Course Title: Foundations of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Foundations of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BESC1118

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006

BESC1119

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006

Course Coordinator: Dr Kerry Hempenstall

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99257522

Course Coordinator Email: kerry.hempenstall@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Rm 201.3.17c


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

All 3rd year Psychology courses


Course Description

This course focuses on the concepts and procedures of empirically supported cognitive-behaviour change principles. The methodology for establishing that change did occur and for establishing secure attribution of such change to the intervention procedure is explored both in the context of intra-subject research and day-to-day clinical practice. The relevance of such knowledge and procedures is illustrated with clinical, educational and community examples.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students are expected to have a strong understanding of the theory underpinning cognitive behaviour therapy, and be capable of employing that theory when engaged in the more applied training in this area involved in the postgraduate program


At the conclusion of this course, students will be expected to be able to:
1. define and appropriately use terms used in applied behaviour analysis and cognitive behaviour therapy.
2. demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practice of cognitive behaviour change.
3. describe the major theoretical and procedural elements of cognitive behaviour therapy.
4. describe and explain the appropriate circumstances for use of various measurement and data collection procedures in intra-subject research and clinical practice.
5. describe the rationale of the major intra-subject research design procedures and explain under what circumstances each design is appropriate.
6. plan, implement, and document a simple behaviour change project.


Overview of Learning Activities

Lectures: Students will acquire a framework of relevant knowledge and underlying theoretical and conceptual bases of the subject through attending lectures (objectives 1 - 5). Videotape examples of CBT practice will also be employed.
Personal study: As part of the learning process and after being provided with frameworks through lectures, students will acquire a deeper and broader understanding of the subject by engaging in a program of prescribed reading on ABA fundamentals (objectives 1 - 5).
Class discussion: Students will consolidate and broaden their understanding of basic concepts and develop problem-solving skills through in-class discussion requiring application of theoretical and conceptual knowledge to real and hypothetical situations (objectives 2, 4 & 5).
Behaviour change project: Students will apply the concepts acquired in lectures, personal study and class discussion to the planning, implementation, and documentation of a simple behaviour change project that will consolidate and extend understanding of basic principles of the subject matter (objectives 1 - 6).
Take the MoodGYM course in your spare time to get an idea of how it might feel for a client: www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/. It is an award-winning and evaluated interactive CBT programme addressing depression, anxiety and stress. Developed by the Australian National University Centre of Mental Health Research, it is available free 24 hours a day (objectives 1 – 3).


Overview of Learning Resources

References

No specific text, but numerous text and electronic references provided


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks

1. Construct an ABA style line graph from data supplied, using Microsoft Excel
2. Plan and implement a simple behaviour change project. .
3. A 2 hour multiple choice exam