Prospectus

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Clinical Interviewing and Assessment

Course
2017-2018

Entry requirements

Only open to master’s students in Psychology with specialisation Clinical Psychology.

Description

Students develop clinical interviewing and diagnostic skills, using semi-structured interviews, mental status examination and standardized interviews, e.g. the MINI and CPRS. The course provides exposure to psychopathology syndromes via clinical interviews with trained actors. Theoretical and practical issues in assessment and diagnostics will be discussed. Oral and written reporting of findings is also covered. The focus of this part of the course is on Axis I disorders, however issues regarding Axis II will also be discussed.

Course objectives

This course aims to prepare students for conducting diagnostic interviews during your clinical internships. At the end of this course, their knowledge and skills of diagnostics, interviewing and reporting should be at a level required for the initial phase of their internship. Another aim is the further development of their professional attitude.

Specific aims are to:

  • Increase knowledge and skills regarding clinical diagnostic interviewing. Assessment of psychiatric signs and symptoms; psychosocial interview; mental status examination

  • Learn how to report data from diagnostic interviews in letters to general practitioners. Learn the advantages and limitations of various interviewing methods, in particular a clinical interview versus a standardized clinical interview

  • Increase knowledge and skills regarding assessment of symptom dimensions

  • Further development of a professional attitude

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, work groups and exams, please select your study programme in:
Psychology timetables

Semester 1: Lectures Work group sessions

Semester 2: Lectures Work group sessions

Registration

Course

Students need to enroll for lectures and work group sessions.
Master’s course registration

Examination

Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination.
Registering for exams

Mode of instruction

  • 4 2-hour lectures and plenary instruction meetings,

  • 6 2-hour seminars, demonstration videos. Students will practice skills and techniques in roleplays and with trained actors. Plenary instructions will be in English. Seminars with only Dutch students will be in Dutch.

Assessment method

Performance during this course will be rated in a 1-10 grade. The final seminar is an exam. Successful completion of this course and the final grade depends on:

  • Attendance plenary sessions, lectures and seminars.

  • Active participation during seminars, including feedback to group members (10%).

  • Assessment by instructor of knowledge of theory and diagnostic criteria and interviewing skills during the course, including the exam (70%)

  • Written reports (20%)

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud.

Reading list

  • Morrison, J. (2014). The first interview (Fourth edition). New York: Guilford Press.

  • Syllabus, available at Blackboard.

Contact information

Drs. Jacqueline Guicherit-Dicke
j.a.guicherit@fsw.leidenuniv.nl