PYMTRTB-Evidence-Based Low Intensity Treatment of Common Mental Health Problems

Module Provider: Psychology
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Email: p.myles-hooton@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) aid clinical improvement through the provision of information and support for evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments and regularly used pharmacological treatments of common mental health problems. Low-intensity psychological treatments place a greater emphasis on patient self-management and are designed to be less burdensome to people undertaking them than traditional psychological treatments. The overall delivery of these interventions is informed by behaviour change models and strategies. Examples of interventions include providing support for a range of low-intensity self-help interventions (often with the use of written self-help materials) informed by cognitive-behavioural principles, such as behavioural activation, exposure, cognitive restructuring, panic management, problem solving, CBT-informed sleep management, and computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) packages as well as supporting physical exercise and medication adherence. Support is specifically designed to enable people to optimise their use of self-management recovery information and pharmacological treatments and may be delivered individually or to groups of patients (psychoeducational groups) and through face-to-face, telephone, email or other contact methods. PWPs must also be able to manage any change in risk status. This module will, therefore, equip PWPs with a good understanding of the process of therapeutic support and the management of individuals and groups of patients including families, friends and carers. Skills teaching will develop PWPs general and disorder-defined ‘specific factor’ competencies in the delivery of low-intensity treatments informed by cognitive-behavioural principles and in the support of medication concordance.

Aims:

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) aid clinical improvement through the provision of information and support for evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments and regularly used pharmacological treatments of common mental health problems. Low-intensity psychological treatments place a greater emphasis on patient self-management and are designed to be less burdensome to people undertaking them than traditional psychological treatments. The overall delivery of these interventions is informed by behaviour change models and strategies. Examples of interventions include providing support for a range of low-intensity self-help interventions (often with the use of written self-help materials) informed by cognitive-behavioural principles, such as behavioural activation, exposure, cognitive restructuring, panic management, problem solving, CBT-informed sleep management, and computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) packages as well as supporting physical exercise and medication adherence. Support is specifically designed to enable people to optimise their use of self-management recovery information and pharmacological treatments and may be delivered individually or to groups of patients (psychoeducational groups) and through face-to-face, telephone, email or other contact methods. PWPs must also be able to manage any change in risk status. This module will, therefore, equip PWPs with a good understanding of the process of therapeutic support and the management of individuals and groups of patients including families, friends and carers. Skills teaching will develop PWPs general and disorder-defined ‘specific factor’ competencies in the delivery of low-intensity treatments informed by cognitive-behavioural principles and in the support of medication concordance.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students must demonstrate:



1) Ability to critically evaluate a range of evidence-based interventions and strategies to assist patients manage their emotional distress and disturbance.



2) Knowledge of, and competence in developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with patients during their treatment programme, including dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance.



3) Competence in planning a collaborative low-intensity psychological and/or pharmacological treatment programme for common mental health problems, including managing the ending of contact.



4) In-depth understanding of, and competence in the use of, a range of low-intensity, evidence-based psychological interventions for common mental health problems.



5) Knowledge and understanding of, and competence in using behaviour change models and strategies in the delivery of low-intensity interventions



6) Ability to critically evaluate the role of case management and stepped care approaches to managing common mental health problems in primary care including ongoing risk management appropriate to service protocols.



7) Knowledge of, and competence in supporting people with medication, in particular antidepressant medication, to help them optimise their use of pharmacological treatment and minimise any adverse effects.



8) Competency in delivering low-intensity interventions using a range of methods including face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication.

Additional outcomes:

• Students will obtain supervision on difficult cases.

• A training log specifying the length of study, number of taught hours and a record of the lecturers, tutors or mentors participating in a therapist’s training must be kept by the student.

• Students will learn to constructively discuss and appraise the clinical work of themselves and others presented in small discussion groups.



For a fuller account, see National Programme Educator Materials to Support the Delivery of Training for Practitioners Delivering Low Intensity Interventions (David Richards and Mark Whyte, http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/downloads/resources/?keywords=&filter=title&order=desc&p=3). 

Outline content:

1) The range of evidence-based interventions and strategies to assist patients manage their emotional distress and disturbance.

2) Developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with patients during their treatment programme, including dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance.

3) Planning a collaborative low-intensity psychological and/or pharmacological treatment programme for common mental health problems, including managing the ending of contact.

4) Use of a range of low intensity, evidence-based psychological interventions for common mental health problems.

5) Low-intensity basic, intervention-specific, problem-specific and meta CBT competencies such as behavioural activation, graded exposure, CBT based guided self-help, problem solving and

individualisation of CBT approaches.

6) Role of case management and stepped care approaches to managing common mental health problems in primary care including ongoing risk management appropriate to service protocols.

7) Supporting people with medication, in particular antidepressant medication, to help them optimise their use of pharmacological treatment and minimise any adverse effects.

8) Delivering low-intensity interventions using a range of methods including face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Knowledge will be learnt through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussion groups, guided reading, self-practice/self-reflection activities, problem-based learning tasks, and independent study. Skills based competencies will be learnt through a combination of clinical simulation in small groups working intensively under close supervision with peer and tutor feedback and supervised practice through supervised direct contact with patients in the workplace.



Contact Hours:

• 17 days in total

• Days split between in class theoretical teaching and clinical simulation, and days spent in the workplace undertaking practice-based learning and supervision.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1. A video-recorded OR audio recording of a real low-intensity treatment session with a real low-intensity treatment session with a patient treated by the trainee, in either of which the trainee is required to demonstrate skills in planning and implementing a low-intensity treatment programme. This recording will be assessed by teaching staff using a standardised assessment measure. If the recording is of a face-to-face session, then a video recording must be submitted.  Audio recordings are only permitted for audio recordings.



2. A reflective commentary on their performance.

These 2 assessments are equally weighted. 

3. Successful completion of the following practice outcomes, to be assessed by means of a practice outcomes portfolio and signed off as satisfactory (PO 4, PO 5 and PO 6).



PO 4.    Demonstrates experience and competence in the selection and delivery of treatment of a range of presenting problems using evidence based low-intensity interventions across a range of indicative diagnoses including depression and two or more anxiety disorders.



PO 5.    Demonstrates the ability to use common factor competencies to manage emotional distress and maintain therapeutic alliances to support patients using low-intensity interventions.



PO 6.    Demonstrates high quality case recording and systematic evaluation of the process and outcomes of mental health interventions, adapting care on the basis of these evaluations.

Relative percentage of coursework: 100%

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:
Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspx

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of at least 50% in the skills based assessment (Assessment number 1). 



A mark of at least 50% for academic based assessments (Assessment number 2). 



A mark of ‘satisfactory’ on the practice outcomes (Assessment number 3).



A minimum of 100% attendance is required.

Reassessment arrangements:

Students who do not obtain the required pass mark in the assessed work will be given the opportunity to resubmit, on one further occasion, any individual assessment that has been failed. The re-sit grade cannot exceed 50%. A short Top-up Week will be held after the end of the course, giving students the opportunity to complete some teaching sessions or assessments that were missed initially.

Completion of studies is dependent on employment within an IAPT service and access to an IAPT clinical caseload. Students must successfully pass all modules of the PWP training programme. Therefore a student’s studies may be terminated if they are no longer working in an IAPT service, no longer have access to an IAPT caseload or fail coursework at second attempt.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:

2) Specialist equipment or materials:

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:

4) Printing and binding:

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 10 April 2019