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UCL Doctorate In Clinical Psychology

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Psychological Assessment

Clinical Psychologists should be able to:

1. Choose a broad range of assessment methods (for example, systematic interview procedures, standardised instruments and other structured methods of assessment).

Ability to choose measures appropriate to the client and service delivery system in which the assessment takes place and the type of intervention that is required
Ability to take into account the strengths and weaknesses of various assessment methods and measures, including evidence regarding reliability, validity and psychometric properties. 
Ability to Plan a comprehensive multimodal assessment inclusive of semi structured interviewing, standardised measures and psychometrics

2. Carry out assessment procedures in an appropriate manner,

An ability to balance and prioritise assessment areas while fostering and maintaining client engagement
An ability to conduct the assessment according to professional standards of administration
An ability to obtain a general idea of the nature of the client's problem
An ability to elicit information regarding psychological problems, diagnosis, past history, present life situation, attitude about and motivation for any intervention.
An ability to gain an overview of the client's current life situation, specific stressors and social support
An ability to assess the client's coping mechanisms, stress tolerance, and level of functioning
An ability to help the client identify/select target symptoms or problems, and to identify which are the most distressing and which the most amenable to intervention
An ability to help the client translate vague/ abstract complaints into more concrete and discrete problems
 An ability to gauge the extent to which the client can think about themselves psychologically (e.g. their capacity to reflect on their circumstances or to be reasonably objective about themselves)
An ability to gauge the client's motivation for a psychological intervention


3. Interpret and critically appraise information generated from the use of these methods

An ability to understand integrate and understand the meaning of information gathered, based on a knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of various assessment methods
An ability to use this information to discuss treatment options with the client, making sure that they are aware of the options available to them, and helping them consider which of these options they wish to follow
An ability to use this information identify when psychological treatment might not be appropriate or the best option, and to discuss this with the client (e.g. the client's difficulties are not primarily psychological, or the client indicates that they do not wish to consider psychological issues) or where the client indicates a clear preference for an alternative approach to their problems (e.g. a clear preference for medication rather than psychological therapy).

4. Assess risk

An awareness of specific risk assessment policies operating in the placement and an ability to implement these in practice
An ability to assess and act on indicators of risk of harm to self or others including social (e.g. isolation) psychological (e.g. thoughts of harm, current mental state) and historical (previous risk taking behaviour)
An ability to know when to seek advice from others  


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