Entry requirements
Master’s students Psychology with specialisation Child and Adolescent Psychology, and MSc Psychology (research) students in the track Developmental Psychology.
Description
This course provides education and training in the psycho diagnostic assessment of children with cognitive and social-emotional problems. It builds upon knowledge of the bachelor program (e.g., Psycho-diagnostics, Psychometrics, Developmental Psychopathology). This course focuses on the integration of information from the child’s different contexts (at least home and school contexts) during the diagnostic assessment, by emphasizing the different stages in the psychodiagnostic process, such as the intake interview, developing hypotheses, test selection, assessment and integrating all the information in a diagnostic assessment report. Legal-ethical considerations of assessing children and adolescents will also be discussed.
Integrated diagnostic skills will be developed through: Training of practical skills, demonstration and case discussions during workgroups. Assignments are used to help students acquire practical knowledge of the theory behind psychodiagnostics and to experience going through the diagnostic cycle with a typical developing child. Students will conduct an assessment and write an assessment report to practice. Students will acquire skills necessary for using various diagnostic tools, such as interviewing children/adolescents and their parents, observation, using test material, scoring test material, interpretation of findings and report writing.
Students are expected to find a suitable young person with whom they can practice these skills; relevant information is provided on Brightspace.
Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, students:
Have advanced knowledge of the psycho diagnostic process and assessment techniques);
Have clinical skills necessary for various stages in the diagnostic process (from intake to integration of findings);
Can formulate a clinical case conceptualization at the individual level based on scientific theories;
Can work with young people according to the ethical guidelines of the Dutch association of Psychologists (NIP);
Can integrate intake information, observations and test results into a diagnostic case formulation;
Can write a hypothesis-driven psychodiagnostic report;
Can present a hypothesis-driven case-conceptualisation of a client.
Timetable
For the timetable of this course please refer to MyTimetable
Registration
Education
Students must register themselves for all course components (lectures, tutorials and practicals) they wish to follow. You can register up to 5 days prior to the start of the course.
Exams
You must register for each exam in My Studymap at least 10 days before the exam date. You cannot take an exam without a valid registration in My Studymap. Carefully read all information about the procedures and deadlines for registering for courses and exams.
Exchange students and external guest students will be informed by the education administration about the current registration procedure.
Mode of instruction
The course consists of 7 plenary 2-hour seminars and 7 2-hour work group sessions. Presence during seminars and work group sessions is mandatory. There is an optional 1-hour Q&A session in preparation of the exam towards the end of the course.
Lectures are in English. Workgroups are in English for international students and in Dutch for Dutch students.
For both seminars and workgroups active participation is required including preparations, such as questions for guest lecturers, discussions, and clinical cases.
Assessment method
The course objectives are assessed via two practical assignments and requires active participation and preparation of the workgroups:
i) written psychodiagnostics report (45% of final grade)
ii) oral case presentation of a clinical case conceptualization (45% of final grade)
iii) Preparation and active participation during the workgroups (10% of final grade)
The maximum grade for the resit is 6 because the resit consists of a revision of the original assignments.
The language of assessment is English for international students and Dutch for students from the Netherlands.
The Institute of Psychology follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. All students are required to take and pass the Scientific Integrity Test with a score of 100% in order to learn about the practice of integrity in scientific writing. Students are given access to the quiz via a module on Brightspace. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of this fraud policy.
Reading list
For Dutch speaking students:
Tak, J.A., Bosch, J.D., Begeer, S., & Albrecht, G. (2014, 8e druk) (Eds.). Handboek psychodiagnostiek voor de hulpverlening aan kinderen. Utrecht: de Tijdstroom.
Bosmans, G., Bijtebier, P., Noens, I., & Claes, L.(2017). Diagnostiek bij kinderen, jongeren en gezinnen, deel 3: Ontwikkelingsdomeinen in het vizier.
Bosmans, G., Bijtebier, P., Noens, I., & Claes, L.(2017). Diagnostiek bij kinderen, jongeren en gezinnen, deel 4: specifieke klachten onder de loep.
Recommended reading (not compulsory):
Pameijer, N.K., Draaisma, N. (2011). Handelingsgerichte diagnostiek in de jeugdzorg. Een kader voor besluitvorming. Leuven: Acco.
For English speaking students:
Frick, P.J., Barry, C.T., & Kamphaus, R.W. (2020). Clinical assessment of children’s personality and behavior, (4th edition). New York: Springer.
Carr, A. (2015). The handbook of child and adolescent clinical psychology: A contextual approach. Routledge.
Additional articles and chapters will be linked to on BrightSpace.
Contact information
Dr. Marieke Bos m.g.n.bos@fsw.leidenuniv.nl