Doctor of Psychology in Child Psychology

PURPOSE

This qualification is offered as a professional doctoral degree and will provide learners with expert and critical knowledge in the field of Child Psychology and has been designed around the development of high-level performance and innovation in a professional context. The qualification will combine coursework with the ability to integrate theory with practice through the application of advanced theoretical knowledge to highly complex problems, and advanced research. In achieving this, the qualification aims to promote Child Psychology as a science and a profession in the public interest.

RATIONALE

It is evident from literature, demographic overview and graduate feedback that there is a need for a professional doctoral degree, that contains a credit-bearing coursework component, in Child Psychology for registered clinical, counselling and educational psychologists wanting to specialise as scientist-practitioners in the field of Child Psychology.

This qualification will equip learners with expert and critical knowledge regarding the normal and abnormal physical, biological, emotional, cognitive and behavioural development of the child by considering the multisystem influences on the child, assessing, classifying and diagnosing problems, implementing various evidence-based interventions and therapies in order to effectively meet the psychological needs of the child for optimal functioning and psychological well-being. For most, the aim is not focused on continuing a career in the academia.

This is a unique qualification within the SA context. In the credit-bearing coursework component of the programme, expert knowledge and skills will be shared across the scope of practice, adding depth to the clinicians as scientist-practitioners whilst still continuing their careers within their respective category of practice. Because learners with a Master's degree do not have the required advanced theoretical underpinnings in Child Psychology, including a coursework component is further motivation for a DPsych (Child Psychology) programme of this format.

The qualification will only lead to registering the programme with HPCSA as an additional qualification as it was an academic and not a professional programme. However, it is a prerequisite that learners entering the programme are already registered at the HPCSA. This has been endorsed by the HPCSA.

This qualification will specifically focus on clinicians working in the field of Child Psychology and addressing the abovementioned needs. Their vast experiences can enrich the research component adding to knowledge generation and its dissemination, whilst stimulating critical intellectual investigation. Additionally, the coursework part of the programme will equip the clinicians with thorough advanced theoretical grounding in order to deliver evidence-based practices in the field of Child Psychology.

The qualification will advance excellence in scholarship of research and public (community) service. It promotes innovation, distinctiveness and leadership in the field of Child Psychology in South Africa. Learners will therefore embark on relevant and pioneering research; often based on their experiences in private practice (especially in light of our endeavour to follow a scientist-practitioner model).

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

Where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements stated, RPL may be used to grant access to the qualification. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of prior learning, credit accumulation and transfer, and assessment and institutions RPL policy.

Applicants will be assessed against NQF Level nine competencies.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The minimum entry requirements are

• Master's Degree in Clinical, Counselling or Educational Psychology and be registered at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in their respective categories; or hold an equivalent international professional registration.

And

• Prospective applicants must have child practice experience after registration as psychologists.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at NQF Levels 10 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules: 144 Credits

• Advanced Theoretical Foundations, 48 Credits.
• Current Approaches, 48 Credits.
• Advanced Child Practice, 48 Credits.

Elective modules: 216 Credits (Choose one Research component)

• Mini-thesis in Child Psychology, 216 Credits.

OR

• Two articles in Child Psychology, 216 Credits.

1. Apply expertise and critical knowledge in the various disciplines of Child Psychology.
2. Critically reflect on Child Psychology theory and practice.
3. Demonstrate mastery of the skills and methods of research in order to contribute significantly and originally to the corpus of knowledge in a particular area of Child Psychology in the form of a mini-thesis or two publishable articles.

Associated Assessment criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1

• Portray advanced theoretical knowledge, adhering to evidence-based practices and self-growth to serve as a professional supervisor to a colleague working in the field of child psychology.
• Use different theoretical foundations in child psychology such as Positive Psychology and Systems Theory to describe and demonstrate understanding of the child's context.
• Apply different theoretical foundations in child psychology such as Positive Psychology and Systems Theory to support children, families or communities facing life adversities.
• Apply advanced and specialty knowledge is applied to conceptualise children's normal and abnormal development for e.g. according to the Developmental Psychopathology Model (DPM).
• Critically conceptualise a child's developmental needs within relevant meta-theoretical models such as the Trans Theoretical Model.
• Plan and execute therapeutic interventions are professionally according to relevant models such as the Trans Theoretical Model or the Sequentially Planned Integrative Child Counselling (SPICC) model or therapeutic approaches such as child-centred, gestalt, narrative, cognitive behavioural therapy; sand tray.
• Critically discuss Psychopharmacological aspects in the treatment of children with conditions such as mood disorders within a theoretical framework such as the DPM.
• Critically and culturally sensitively apply knowledge of contemporary assessment techniques such as school readiness.
• Professionally apply ethical principles when working with children and their families from diverse culturally and/or diverse backgrounds.
• Analyse, synthesise, reflect and address contemporary ethical issues such as gender-nonconformity in children. Conduct and advocate a discourse on policies related to contemporary issues in health psychology (e.g. genetic counselling). can be conducted and advocated.
• Critically describe and conceptualise a child's diagnosis according to a relevant model such as the DPM or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM5).
• Address the needs of parents and caregivers of children with chronic conditions such as diabetes, congenital heart defects, Down syndrome with evidence based practices.

Associated Assessment criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2

• Analyse, critically discuss and reflect upon the history and definition of child psychology in different contexts and systems are analysed.
• Analyse and address complex situations such as the influence of information technology on the well-being of children in their communities with evidence-based practices and reflect upon accordingly.
• Critically plan and execute interventions regarding situations such as childhood trauma for e.g. in case of gender nonconformity is according to evidence based practices
• Address forensic aspects regarding the Children's Act and the evaluation of sexually abused children according to advanced theoretical foundation and evidence based practices.
• Identify and address a specific policy related to a contemporary issue for example bullying, social media, and emotion coping strategies of children of divorce addressed through advocacy.
• Analysed and reflected upon specific assessment, diagnosis and therapeutic processes related to for example neuropsychological conditions such as learning disorders are Portray professional growth as scientist-practitioner regarding advanced theoretical knowledge and therapeutic approaches, applying evidence-based practices, executing research and making a contribution to child psychology - thus demonstrating foundational, practical and reflexive competence.

Associated Assessment criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3

• Identify relevant community needs and apply research skills to make a contribution and dissemination of scientific knowledge regarding service delivery to the well-being of communities.
• Execute quantitative and/or qualitative research methodologies to such an extent that a meaningful contribution is made to a specific field in child psychology.
• Identify and skilfully research a specific area of research culminating in a min-thesis or at least two publishable articles making a contribution to the field of child psychology.

Integrated Assessment

Throughout the three year structured component, formative assessments will be executed together with a summative assessment at the end of every year. The aim of the assessment is to provide learners with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to select applicable methods and techniques to analyse, solve complex practical problems within the field of Child Psychology, and where appropriate, to their research topic. In addition, it will give the learners the opportunity to write academic and professional reports. With the presentations expected of them, the learners will get the opportunity to communicate their knowledge to specialised and less specialised audiences.

Formative assessment in the three-coursework modules will vary, depending on the specific outcomes of each module.

Formative assessment consisting of a minimum of two theoretical assignments and at least one case study (presented as a class discussion), a PowerPoint presentation, one workshop, one presentation to a (fictional) support group, one reflexivity assignment, one peer group feedback session on their proposed research and one assignment where learners reflect on their personal and professional development. The summative assessment at the end of the year will focus on reflective discussions.