Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Program Goals e PsyD program follows a competency-based model in which students are evaluated and monitored with respect to their progress toward attain- ment in the areas of discipline-specific knowledge and profession-wide competencies appropriate to a school-clinical child psychologist. e spe- cific goals related to student learning in the PsyD Program are as follows: Area 1: Discipline Specific Knowledge: Students develop a scientific approach to knowledge generation and sci- entific foundations for evaluating practices, interventions and programs. ey will recognize the relationship between evidence-based practice and current scientific knowledge, including mastery of: a. Biological bases of behavior b. Cognitive-affective bases of behavior c. Social aspects of behavior d. Psychological measurement, research methodology and techniques of data collection and analysis e. History and systems of psychology f. Individual differences in behavior g. Dysfunctional behavior and psychopathology h. Development across the lifespan Area 2: Development of Profession-wide Competencies in School- Clinical Child Psychology Students will be evaluated with respect to their progress toward and ultimately their mastery of the following competencies: Goal I. Research/Evaluation: Objective a. Understanding research methodology and appropriate inte- gration of methodology with appropriate statistical techniques at a level that will enable competent review of professional literature, capacity to develop measurement and evaluation strategies, and an ability to compe- tently carry out applied research. Objective b. Developing an appropriate knowledge of how research meth- odology and statistics form the basis of evidence-based practice. Goal II. Ethics and Legal Standards: Objective a. Application of ethical concepts and awareness of professional guidelines as well as local, state and national legal issues regarding profes- sional activities with individuals, groups, and organizations. Goal III. Individual and Cultural Diversity: Objective a. Providing psychological services in a way that includes awareness, sensitivity and skills required to work professionally with di- verse individuals, groups and communities representing various cultural and personal background characteristics. Goal IV. Professional Values, Attitudes and Behaviors: Objective a. Attainment of a stable professional identity marked by con- cern for others, competencies for reflective practice, self-assessment and self-care, and an ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of clients, colleagues, organizations, and communities. Goal V. Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Objective a. Development of effective oral and written communication skills. Objective b. Development of ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of clients, colleagues, organizations, and communities. Goal VI. Assessment: Objective a. Assessment of school difficulties and learning disorders. Objective b. Assessment and diagnosis of personality and mental disorders. Goal VII. Interventions: Objective a. Interventions aimed at ameliorating adjustment and person- ality difficulties experienced across the life span, including those related to families. Objective b. Direct and indirect psychoeducational interventions aimed at ameliorating learning difficulties. Objective c. Development and implementation of evidence-based pro- grammatic preventive interventions for learning and mental health prob- lems in childhood. Objective d. Initiating and directing group interventions. Objective e. Initiating and directing family interventions. Objective f. Providing psychotherapeutic services from a variety of theo- retical perspectives and within an evidence-based model of practice. Goal VIII. Supervision: Provision of evidence-based supervision of psy- chological services. Goal IX. Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills: Objective a. Developing, implementing and evaluating effective consul- tation services. Objective b. Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships and leadership skills, enabling the provision of constructive criticism regard- ing management and organizational leadership, as well as advocacy skills needed to promote prevention programs and appropriate system change. Objective c. Developing skills needed to coordinate inter-disciplinary as- sessment and intervention strategies, and support effective interdisciplin- ary team functioning. Program Activities: e PsyD program carefully and sequentially develops competencies through an integrated framework that interweaves scientific and professional coursework with practicum and other fieldwork experiences. Scientific and Professional Coursework Assessment and Diagnosis – Students receive training in skills associ- ated with various psychological conceptual frames of reference applied to the evaluation in clinic, community, and school settings and learn to select suitable testing instruments and devise appropriate test batteries in order to gain reliable and valid information relative to the following areas: • Adaptive behavior • Academic achievement • Cognitive and neuropsychological functioning • Infant and preschool assessment • Family functioning • Language development, communication disorders, and motor development 2

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