Clinical Psychology I

An introduction is given into common perspectives when mental problems arise in children and young people and the course relates to students experiences in In-house Clinical Practice 1. The course will impart a critical understanding of central theoretical perspectives in the development, prevention and treatment of the most common mental difficulties faced by children and young people and their empirical basis. The course will also focus on developing and forming a deeper understanding of practical psychological skills in psychotherapy, to provide the basis for advisory work with relatives, teachers, institutional staff etc.

General learning outcome:
The course provides an introduction to common forms of psychopathology in children and young people, their possible aetiology and their prevention and treatment. An important goal is to promote student interest in the topic, and provide opportunity to identify and explore various relevant issues.
Specific learning outcome:
Towards the end of the course the student should have achieved the following:
Knowledge:
• The student can demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of different clinical conditions in children and adolescents with mental health problems; diagnostic criteria for these, differential diagnosis, and the incidence and risk factors.
• The student has a thorough knowledge about effective treatments for common mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
• The student has knowledge about risk factors for suicidal behavior – including recurrence risk, the characteristics of suicidal behavior, and how this should be investigated.
Skills:
• The student is able to make a reflective and independent assessment of the condition, and possible differential diagnosis.
• The student is able to demonstrate the ability to see the complexity of the case.
• The student is able identify the seriousness of the individual condition.
• The student is able to make a reflective and independent assessment in connection to the use of different treatments of disease.
General competence:
• The student has competence in how to demonstrate the ability to extract and integrate current theory and empirical evidence, both clinical theory/empirical and general psychological knowledge, and generally applied to individual cases.
• The student has competence in how to provide relevant theoretical and research-based clinical knowledge to a wide range of users and professionals.

Lectures, seminars and exercises with individual tutorial guidance. Relevant curriculum is chosen for the different stage images, and includes text books, articles and compendium. In addition, relevant supporting literature is set up. Students will be encouraged to be curious about literature, and share tips with each other.