Assessment Across the Lifespan

Overview

This unit prepares students to conduct psychological assessments across the lifespan using evidence-based, culturally responsive, culturally safe, and ethically informed approaches. Students will develop competence in selecting, administering, scoring, interpreting, and evaluating psychological assessment methods, and in gathering and integrating information from multiple sources to formulate evidence-based understandings of client strengths, needs, and functioning. The unit emphasises the communication of assessment findings and recommendations, ethical and professional practice, risk management, and consideration of developmental, cultural, and contextual influences on assessment. Experiential learning activities provide opportunities to develop practical assessment skills relevant to contemporary psychological practice.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Conduct psychological assessments using evidence-based, culturally responsive, culturally safe, and ethically informed approaches, including the selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment methods across the lifespan.
2. Gather assessment information from multiple sources, including interviews, observations, psychometric measures, records, and collateral information, to understand an individual's functioning within their developmental and socio-ecological context.
3. Interpret and integrate assessment data to formulate evidence-based understandings of an individual's strengths, needs, functioning, and presenting concerns.
4. Communicate assessment findings, formulations, and recommendations safely, ethically, and effectively through professional oral, written, and/or digital communication tailored to clients and relevant others.
5. Evaluate the quality, utility, and outcomes of psychological assessments and recommendations to support evidence-based decision-making and ongoing monitoring of client needs.
6. Apply ethical, legal, professional, culturally responsive, culturally safe, and digital practice principles throughout the psychological assessment process, demonstrating professional reflexivity and adherence to professional standards.

Teaching methods

All applicable locations

Assessment

Content

• Foundations of Psychological Assessment
• Information Gathering and Assessment Methods
• Cognitive and Adaptive Assessment
• Educational, Academic and Career Assessment
• Behavioural, Social, Emotional and Wellbeing Assessment
• Mental Health Assessment
• Personality Assessment
• Integration, Formulation and Decision Making
• Communication and Collaboration
• Professional Competencies and Ethics 
• Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
• Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
• Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
• Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
• Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information Literacy
• Graduate Attribute – Future Ready Skills: Professional Judgement