Module: Evidence-based psychologial practice

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Evidence-based psychologial practice
Module Code	PSYC519 (ITS) / PSY1072 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Psychology
Module Co-ordinator	Áine Travers
Module Teachers	Darragh McCashin
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

Module Aims: This module is intended to instigate student research into best and evidence based practice by psychologists in fields concerned with health and well-being. In addition, this module will help build professional skills. Students should: • Recognise the importance of evidence-based practice and be able to evaluate literature in this area. • Understand the importance of ethical practice and be able to critically review the same. • Identify pseudoscientific applied practice and compare with evidence based interventions. • Gain an introduction to assessment and psychometric testing.

Learning Outcomes

1. Outline practical and theoretical considerations relating to health behaviour change, health promotion or education.
2. Demonstrate understanding of innovations in evidence based practice.
3. Outline benefits and challenges of working in multidisciplinary teams
4. Demonstrate a high level of understanding of the differing needs of diverse populations.
5. Based on cutting edge research, design and plan an intervention to promote well-being in a population of choice.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of the types, uses, challenges and benefits of assessment in the applied setting
7. Source, read and critically evaluate the literature on evidence based practice and well-being.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of the need for ethical practice and the ability to think critically with regard to own and others’ practice.
9. Indicate how ethical knowledge should be put into practice.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	In-person lectures
Tutorial	6	In-person tutorials
Directed learning	26	Directed reading
Independent Study	194	Independent study
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative content
• Contemporary issues in applied psychology and well-being • The role of psychology in applied settings • General and specific psychological Interventions • The science of behaviour change • Technology and well-being; e-health, mhealth • Preventative science, and implementation science • Assessment and case formulation • Psychometric testing • The goal of applied research - What is evidence based practice? • How are empirically supported treatments related to evidence based practice? • Roles of researchers, service users and clinicians in the research process. • Disseminating evidence based practice

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	Outline a research proposal to develop an intervention to promote well-being in a population of choice.	50%	n/a
Assignment	Produce a reflective essay that critically explores the use of evidence-based practice in applied psychology.	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Denscombe, M.: 0, The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill Education,
Wampold, B.E. & Imel., Z.E.: 2015, The great psychotherapy debate : the evidence for what makes psychotherapy work, 2nd Edition, Routledge,
Bager-Charleson, S. (2014): 0, Doing practice-based research in therapy: a reflexive approach, Sage,
Popper, K.: 2002, The logic of scientific discovery, Routledge,
Prinstein, M. (Ed.): 2022, The portable mentor: Expert guide to a successful career in psychology, Cambridge University Press.,
Pilgrim, D. & Rogers, A.: 1999, A sociology of mental health and illness, 2nd Edition, Open University Press,

Other Resources

65707, Policy Statement, American Psychological Society, 0, APA Policy Statement on Evidence-Based Practice, http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/evidence-based-statement.aspx, 65708, Website, World Health Organization & UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases., 2014, Implementation research toolkit, World Health Organization, https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/110523, 65709, Website, Psychological Society of Ireland, 0, Code of Ethics, https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/footer/Code-of-Ethics-1,