Course Details
Professional Diploma in Psychological Assessment and Clinical Case Formulation
Professional Diploma in Psychological Assessment and Clinical Case Formulation
Specialist Level — For Psychology Graduates 6 months — Including lectures, skills workshops and supervised practical activities.
Professional Diploma in Psychological Assessment and Clinical Case Formulation
A professional training diploma designed to develop psychology graduates’ skills in clinical interviewing, psychological history taking, mental status examination and the integration of assessment findings into comprehensive case formulations and professional psychological reports.
This diploma provides structured training in the psychological assessment process, from receiving a referral and clarifying the presenting concerns to developing a case formulation and preparing a report with recommendations. It combines theoretical instruction, simulated interviews, skills workshops and supervised discussions of de-identified cases.
Diploma Modules:
Foundations and Ethics of Psychological Assessment: Professional relationships, informed consent, confidentiality and scope of competence.
Clinical Interviewing: Active listening, observation, question formulation, interview structure and gathering information from multiple sources.
Psychological and Social History Taking: Presenting concerns, developmental and family history, education, employment and previous treatment experiences.
Mental Status Examination: Appearance and behavior, speech, mood and affect, thought and perception, attention and memory, insight and judgment.
Selecting Assessment Tools: Choosing tools appropriate to the referral question, understanding test limitations and integrating findings with interviews and observations.
Diagnostic Reasoning and Differential Diagnosis: Organizing evidence, comparing possible explanations and considering cultural and contextual factors.
Risk Assessment and Referral Needs: Recognizing risk indicators, maintaining professional documentation and communicating with the care team according to established procedures.
Clinical Case Formulation: Connecting presenting difficulties with predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors, and identifying intervention goals.
Psychological Report Writing: Presenting information, findings, conclusions and recommendations clearly for the intended purpose and audience.
Practical Applications and Final Assessment: Conducting a simulated interview, preparing a case formulation and psychological report, and discussing them with a supervisor.
Diploma Modules:
Foundations and Ethics of Psychological Assessment: Professional relationships, informed consent, confidentiality and scope of competence.
Clinical Interviewing: Active listening, observation, question formulation, interview structure and gathering information from multiple sources.
Psychological and Social History Taking: Presenting concerns, developmental and family history, education, employment and previous treatment experiences.
Mental Status Examination: Appearance and behavior, speech, mood and affect, thought and perception, attention and memory, insight and judgment.
Selecting Assessment Tools: Choosing tools appropriate to the referral question, understanding test limitations and integrating findings with interviews and observations.
Diagnostic Reasoning and Differential Diagnosis: Organizing evidence, comparing possible explanations and considering cultural and contextual factors.
Risk Assessment and Referral Needs: Recognizing risk indicators, maintaining professional documentation and communicating with the care team according to established procedures.
Clinical Case Formulation: Connecting presenting difficulties with predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors, and identifying intervention goals.
Psychological Report Writing: Presenting information, findings, conclusions and recommendations clearly for the intended purpose and audience.
Practical Applications and Final Assessment: Conducting a simulated interview, preparing a case formulation and psychological report, and discussing them with a supervisor.