Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Unit

Synopsis

This unit deals with two major disabilities associated with mental health problems: intellectual disability and substance misuse. Topics include aetiology of intellectual disability, epidemiology of mental illness in intellectual disability, manifestations of mental illness in the intellectually disabled, management issues for the intellectually disabled, substance use, harmful use, addiction, dependence and other definitions, determinants of substance use and abuse, substance use and precipitation of mental illness, motivational intervention, models of change and harm minimisation in the area of dependency, and HIV and substance misuse.

Objectives

1. Intellectual Disability

1. Have an understanding of the interaction between the aetiologies of intellectual disability and of mental disorder;
2. Be aware of the epidemiological background to mental disorder in intellectual disability;
3. Understand the key principles and philosophies of care for persons with learning difficulties in the more general case;
4. Understand how to incorporate the general principles of care for those with intellectual disabilities into psychiatric management; and
5. Understand the application of special strategies for management of mental disorder in the case of those with intellectual disability.

1. Understand the determinants of substance use in the general population;
2. Understand the social and individual determinants of pathological substance use;
3. Be aware of definitions of various patterns of abnormal substance use;
4. Be aware of current understandings and treatment strategies in the area of substance misuse;
5. Understand the role of substance misuse in precipitating psychiatric and medical disorder;
6. Understand the ways in which psychiatric disorders may affect individuals ability to respond to treatment interventions for substance misuse;and
7. Know how to adapt strategies for management of substance misuse to the specific problems of those with mental illness.

Assessment

Assessment for the Mental Illness and Alcohol and Other Drugs component of the unit consists of a 1,500 - 2,000 word (approx) assignment weighted at 35% and a 1,000 word (approx.) learning journal weighted at 15%. Assessment for the Mental Illness and Intellectual Disability component of the course consists of a 2,000 word assignment weighted at 40% and a 1,000 word (approx.) learning journal weighted at 10%. All assessment tasks must be passed to pass the unit.

Chief examiner(s)

Associate Professor Brendan Murphy