The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
Overview
The unit explores multifaceted personal, interpersonal, cultural, and contextual factors influencing bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and well-being and human development across the lifespan. You will critically examine the dominant, normative discourses on health, including physical health and disability, mental health, drug and alcohol use/abuse, gender and sexual identity, child development, and the aging process. You will examine the implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and diverse populations and alternative culturally responsive psychosocial assessments. You will assess the impact of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, trauma, and environmental challenges on health and well-being. Additionally, you will critique theories of grief and loss, trauma, and resilience, identifying the risks to well-being and sources of resilience. You will integrate this knowledge with professional values and ethics to develop your communication skills for conducting holistic social work assessments and interventions through case studies and role plays in health settings. Engaging in critical reflective practice, you will address biases and power relations and ensure ethical, culturally sensitive approaches. Throughout the unit, particular consideration will be given to the ongoing impact of colonisation, displacement and discrimination on the physical and mental health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and integrating culturally sensitive psychosocial assessments to decolonise practice and build partnerships with First Nations people.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Critically analyse and evaluate key theories and models of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development across the lifespan.
- Evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, trauma, and environmental challenges on the development, health and well-being of individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan.
- Apply the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), knowledge of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development, and communication skills to foster holistic and collaborative assessments and culturally appropriate interventions that address complex and diverse needs across the lifespan.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 3 - Case Study - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||
| 4 - Research | |||
| 5 - Self-management | |||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||
| 7 - Leadership | |||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
n.melander@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Theories of Psychosocial Health and Human Development
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social Work in Health Services
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Childhood Development and Wellbeing
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Gender and Sexual Identity
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical Health and Disability
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vacation Week - enjoy the break!
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Use
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Aging – Health and Well-Being
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Socio-economic Status, Place, Environment and Life Opportunities
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Trauma & Theories of Loss and Grief, Trauma and Resilience
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Practice Skills: The Beginning Interview Phase
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Practice Skills: The Assessment Phase
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Practice Skills: Care Planning and Service Coordination Phase – Working collaboratively in multidisciplinary health contexts and across agencies.
Chapter
Attend to the weekly readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial and Lecture Attendance
Students must attend all scheduled lectures and tutorials as the official timetable outlines. Attendance is critical to this unit, as it supports your learning, professional development, and engagement with culturally responsive social work practice. Tutorials provide structured opportunities to apply theory to practice, engage with assessment preparation, and participate in respectful, critical dialogue.
Non-attendance without an approved reason may impact your ability to meet unit learning outcomes. Please check the timetable in Moodle regularly and notify the teaching team in advance if you are unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances.
1 Written Assessment
This assessment requires you to critically examine a theory or model of human development or psychosocial health as outlined in the unit and apply it to a specific population or context. It develops your ability to: (1) explain a theory of psychosocial health / human development, (2) connect that theory to at least one topic covered in Weeks 1-5, and (3) evaluate its usefulness for culturally safe, ethically sound social-work practice with a nominated population.
You will:
1. Select one theory / model introduced in Week 1 (e.g., trauma theory, bio-psycho-social-spiritual, life-course, systems).
2. Link the theory to practice by focussing on ONE Week 2-5 content area:
• Social-work roles in health services (Week 2)
• Childhood development & wellbeing (Week 3)
• Gender & sexual identity across the lifespan (Week 4)
• Physical health & disability (Week 5)
3. Analyse a client group/context (e.g., First Nations younger adults, older adults with disability, LGBTQIA+ young people in health settings).
4. Critically appraise how well the theory accounts for culture, power, inequality, and social justice in that context.
5. Support your argument with a minimum of eight (8) scholarly sources published within the last five years (seminal works may also be used).
The essay must consider culture, power, inequality, ethics, and social justice, and be supported by at least 8 scholarly sources.
Further Information:
Complete guidance, resources, marking rubrics and further details are available on Moodle and will be discussed in tutorials.
Generative AI Use – Level 2 and 3 Permitted:
Level 2: AI may be used for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission must reflect your original analysis and thinking.
Level 3: AI tools may assist with drafting, refining, and evaluating text, but all AI-generated content must be critically evaluated and appropriately modified.
You must ensure your work upholds the principles outlined in the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. Collaboration or sharing of responses is not permitted.
Minimum Pass Criteria:
You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
To be eligible for a supplementary assessment, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted.
Week 5 Wednesday (13 Aug 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission Via Moodle - Extensions: Available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period applies to this assessment.
Week 8 Friday (12 Sept 2025)
Students will be notified when assessments have been marked via Moodle
- Explanation of Theory - Clearly and accurately explains a relevant theory or model related to psychosocial health and human development, demonstrating depth of understanding
- Application to Context and Content Area - Effectively applies the theory to a specific group or setting connected to one of the weekly topics from Weeks 2–5 (e.g., health services, childhood development, gender and sexual identity, or disability), demonstrating insight into social work roles and contexts.
- Critical Reflection on Culture, Power, Ethics, and Social Justice -Critically evaluates the usefulness and limitations of the theory in light of cultural identity, power dynamics, inequality, ethics, and social justice concerns.
- Use of Scholarly Evidence - Supports analysis and reflections with a minimum of 8 high-quality, scholarly sources (published within the last five years), demonstrating integration of literature and correct use of APA 7th referencing.
- Academic Communication - Presents ideas in a well-structured, coherent, and scholarly manner with appropriate grammar, tone, spelling, and within the 1500-word limit (+/- 10%).
A detailed marking rubric for this assessment task is available on Moodle and should be consulted carefully when preparing your submission.
- Critically analyse and evaluate key theories and models of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development across the lifespan.
- Evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, trauma, and environmental challenges on the development, health and well-being of individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan.
2 Written Assessment
A powerful motive for pursuing social work is personal or lived experience. A common theme in social work is that people are drawn to the profession either because they were supported during a difficult time or, conversely, because they experienced a lack of support when it was most needed (McAuliffe et al., 2023).
All stories start somewhere. Your story as a student in social work may have started recently or quite a while ago. At some point in time, you decided to take this particular path. This assessment task asks you to reflect on your life story and consider your own human development influences, including those that have ultimately led you to choose social work as your profession. You will write an autobiographical multidimensional case study which applies relevant developmental theories and concepts to your current or a significant earlier stage of your development, if you prefer. In the autobiography, you should address the following:
- Relevant multidimensional (bio-psycho-social-spiritual/cultural) developmental theories that apply to your current/chosen life stage (refer to the unit readings).
- Relevant critical contexts of development – relational, social, structural and cultural (refer to the unit readings). If relevant, also discuss any significant historical cohort events (chronosystem) which have influenced your development.
- Risk and/or resilience factors associated with life stress from e.g., exclusion, racism, bias and prejudice, trauma, grief and loss, migration, gender and sexuality issues (refer to the unit readings).
- The implications of (1), (2), and (3) for understanding your decision to study social work.
You are expected to explore the topic in depth, researching the literature available on the topic and applying some critical analysis of the issues noted. The assessment criteria place an emphasis on your demonstrated critical analysis. In particular you should consider the multidimensional approach which considers a person's inner and outer worlds.
Using Your Lived Experience in this Assessment
This autobiographical assessment invites you to critically reflect on your own lived experience through a developmental and theoretical lens. You are encouraged to draw connections between your personal story and relevant bio-psycho-social-spiritual theories, recognising how your experiences have shaped your pathway into social work.
Please note:
- You are not required to disclose distressing or traumatic experiences in detail. Focus on analytical insight, not personal disclosure.
- If you choose to share sensitive content, ensure it is framed professionally, maintains personal boundaries, and contributes meaningfully to your learning.
- Use a third-person or analytical voice when helpful to maintain distance and uphold ethical and reflective practice.
- Support is available through the teaching team and university services if this task raises difficult emotions.
Generative-AI & Academic Integrity
Level 2 (Planning & Idea Development) and Level 3 (Drafting & Refining) use is permitted.
All AI-assisted content must be critically reviewed, substantially revised, and cited according to APA 7.
Work must comply with the Student Academic Integrity Policy. No collaboration or sharing of answers is allowed.
Week 9 Wednesday (17 Sept 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle - Extensions: Available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period applies to this assessment.
Week 11 Friday (3 Oct 2025)
Return Via Moodle 2 weeks post due date
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of human development theories relevant to the life stage discussed, including integration of bio-psycho-social-spiritual (BPSS) dimensions (6 marks).
- Critically analyse and integrate relevant human development concepts (e.g., attachment, risk, and resilience), and evaluate how these interact with social, structural, and environmental contexts in shaping your development and motivation to study social work (8 marks).
- Apply the AASW Code of Ethics (2020) and a culturally responsive lens to critically reflect on ethical, cultural, and power-related factors that have influenced your development and worldview (6 marks).
- Demonstrate effective academic research by locating, evaluating, and integrating relevant literature, with correct APA 7 referencing conventions (5 marks).
- Communicate your reflections in a well-structured, coherent, and scholarly format, demonstrating clarity, logic, and academic writing skills (5 marks).
- Critically analyse and evaluate key theories and models of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development across the lifespan.
- Evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, trauma, and environmental challenges on the development, health and well-being of individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan.
- Apply the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), knowledge of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development, and communication skills to foster holistic and collaborative assessments and culturally appropriate interventions that address complex and diverse needs across the lifespan.
3 Case Study
In this assessment, you will complete a psychosocial assessment and intervention plan based on one of the provided case studies. Your response must be holistic, culturally responsive, and ethically grounded, demonstrating application of social work knowledge, values, and interprofessional practice skills. You will draw on the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), social determinants of health, and trauma-informed approaches.
Task Instructions
1. Choose one case study from the options provided (provided in Moodle).
2. Read the scenario carefully, identifying key concerns, strengths, and contextual information.
3. Complete a psychosocial assessment of the client(s).
4. Develop a culturally appropriate and ethical intervention plan.
5. Use at least 8 academic sources to support your analysis and planning.
6. Reflect on your own role, assumptions, and ethical considerations.
Suggested Structure
• Introduction (200 words): Briefly introduce the case and your approach.
• Psychosocial Assessment (700 words): Present a structured assessment including identity, issues, strengths, risks, and context.
• Intervention Plan (400 words): Describe your proposed support strategies, including ethical and interprofessional approaches.
• Conclusion and Reflection (200 words): Summarise your response and reflect on ethical, cultural, and positional considerations.
Academic Integrity
You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Level 3: You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use.
Week 12 Wednesday (8 Oct 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Moodle - Extensions: Available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period applies to this assessment.
Exam Week Monday (20 Oct 2025)
2 weeks post submission
- Psychosocial Assessment and Case Analysis – Demonstrates insight into the client’s identity, presenting issues, strengths, risks, and broader social context. Integrates trauma, socio-environmental, and structural factors into the analysis (12 marks)
- Intervention Plan - Outlines a holistic, ethical, and culturally appropriate action plan. Incorporates interprofessional collaboration and addresses identified needs and goals (10 marks).
- Integration of Theory, Policy, and Social Work Literature - Uses relevant theory and research to inform assessment and intervention. Demonstrates understanding of social work frameworks and trauma-informed approaches (8 marks).
- Critical Reflection on Positionality and Ethics - Reflects on personal values, biases, and ethical responsibilities in engaging with the case (6 marks).
- Academic Writing and Referencing – Clear structure, coherence, grammar, and correct APA 7th referencing (4 marks).
- Evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, trauma, and environmental challenges on the development, health and well-being of individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan.
- Apply the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), knowledge of bio-psycho-social-spiritual health and human development, and communication skills to foster holistic and collaborative assessments and culturally appropriate interventions that address complex and diverse needs across the lifespan.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
