constructive point of view.
- CT06 - The ability to develop interpersonal skills
- CT07 - The capacity to learn autonomously
- CT08 - The ability to put theoretical knowledge into practice
- CT09 - The ability to communicate adequately, both orally and in writing
- CT10 - The ability to communicate in a foreign language
Learning outcomes of the subject
Once the student has completed the subject, he should be able to:
- Use an appropriate vocabulary, typical of the scope.
- Critically apply the knowledge and skills acquired.
- Plan the evaluation that needs to be done before starting treatment and be able to apply these techniques.
- Concrete an intervention plan according to the diagnostic hypotheses and objectives established.
- Discriminate which techniques are most appropriate to respond to a specific problem in the infant-juvenile field.
- Consider relapse prevention.
- Formulate objectives and intervention scenarios in an operational manner.
- Act professionally and ethically, always taking into account the code of ethics.
- Identify and not use ethically inappropriate professional interventions.
- Formulate guidelines for parents to promote the development of the child and adolescent.
- Integrate the information collected during the evaluation in order to design a treatment that includes the relevant objectives.
Syllabus
1. Peculiarities of child evaluation and psychological therapy. Indications for clinical practice
2. Evolutionary problems in childhood+
- New technologies
3. Neurodevelopmental Disorders Assessment
Intervention in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Intellectual disability
- Communication disorders
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Motor disorders
× Coordination development disorder
× Stereotypical movement disorder
× Tics disorder:
× Giles la Tourette's Disorder
× Persistent motor or vocal tics disorder
× Transient tics disorder
4. Evaluation of Childhood Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
Intervention in Childhood Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
5. Evaluation of Depressive Disorders
Intervention in Depressive Disorders
- Disruptive mood deregulation disorder
- Major Depression Disorder
- Specific risk of suicide
- Duel
6. Anxiety Disorders Assessment
Intervention in Anxiety Disorders
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Selective mutism
- Specific phobia: animal, natural, situational, injection-blood-wounds, nyctophobia, school phobia
- Social anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Generalised anxiety disorder
7. Evaluation of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders
8. Intervention in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Trichotillomania
- Excoriation disorder
9. Assessment of Trauma-Related Disorders and Stressors
Intervention in Trauma-Related Disorders and Stressors
- Reactive attachment disorder
- Uninhibited social relationship disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Acute stress disorder
10. Assessment of Eating Behaviour Disorders and Food Intake
Intervention in Food Behaviour disorders and food intake
- Pica
- Rumination disorder
- Food intake avoidance/restriction disorder
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervous
11. Evaluation of Excretion Disorders
Intervention in Excretion Disorders
- Enuresis
- Encopresis
12. Evaluation of Sleep-Wake Disorders
Intervention in Sleep-Wake Disorders
- Childhood insomnia
- Parasomnias
× Nightmares
× Night terrors
× Sleepwalking
13. Evaluation of Disruptive Disorders, Impulse Control and Behaviour
Intervention in Disruptive Disorders, Impulse Control and Behaviour
- Defiant negativist disorder
- Behavioural disorder
- Substance use disorder associated with disruptive disorders
14. Evaluation of other problems that may be the subject of clinical care
15. Intervention guidelines on other problems that may be the subject of clinical care
- Child abuse, sexual abuse, parental alienation, bullying, parental separation and sibling jealousy.
16. Paediatric Psychology Assessment
Intervention in Paediatric Psychology
- Childhood diabetes
- Childhood bronchial asthma
- Chronic pain
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The master class is the context dedicated to learning and using the linguistic terminology typical of the field of study. The different oral and written communication skills will be practiced, and it will be a scenario where they will learn to familiarise themselves with literature and support material related to the subject.
Case study is a learning method in which students face a description of a specific situation that poses a problem. This problem situation must be analysed and resolved by a group of students. To resolve it, students in the group must communicate with each other, assess and discuss the different hypotheses each raises and reach a well-grounded agreement. For this reason, the case study prepares the student for decision-making and teaches him to defend his arguments and contrast them with the other members of the group.
The reading of texts autonomously by the students aims to develop a critical thinking and deepen the content worked in the master class to promote a better integration of the contents.
The non-face-to-face activity aims to make the student work autonomously, without the presence of the teacher. This causes the student to make a greater effort, learning to develop the will to constantly update, a key aspect in our profession.
Methodology
The methodology of this subject combines master classes with international seminars. Audiovisual content will also be presented so that students become familiar with the different mental disorders and clinical cases specifically designed so that students can implement the knowledge acquired in the subject will be presented.
In the master classes the teacher presents to the students the contents of the course based on the most current scientific evidence and the teacher's own clinical experience. Numerous examples of daily clinical practice will be explained. The student must actively interact and participate.
International seminars will cover completely new topics and will be taught by professors and PhDs in clinical psychology from prestigious universities in the United States. The presentations will lead to a debate among all students in which they will be able to interact with the international teacher.
In case work, areal clinical case will be raised seen in consultation, with the identification data modified to ensure confidentiality. The patient's sociodemographic data, the reason for consultation and the symptomatology presented at the time of the interview will be presented. The student will have to read the case carefully and start to consider diagnostic hypotheses of the case from the symptomatology he considers most relevant and propose therapeutic objectives. Finally, the student will have to choose the evaluation and intervention techniques that best fit the characteristics of the disorder and the patient who suffers from it.
The subject requires both individual and self-employed students and small groups.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The student's active attendance at the class shows the degree of involvement and interest in the subject matter taught, as well as the interaction with the teacher and with the other colleagues.
The final examination shall consist of an individual written test which brings together the most general and relevant aspects of the subject matter to be evaluated. It will evaluate students' ability to understand the main ideas of the content taught and the specific concepts of the different areas of the subject. On the other hand, the written test will also evaluate the recommended literature and literature.
Case group work is mandatory and will help them to promote the convergence of ideas and proposals in common in order to achieve a project taking into account the interpersonal and intrapersonal competences of students and cooperative work. In addition, it will promote the critical and argumentative capacity of students and promote the development of case analysis and resolution strategies.
Assessment criteria
The final mark for the subject is calculated based on:
- Final exam: 65%. A written test with test questions based on the PIR test will be performed.
- Case study: 25%. The student will solve the clinical case presented through the interpretation of questionnaires and the design of the treatment.
- Participation: 10%. Assistance and participation in the different dynamic activities carried out in class.
It is essential to pass the final exam with a grade equal to or greater than 5 to pass the subject and to be able to average.
Bibliography and resources
- Caballo, V. E. y Simón, M. A. (2008). Manual de psicología clínica infantil y del adolescente. Trastornos generales. Madrid: Pirámide.
- Caballo, V. E. y Simón, M. A. (2013). Manual de psicología clínica infantil y del adolescente. Trastornos específicos. Madrid: Pirámide.
- Caballo, V. E. y Simón, M. A. (2013). Manual de psicología clínica infantil y del adolescente. Trastornos específicos. Madrid: Pirámide.
- Comeche, M. I., & Vallejo, M. A. (2012). Manual de terapia de conducta en la infància (2a. Ed.). Madrid: Dykinson.
- Ezpeleta, L. Y Toro, J. (2014). Psicopatología del desarrollo. Madrid: Pirámide.
- Labrador, F.J. (ed.) (2008). Técnicas de modificación de conducta. Madrid: Ed. Pirámide.
Evaluation period
- E1 30/05/2023 I3 10:00h
- E2 26/06/2023 I1 08:00h