PSY6105 Clinical development psychology

This unit aims to ensure that students are familiar with disorders that occur during childhood and adolescence. Diagnosis and classification, aetiology of the major disorders occurring in childhood and adolescence, as well as the major forms of treatment and management based on recent research will be covered. Various disorders will be examined including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression.

Students will be expected to develop competence in the application of diagnostic classification systems to children but also will be encouraged to critically evaluate such systems and be aware of their limitations in paediatric populations. A component of this unit will be devoted to formal psychological, especially cognitive, assessment of children and adolescents. Although the major focus of this unit will be on the identification and assessment of disorders and assessment of cognitive abilities in children, the use of various treatment modalities with children, adolescents, and their families will also be discussed with an emphasis on cognitive behavioural approaches.