Fundamentals of CBT with Children and Young People

This is a core course for the MSc Psychological Therapies (CBT) and an option course for the MSc Psychological Therapies.

This course is ONLY available as a credit option.

Course description

This course aims to equip child and adolescent mental health professionals working in the NHS and related settings with an understanding of the scientific principles underlying cognitive and behavioural interventions with children and adolescents, and the application of these in practice with children and adolescents experiencing difficulties with anxiety and depression.

This course covers cognitive-behavioural models of change as they apply to children and adolescents, including principles of assessment and formulation. The course will provide a review of normal and atypical cognitive, social, and emotional development, and the links among these. The teaching strategy is distinctive, aiming to teach students the fundamentals of normal development alongside those of psychopathology. The course aims to be integrative in its approach, in which, for example, cognitive development is not viewed as separate from changes in affective or social development.

The main themes will be evaluation of CBT for children and adolescents, application of models of cognitive development to treatment, and teaching of core behavioural and cognitive therapy methods for these age groups.

Intended learning outcomes

• Demonstrate a critical and integrated understanding of the developmental and psychological theories that underlie effective CBT interventions as these are applied to anxiety and depression based problems in childhood.
• Demonstrate awareness of and critical reflection on the evidence-base for CBT with children and young people and its implementation in practice.

Course delivery and assessment

This course will run in Semester 1 (September - December). It is classroom-based and will require 100% attendance at 8 full day sessions. The sessions will be run in 2 x 4 day blocks on the following dates:

Monday 23rd  - Thursday 26th September 2019 (9.30am - 5pm)

Monday 28th October - Thursday 31st October 2019 (9.30am - 5pm)

Assessment comprises one 4000-word essay.

Study options

Fundamentals of CBT with Children and Young People can be completed as a stand-alone course for academic credit. The relevant form can be downloaded at the CPD applications page:

Alternatively, paper copies can be requested from the CPD Secretary:

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