Clinical Forensic Psychology

Module code: 7PAFCRES
Credit level: 7

The dissertation is intended to assess students' ability to conduct research in real world settings. It involves the selection of a researchable problem, the design of a study that addresses the problem, appropriate analyses and the evaluation of the adequacy and usefulness of the solution. Practical implications for professionals working in the field of study should be identified and expanded upon where appropriate. The dissertation may consist of new analyses of data collected to address a clearly specified research question. Alternatively students may collect new data of their own or conduct secondary data analysis or meta-analyses. Dissertations that consist solely of reviews of the literature and contain no new analyses of data will not be acceptable. The dissertation should be between 10,000 and 15,000 words in length.

Module code: 7PAFCRIS
Credit level: 7

In this module students will review: recent discussions in the scientific and clinical literatures concerning the reasons for assessing risk of future violent behaviour; recent findings concerning the validity of various strategies for assessing risk of violent behaviour among persons with mental disorders recent empirical findings concerning the impact of treatment programmes and components of treatment and services on reducing violent and antisocial behaviours and criminal offending among persons with mental disorders.

The objectives of this module are to: gain an understanding of the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders; gain an understanding of the evidence base for psychological and biological treatments for mentally disordered offenders, including those with diagnoses of psychotic disorders and personality disorder; gain an understanding of methodological issues that impact on the interpretation of results of the literature reviewed above; gain an understanding of the organisation of forensic mental health services and how these services can be evaluated; prepare students to be able to critically review new publications on treatment interventions in mentally disordered offenders

Assessment will take the form of an essay, requiring the student to review required readings and lecture notes and provide written answers of 1500 - 2,500 words.