Health Psychology: Fundamentals
Code: 102592 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2502443 Psychology | OT | 4 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Antoni Font Guiteras
- Email:
- Antonio.Font@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Other comments on languages
If there are students who do not understand Catalan, the class is done in Spanish. Erasmus students can take all the exams in English or German, as well as some tutorial activities (depending on the teacher who does them).Teachers
- Ana Fernandez Sanchez
- Gemma Peralta Perez
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This subject is mandatory for the minor in Health Psychology. In the course students acquire a general and introductory perspective in relation to this area of scientific knowledge. The training objectives are:
To know and understand the conceptual delimitations of Health Psychology
To understand and apply the concepts of health and disease from a biopsychosocial perspective.
To learn to identify the different types of health determinants, especially the environmental, behavioral and cognitive ones.
To acquire a ground knowledge of the professional profile of health.
Competences
- Analyse scientific texts written in English.
- Analyse the demands and needs of people, groups and organisations in different contexts.
- Dominate the strategies and techniques to include in the intervention with recipients.
- Obtain and organise relevant information for the service requested.
- Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
- Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
- Recognise the determinants and risk factors for health and also the interaction between people and their physical and social environment.
- Use different ICTs for different purposes.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse scientific texts written in English.
- Apply diagnostic psychosocial health problems.
- Assess the practical and ethical limitations in the applied field.
- Define the lexicon of the subject.
- Describe the models and contributions of biomedical and bio psychosocial perspectives to an understanding of health.
- Differentiate the psychosocial implications of major health problems, their determinants, epidemiological trends and forecasting.
- Distinguish between the different fields of applied psychological evaluation and intervention in health problems.
- Identify the main psychological determinants affecting the development of health problems and ways of tackling them.
- Identify the need for intervention in health problems in different applied contexts.
- Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
- Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
- Recognise the main determinants that affect adherence to monitoring therapeutic requirements for different health problems
- Use different ICTs for different purposes.
- Use the main documentary sources in the field of health.
Content
1. Introduction to the Health Psychology
• Models of health and disease.
• The discipline of Health Psychology. Fields and related disciplines.
• Areas of action and professional development.
• Documentary sources in health psychology.
2. Stress and Health
• Concept of stress. Cognitive, motor and physiological aspects.
• Effects of stress on health and well-being.
• Styles and coping strategies.
• Stress control techniques.
3. Adhesion to treatments
• Epidemiology: Adherence to specific diseases
• Concept and models
• Associated factors.
• Interventions.
4. Behavior and health
• Determinants of health.
• Lifestyle related to health.
• Risk behaviors and healthy behavior.
• Theoretical models and behavior change.
5. Prevention and promotion of health: Explanatory models and methodologies for practical work
• Contextual models.
• Psycho-social models
• Integration of socio-cognitive models.
• Practical applications of the models: examples of prevention and promotion of health.
6. Chronic disease
• Concept, characteristics and main chronic diseases
• Objectives of work in chronic diseases.
• Quality of life: modulating levels and factors.
• Psychological interventions: Levels, formats, contents, effects. Contributions from the Positive Psychology.
Methodology
The Teaching methodology is mainly based on master classes with support of ICTs and seminars.
In the seminars, the activities will be:
- To analyse related readings, based on a discussion script previously prepared and focused on students.
- To present critical summaries of scientific articles related to the theme of the subject.
- Looking in depth at subjects dealt with in the subject: analysis of material on health issues, analysis of determinants of health behaviours, elaboration and analysis of evaluation instruments, etc.
- Participatory activities in small dynamic work groups, with "role-playing" methodology and immediate feedback of the individual contributions to each practical activity.
N.B. The proposed teaching and assessment methodologies may experience some modifications as a result of the restrictions on face-to-face learning imposed by the health authorities. The teaching staff will use the Moodle classroom or the usual communication channel to specify whether the different directed and assessment activities are to be carried out on site or online, as instructed by the Faculty.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Dynamic seminars for analysis, applications, simulations / role-playing and discussions | 12 | 0.48 | 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 10, 3 |
| Lectures with support of ICTs and activities with the whole class group | 24 | 0.96 | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Support in repports´ elaboration | 15 | 0.6 | 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Elaboration of reports | 22.5 | 0.9 | 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 |
| Readings | 22.5 | 0.9 | 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 14 |
| To study | 50 | 2 | 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 |
Assessment
Two partial exams will be undertaken, each worth 35% of the final grade. The grades obtained in two blocks of activity reports related to the seminars are added, each of them will count 15% of the final grade (30% together).
To pass the subject, the average of marks of the two partial exams (assessments 2 and 4) must be equal or superior to 5 (in a scale from 0 to 10). That is, a minimum of 3.5 points must be obtained in the sum of assessments 2 and 4.
In total, the students are offered 4 learning assessments, which comprise a total of 10 points:
Assessment 1: Written report (individual or group) of activities related to seminars 1, 2 and 3: 1.5 points
Assessment 2: Written test of scopes 1, 2 and 3 of the agenda: 3.5 points
Assessment 3: Written report (individual or group) of activities related to seminars 4, 5 and 6: 1,5 points
Assessment 4: Written test of areas 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda: 3.5 points.
The reports of assessments 1 and 3 are submitted using the Moodle platform. EV1: Final submission: Before the start of the first assessment period. EV3: Final submission: Before the start of the second assessment period.
Assessments 2 and 4 are face-to-face written tests (multiple choice test). EV2: During the first assessment period. EV4: During the second assessment period.
The final grade is the sum of the four assessments. No additional tests are undertaken to improve the grades obtained in the four assessments.
The subject is deemed passed if 5 or more points are obtained in the sum of the 4 assessments, as long as 3.4 points or more have been obtained in the sum of assessments 2 and 4. Not meeting these criteria means that a maximum grade of 4.9 marks (range 0-10) can be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
A student who has submitted assessments with a weight equal to or greater than 4points (40%) will obtain a grade. A student with less assessments will be "not evaluable".
Re-assessment
All the following criteria must be met in order to take re-assessment:
a) Having obtained between 3.5 and less than 5 points in the continuous assessment.
b) The weight of the assessment which the person has submitted during the course must be 66.7% or more.
Characteristics of the re-assessment test:
It will consist of retaking the Ev2 and / or Ev4 assessments, with the same characteristics and correction criteria as in the first time.
Assessments EV1 and EV3 cannot be re-assessed, because it is not possible to repeat the seminars (so, the same grades will be added to the final grade).
The re-assessment will be made in the period assigned for re-assessment, the day and time being determined by the Faculty.
No unique final synthesis test for students who enroll for the second time or more is anticipated.
You will find the assessment criteria of the Faculty following the link https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ev1 Report 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 14, 3 |
| Ev2 Exam 1. Multiple choice written test | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Ev3 Report 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 13, 14, 3 |
| Ev4 Exam 2. Multiple choice written test | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 10 |
Bibliography
Basic:
Asociación Lationamericana de Psicología de la Salud: http://www.alapsa.org/v2/web/
Perez, M. et al. (2006). Guia de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces II. Psicología de la Salud. Madrid. Pirámide.
Perfil profesional del psicólogo clínico y de la salud: http://www.cop.es/perfiles/contenido/clinica.htm
Sociedad Española de Psicología Clínica y de la Salud: http://www.sepcys.org/
TAYLOR, S. (2007). Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: McGraw-Hill
Complementary:
Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine: http://www.apm.org/
APA Division 38 (Health Psychology): http://www.health-psych.org/
European Health Psychology Society: http://www.ehps.net/
OGDEN, J. (2007). Essential readings in health psychology. Berkshire, UK: Open University Press
Society of Behavioural Medicine: http://sbm.org/