Low Intensity Psychological Interventions for Severe Mental Health Problems
| Module title | Low Intensity Psychological Interventions for Severe Mental Health Problems |
|---|---|
| Module code | PYC3033 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 20 |
| Module staff | Mr Shane Fitzgerald (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
This component enables you as a MHWP to set collaborative goals for low intensity interventions with people with severe mental health problems and to deliver eight focused low-intensity interventions according to an intervention manual. It will also embed the routine use of patient-reported outcome measures to support collaborative evaluation of progress.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to deliver goal focused treatment focused around evidenced based interventions. MHWP should gain competency to use these interventions with skill, utilising the collaborative skills of earlier modules. Practitioners should be able to enable the widest range of service users, to benefit, including those who experience motivation barriers. Recovery and clinical gain will be measured with recognised psychometric questionnaires. The advances made through treatment will be preserved through effective relapse prevention.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate competence in collaborative goal setting for low intensity psychological interventions
- 2. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with service users during their treatment programme, including working with motivational difficulties and dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance.
- 3. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in the effective use of routine patient-reported outcome measures
- 4. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of, and competence in the use of, a range of low-intensity, evidence-based psychological interventions
- 5. Demonstrate competence in planning and managing the ending of contact, including Relapse Prevention/Staying Well plans
- 6. Demonstrate an appreciation of the workers own level of competence and boundaries of competence and role, and an understanding of how to work within a team and with other agencies with additional specific roles which cannot be fulfilled by the worker alone.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Summarise basic and essential factual and conceptual knowledge of the subject, and demonstrate a critical understanding of this knowledge.
- 8. Review and evaluate established work and identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of this work.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. Record accurately interviews and questionnaire assessments using paper and electronic record-keeping systems
- 10. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, challenge received opinion and develop your own criteria and judgement, and seek and make use of feedback.
Syllabus plan
The module content, module-specific learning objectives, style of delivery and assessment for this module are informed by the National Curriculum for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners – Specialist Adult Mental Health for the training of Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners to support the delivery of low intensity CBT. Teaching content will include:
Evidence-based interventions and strategies
- Treatment Goals
- Motivational interviewing
- Developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance
- The effective use of routine patient-reported outcome measures
- Seven specific wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions:
- Behavioural Activation using the “GOALS” programme
- Graded Exposure using the “GOALS” programme
- Teaching problem-solving skills
- Improving sleep
- Recognising and managing emotions
- Guided self-help for bulimia and binge-eating
- Building confidence / Improving self-esteem
- Medication support – based on information-giving.
- Relapse Prevention/Staying Well
- Dealing with endings safely and appropriately;
- Appreciation of the worker’s own level of competence and boundaries of competence and role
- Dealing with issues and events that disrupt the alliance – engaging service users
- Supporting low intensity interventions (face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, group work)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 90 | 50 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 25 | Practical classes these will be used to develop clinical competencies in assessment, engagement and interventions skills practice through tutor supervised small group role-play |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 10 | Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 10 | Seminars these will be led by the tutor and address a range of important topics covered in the module |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 15 | Tutorials these will take the form of small group sessions led by the tutor |
| Guided independent study | 50 | Reading and preparation for seminars and/or flipped classroom delivery model |
| Guided independent study | 40 | Undertaking structured reflective blogging of intervention practice with colleagues during workplace role-play or service user work |
| Placement | 10 | Within the workplace, caseload management supervision will be provided by any suitably qualified team member. Clinical skills supervision will be provided by an HCPC registered clinical psychologist or a professional who is accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies or a psychological professional with specific competences in CBT-based interventions, supervisor competences, and who has attended MHWP supervisor training. Trainees should undertake a minimum of 40 hours of clinical supervision of which at least 20 hours should be weekly 1:1 case management supervision and at least 20 hours should be clinical skills supervision, either individual or group-based, on a fortnightly basis. |
| Placement | 40 | Programme members will be employed by their NHS Trusts as trainee MHWPs where they will work 3 - 5 days a week over the year. In this time they will accumulate a minimum of 80 contact hours with service users within an adult community mental health service (of which 40 hours should be specifically delivering low intensity interventions). Reading and preparation around adaptations to practice, and preparation for clinical scenarios should be done within placement time. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| A self-rating and reflective summary of a session recording with a service user delivering one of the specified interventions. In addition, the trainee will present the recording (45 60 minutes) to their workplace supervisor and will be rated according to a standardised rating scale (the rating scale and feedback can be added to the Clinical Outcomes Portfolio as evidence of one of the interventions). | 500 words | 1-10 | Oral |
| Successful completion of the following practice outcomes, to be assessed by means of a practice outcomes portfolio and supervisor report: Demonstrates the ability to set appropriate goals for intervention collaboratively with service users. Demonstrates competence to deliver all specified interventions in practice. | Not specified. Workplace supervisors (both clinical skills and caseload management supervisors), and programme member will contribute to the practice outcomes document. | 1-10 | Written and oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0 | 50 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A case report of intervention with a service user using one of the specified interventions, linked to relevant theory and critical evaluation (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme). | 50 | 3000 Words | 1-10 | Written |
| Clinical skills competency assessment - a recording of a session with a service user delivering one of the specified interventions, with a self-rating and written reflection. The recording will be assessed by teaching staff using a standardised assessment rating scale (this assessment must be passed with a mark of 30/60 overall (achieve a minimum of 50%) and with a minimum mark of 3 on sections 2, 3, 4 and 5; failure in this assessment will result in a maximum fail mark of 49% and lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 50 | 50 - 60 minutes/ 500 words | 1-10 | Written |
| Successful completion of the following practice outcomes, to be assessed by means of a Clinical practice Outcomes Portfolio and is pass/fail only: Demonstrates the ability to set appropriate goals for intervention collaboratively with service users and Demonstrates competence to deliver all specified interventions in practice. Also demonstrates minimum number of required practice hours (up to 40hrs of assessment, engagement & care planning and 40hrs min of interventions) and minimum number of hours of supervision (20 caseload management supervision and 20 clinical skills supervision). This assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme. | 0 | Not specified. Workplace supervisors (both clinical skills and caseload management supervisors), and programme member will contribute to the Practice outcomes portfolio document. | 1-10 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case report | Case report | 1-10 | Four weeks from the date feedback was provided. |
| A recording of a session with a service user & reflective commentary | A recording of a session with a service user & reflective commentary | 1-10 | Four weeks from the date feedback was provided. |
| Clinical practice Outcomes Portfolio | Clinical practice Outcomes Portfolio | 1-10 | Four weeks from the date feedback was provided. |
Re-assessment notes
Three assessments are required for this module. In all cases re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to retake within four weeks from the date that feedback was provided.
If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped.
If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Bennett-Levy, J., Thwaites, R., Haarhoff, B. & Perry, H. (2015). Experiencing CBT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists . Guilford.
- Farrand, P. (2020). Low-intensity CBT skills and interventions . SAGE.
- Silverman, J., Kurtz, S. and Draper, J. (2005). Skills for communicating with patients . Radcliffe.
- Papworth, M., Marrinan, T. (2019). Low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy: A practitioner's guide . Sage.
- Lovell, K. and Richards, D. (2008). A recovery programme for depression . Rethink.
Wider reading:
- Farrand, P. and Woodford, J. (2013) Impact of support on the effectiveness of written cognitive behavioural self-help: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review, 33 (1), 182-195
- Goldberg, D. and Huxley, P. (1992). Common mental health disorders: A biosocial model . Routledge.
- Westbrook, D., Kennerley, H., & Kirk, J. (2007) An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy: Skills and applications . SAGE.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
| Credit value | 20 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 10 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | PYC3031 Engagement and assessment with people with severe mental health problems and PYC3032 Care planning in partnership |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 17/02/2022 |
| Last revision date | 31/03/2023 |
