Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Assessment, Diagnosis and Intervention in Adults
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish
Introduction
The course Assessment, Diagnosis and Intervention in Adults addresses the understanding, assessment and psychological intervention of the main mental health problems affecting adults.
Throughout the course, students will explore different psychopathological conditions and clinical situations, integrating assessment, differential diagnosis, case formulation and evidence-based psychological intervention from a comprehensive and integrative perspective.
The course covers common and severe adult psychopathology, as well as topics related to trauma and dissociation, neurodivergence, personality disorders, eating disorders, clinical neuropsychology, and the management of risk and particularly complex clinical situations.
The course aims to foster the development of clinical reasoning and judgement, promoting an understanding of the patient that integrates symptoms with psychological, relational and contextual functioning and enables interventions to be tailored to individual needs.
Pre-course requirements
No specific prerequisites are required beyond the admission requirements for the University Master’s Degree in General Health Psychology.
Objectives
The course aims to:
- Develop knowledge and competencies for the understanding, assessment and psychological intervention of the main mental health problems in adults, taking into account their different manifestations and levels of complexity.
- Develop the clinical reasoning required to integrate information obtained during the assessment process, establish diagnostic hypotheses and formulate a comprehensive understanding of the case to guide intervention.
- Understand and apply evidence-based psychological intervention strategies, selecting and adapting therapeutic procedures to each patient’s characteristics, needs and context.
- Promote an integrative understanding of adult psychological functioning, incorporating emotional, cognitive, behavioural, relational, somatic, neuropsychological and contextual factors relevant to clinical practice.
- Acquire knowledge and resources for addressing particularly complex clinical problems and situations, including severe mental illness, trauma and dissociation, personality disorders, eating disorders, neurodivergence and neuropsychological impairments.
- Develop competencies for the identification, assessment and initial management of risk and crisis situations, promoting responsible clinical practice and appropriate coordination or referral when necessary.
- Promote critical, ethical and evidence-based clinical practice, avoiding reductionist approaches to diagnosis and fostering individualised, person-centred interventions.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN03 - Distinguish in depth the psychological nature of human behavior and its disorders, as well as the biological, social, and psychosocial factors influencing health and illness, with special attention to their impact on mental health.
- CN04 - Identify in detail the different models of evaluation and intervention in General Health Psychology, as well as the techniques and procedures derived from them, for addressing behavioral disorders and psychological factors associated with health problems in various contexts, such as the private sector, primary care, community settings, and crisis and emergency situations.
- CP05 - Apply an integral health concept, including its biopsychosocial components, in accordance with the guidelines established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- CP09 - Manage referral to the corresponding specialist professional, demonstrating knowledge of the role of the general health psychologist in different contexts.
- CP11 - Manage the process of psychological evaluation of human behavior and psychological factors related to health problems, establishing a precise and effective assessment of them.
- CP12 - Generate psychological intervention programs based on psychological evaluation and relevant individual and social variables, applying them in different contexts such as the private sector, primary care, community settings, and in crisis and emergency situations.
- HB03 - Integrate in a critical, synthetic, and rigorous manner the knowledge and advances of clinical psychology within the clinical and healthcare field for their effective application in professional practice.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
- Apply psychological assessment techniques in adults, identifying factors relevant to intervention and subsequently interpreting the results obtained in order to tailor the intervention to the patient’s characteristics.
- Assess different personality disorders according to the DSM, integrating the results into the intervention process.
- Design neuropsychological interventions for adults, using DSM-based approaches adapted to individual needs.
- Apply psychotherapeutic interventions tailored to the needs of adults, using evidence-based mental health approaches.
Syllabus
Block I. Adult psychopathology and clinical approach
- Understanding the main psychological problems and psychopathological disorders in adults.
- Clinical assessment, differential diagnosis and case formulation.
- Principles and strategies of psychological intervention adapted to different clinical problems.
- Approaches to common psychopathology and severe mental illness.
Block II. Trauma, stress, dissociation and regulation
- Understanding trauma, stress and dissociative processes in adults.
- Emotional and psychocorporal regulation and their implications for psychological assessment and intervention.
Block III. Neurodivergence in adults
- Understanding and assessing neurodivergence in adulthood.
- Clinical considerations and adaptation of interventions to individual characteristics and needs.
Block IV. Personality disorders
- Understanding and assessing personality disorders and personality patterns.
- Clinical formulation and intervention strategies adapted to personality functioning.
Block V. Eating disorders
- Understanding, assessing and providing psychological intervention for eating disorders.
- Therapeutic approaches relevant to the understanding and treatment of these conditions.
Block VI. Clinical neuropsychology applied to adults
- Foundations of clinical neuropsychology in adults.
- Assessment of neuropsychological functioning and basic principles of intervention.
Block VII. Risk, crisis and complex clinical situations
- Identification and assessment of risk and crisis situations in clinical practice.
- Principles of action, intervention and decision-making in particularly complex clinical situations.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Final theoretical and competency-based examination (100%): a written examination aimed at assessing the acquisition, integration and application of the knowledge and competencies developed throughout the course. It may include theoretical and applied multiple-choice questions, as well as the analysis and resolution of clinical cases or situations.
To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 in the final examination.