Outline

Overview

This unit will assist students to build skills, knowledge and attitudes in research methods in psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care. This learning will provide a foundation for appraisal and design of psychosocial research and further scholarship in the area. The student will gain an understanding of a range of research approaches including the case study, qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed methods approaches, linguistic and dyadic research and the applications of these methods to epidemiological, process and outcome research. The student will also develop and demonstrate critical thinking that considers philosophical approaches, analytic investigation and reflective practice in psychotherapy. The student will be able to describe the research cycle and its use in developing a research project. The student will apply the concepts to critical appraisal of journal articles and synthesise learning by proposing a research project. This unit provides the initial foundation for the treatise that students need to complete as part of their training in the Conversational Model of Psychotherapy. It will assist students from a wide range of disciplines who wish to conduct research on psychotherapy, mental health and trauma-informed care. Please note students will not be required to undertake a research project as part of this unit of study.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Brain and Mind Science
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	PSTY5201 and PSTY5202 or PSTY5203
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	This unit assumes a working clinical knowledge of basic counselling and mental health, commensurate with a clinician having worked 2 or more years in a setting with general health counselling or mental health clients.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Lea Crisante, lea.crisante@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Loyola McLean, loyola.mclean@sydney.edu.au
	Andrea Szasz, andrea.szasz@sydney.edu.au
	Anthony Korner, anthony.korner@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay/presentation - draft Research proposal	10%	Mid-semester break Due date: 07 Apr 2024 at 23:59	1500-2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay/presentation - final Research proposal	50%	Week 13 Due date: 26 May 2024 at 23:59	2000-3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Discussion boards Post and reply required for weekly discussion boards	40%	Weekly	1st post-min 250 wds/response 150 wds
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Discussion Boards: Students are required to participate in discussion boards each week. You will be provided 3 questions that you will need to address each week over the semester (Weeks 1-13).

Each discussion board will be open for a maximum of 3 weeks, opening a week prior to the due date where you will be expected to make your first post by the due date of the relevant week and respond to a students post by the final response due date.

For the marking criteria of the discussion boards, please read the discussion boards guidelines and marking rubric on Canvas.

What is expected of you for each weekly discussion:

You are expected to make a post of no less than 250 words including one or more references by the due date.
Every week, each student is expected to make a response of no less than 150 words to one of the other students’ posts.

Essay (draft):

A draft essay based on your research proposal will need to be submitted by the due date as a formative submission of between 1500 and 2000 words. It needs to be appropriately referenced with no less than 10 references cited. Students will be given written feedback to use in the further development of their proposal and final write up of their research proposal.

Essay (final):

The final essay submission will need to be submitted by the due date. It is expected that the written essay have incorporated feedback that has been provided regarding the draft essay. A length of 2000-3000 words is required with appropriate references and a bibliography of at least 20 references which are cited appropriately.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement form or request will incur the following penalties: • Late assignments that have not been granted extensions and are of a standard to receive a pass or higher mark will attract a penalty of 5% of the maximum mark per day (or part thereof) late including weekend days (e.g. if the assignment is worth 40 marks, the penalty is 2 marks per day late) until the mark reaches 50% of the maximum mark (e.g. 20 marks if the maximum is 40 marks). • Assignments that are not of a pass standard will not have marks deducted and will fail regardless. • Assignments submitted more than 10 days late without prior approval from the unit of study coordinator will not be accepted and will be given a zero (0) mark.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Mid-semester break	Draft research proposal due	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 01	Introduction to Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 01	Introduction session	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 02	Research Design in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 03	Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 04	Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 05	Introduction to Mixed Methods in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 06	Developing a Research Proposal	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 08	Case Study Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 08	Face to face session on Zoom - Attendance required Week 8: We will be reviewing your draft research proposal feedback and how to proceed	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Developing a Case Study	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 10	Epistemology in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 11	Research Interviews	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 12	Ethics in Psychotherapy Research	Independent study (5 hr)
Week 13	Final essay submission	Independent study (5 hr)
Weekly	Weekly Discussion boards (Weeks 1-13)	Online class (40 hr)
Weekly	Think tank Grand rounds	Lecture (13 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Study Commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1-1.5 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 90 - 120 hours of student effort in total.

Classes (Handbook)

There is a weekly Discussion board (1 hour) and online modules (average 1.5 hours per week). In addition there is a weekly 1 hour lecture ThinkTank Grand Rounds that is common to this unit and other units of study in the M.Med/Sci Med (TIP) program. Students also are expected to do reading as prescribed and to participate in discussion boards and complete other assignments.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Textbook

Vossler, A & Moller, N. (2015) (Eds.) The Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Handbook. Sage: London.

All other readings for this unit can be accessed in Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. describe the purpose and goals of psychotherapy research
LO2. understand contemporary issues in psychotherapy research e.g. psychotherapy effectiveness, evidence-based practice
LO3. appreciate the history of psychotherapy research and implications for contemporary research practice eg., quantitative versus qualitative research, epistemological issues
LO4. understand research designs and methods used in psychotherapy research
LO5. identify the differences between quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research
LO6. analyse and critique published papers
LO7. understand how to write a literature review
LO8. understand the use of standardised measures in clinical and research contexts
LO9. describe the ethical issues in conducting psychotherapy research
LO10. appreciate the significance of practitioner-based psychotherapy research
LO11. understand the research cycle and its application to the development of a research proposal
LO12. describe the rationale, methods and techniques of qualitative research
LO13. explain the purpose and use of the case study
LO14. Develop a research proposal on a specific research question

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Please note there will be live Zoom meetings throughout the semester. Please refer to Canvas.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PSTY5206: Psychotherapy Research Methods

Semester 1, 2024 [Online] - Westmead, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect