EDF5569 · Neurodiversity across the lifespan

Overview

This unit develops your advanced knowledge and applied skills in working with neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive differences across the lifespan, such as ADHD, autism, and dementia. You will apply contemporary, neurodiversity-affirming frameworks to understand diverse patterns of development and their intersections with mental health. Emphasis is placed on recognising the uniqueness of individual presentations and the importance of strengths‑based, person‑centred approaches. You will learn to use an ecological framework to inform case formulation, considering how social, cultural, environmental, and systemic factors shape experiences of disability and wellbeing. Through applied learning activities, you will build your capacity to integrate neurodiversity-affirming and culturally responsive approaches to all aspects of systemic and individual practice, including intake, assessment, formulation, and intervention. The unit also focuses on the selection and evaluation of evidence‑based interventions and the development of meaningful, client‑centred recommendations. You will consider collaborative and interprofessional approaches that promote participation, inclusion, psychological safety, and quality of life. Throughout the unit, you will strengthen your ability to deliver ethical, affirming, and responsive psychological services that support client autonomy, identity, and well-being across the lifespan.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. apply advanced knowledge of neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive disorders to individual presentations across the lifespan
2. apply neurodiversity-affirming frameworks and principles to diverse patterns of development and their intersection with mental health across the lifespan
3. apply an ecological framework to formulation to understand individual experiences, acknowledging the influence of social, cultural, environmental, and systemic factors on disability and wellbeing
4. integrate strengths‑based, person‑centred, culturally sensitive and neurodiversity-affirming approaches into intake, assessment, formulation, communications, and intervention to support client autonomy, identity, and wellbeing across the lifespan
5. select, evaluate, and formulate evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming, and culturally responsive intervention goals and recommendations, including systemic change and collaborative, interprofessional approaches to support participation, inclusion, and quality of life.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: A. Semester enrolment • 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study B. Term enrolment • 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via synchronous directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.