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2020/2021

Medical Psychology

Code: 102946 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2502442 Medicine FB 2 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Rafael Torrubia Beltri
Email:
Rafael.Torrubia@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

Teachers

Albert Fernández Teruel
Rosa Maria Escorihuela Agulló
Pablo Oromendia Rodriguez
Anastasia Ivanova
Yolanda Pardo Cladellas
Joan Taberner Viera
Daniel Vega Moreno
Beatriz Molinuevo Alonso

Prerequisites

It is advisable that students have attained basic competences en Biostatistics and that have an English language level that allows them to follow the theory and practic lectures and to understand the written texts that will be used in the subject.

Objectives and Contextualisation

To acquire a repertoire of knowledge about the basic processes of human behaviour that allow the students to discern in future training stages between normal and abnormal psychological functioning.

To interpret and use concepts and measures derived from basic psychology that are commonly used in medical practice.
 
To describe the limitations and biases of our brain in information processing and the repercussions that they have on the behaviour of the doctor as well as the user of the health services.
 
To describe the relationship between psychological states, personality traits and somatic illnes.
 
To describe the most common mental disorders and the most commonly used mental disorders classification systems. 
 
To describe the essential characteristics and applications of the various evidence-based psychological treatments that can be used in medical practice.
 
All these goals must help the student to achieve a range of skills that enable him/her a better understanding of both the behavior of users of health systems and their own behavior.
 
 

Competences

  • Demonstrate understanding of the importance and the limitations of scientific thought to the study, prevention and management of diseases.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the principles of normal human behaviour and its alterations in different contexts.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the structure and function of the body systems of the normal human organism at different stages in life and in both sexes.
  • Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  • Identify and measure the affective and emotional components of human behaviour and their disorders.
  • Obtain and prepare a patient record that contains all important information and is structured and patient-centred, taking into account all age and gender groups and cultural, social and ethnic factors.
  • Recognise the effects of growth, development and ageing on individuals and their social environment.
  • Recognise the role of complexity, uncertainty and probability in decision-making in medical practice.
  • Recognize the determinants of population health, both genetic and dependent on gender, lifestyle, and demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural factors.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Administer psychological tests with screening functions, interpret results and draw conclusions.
  2. Assess the relationships between the processes of motivation and emotion.
  3. Define basic features of developmental psychology.
  4. Define the main concepts and theories of the processes of motivation and emotion.
  5. Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  6. Describe the factors determining cognitive and social development and developmental differences between individuals.
  7. Describe the general classification of mental disorders based on the ICD of the WHO and on the DSM.
  8. Describe the influence of the cognitive processes (expectations, attributions, etc.) in decision-making.
  9. Describe the main cognitive processes (thought, language, intelligence, sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, learning).
  10. Describe the main methods for classifying abnormal behaviour.
  11. Distinguish and explain the different research methods in psychology.
  12. Distinguish the disorders associated with cognitive and personality processes.
  13. Distinguish the main mechanisms that regulate the processes of motivation and emotion.
  14. Enumerate the advantages and the limitations of the scientific method in psychology.
  15. Explain cognitive, emotional and psychosocial development in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
  16. Explain the concept of mental disorder.
  17. Identify forms of measurement of the processes of motivation and emotion and explain their limitations.
  18. Identify links between motivation and emotion and other psychological processes.
  19. Identify the general aetiological factors involved in mental disorders.
  20. Identify the main characteristics of the most common mental disorders.
  21. Identify the most significant changes in human development at each stage in life and their effects.
  22. Identify the problems of development.
  23. Point out the main components of a psychopathological examination.
  24. Transfer basic knowledge of the cognitive processes and personality processes to the field of health.
  25. Transfer the basic conceptual understanding of the processes of motivation and emotion to the field of health.

Content

THEORY TOPICS

T1. Psychology and medicine: conceptual and methodological aspects

T2. Development

T3. Thinking and language

T4. Intelligence

T5. Sensation and perception

T6. Attention and consciousness

T7. Elemental learnings and classical conditioning

T8. Instrumental conditioning

T9. Memory

T10. Motivation

T11. Emotion

T12. Personality

T13. Stress, illness and health

T14. Mental disorders

T15. Psychological treatments in medicine

LABORATORY PRACTICES

1. Assessment of behaviour through psychological tests

2: The measurement of intelligence through the WAIS

3. Anxiety and stress: measurement and management

VIRTUAL SELF-LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH DELIVERY

1. Assessment of behaviour through psychological tests

2. Biasses in human thinking

3. The measurement of intelligence through the WAIS

4. Psychoneuroimmunology

5. Muscle relaxation

 

 

 

Methodology

Theoretical classes, laboratory practices and autonomous activities (virtual self-learning activities, individual study, bibliographic or documentary consultations, Virtual Campus consultation).
 
The evaluable theoretical content will include the material taught in the theory classes and the chapters or parts of the chapters of the textbook of the subject [FELDMAN, R. (2019). Understanding Psychology (14th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill] that will be determined by faculty for each topic.
 
The textbook in electronic format will be accessible free of charge to all students enrolled in the subject.
 
Virtual self-learning activities are activities linked to the theoretical topics or to the practices that are carried out through the Virtual Campus. They must be responded and delivered within a period of 6-7 days after their publication according to a schedule that will be anounced at the beginning of the course. Once the delivery period of the exercises has ended, the students will have the answer templates for self-scoring.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Laboratory practices 7 0.28 1, 23, 5, 10, 9, 11, 12, 17, 24
Theory 45 1.8 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2
Type: Autonomous      
VIRTUAL SELF-LEARNING ACTIVITIES / SELF-STUDY / READING ARTICLES / REPORTS OF INTEREST 91 3.64 1, 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 25, 2

Assessment

REQUIREMENTS TO PASS THE SUBJECT

For evaluation purposes, the subject is divided into three blocks: a) Block first part of theory that includes the subject of theory corresponding to topics 1 to 7 and virtual activity 2 (linked to Topic 3); b) Block second part of theory that includes the subject of theory of the subjects 8 to 15 and the virtual activities 4 and 5 (linked to the subjects 13 and 15 respectively; and c) Block of practices that includes the practices and the virtual activities 1 and 3 (linked to practices 1 and 2 respectively).
 
To pass the subject, students must have passed each of the three Blocks with a minimum grade of 5.
 
Students will have two opportunities to pass each of the Blocks: the first, in the calls for partial assessments and the second in the resit test. 

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION

1. Partial assessments of the subject

During the course there will be two partial assessments. The dates will be set by the Coordination Team of the Teaching Unit. These assessments, if passed, will serve to eliminate material from the recovery test. Each exam will result in a separate grade. The questions will be multiple choice format with five possible answers and only a valid option and will be written in Catalan and Spanish language.
 
A correction will be applied to discount random correct answers [Corrected score = (correct answers - (errors / 4))] which will be transformed into a note that can range from 0 to 10.
 
The first partial evaluation will include two exams: a) First partial theory, of 31 questions on the contents of the Block first part of theory; and b) Practice exam, of 12 questions on the subject of the Practice Block.
 
The secondpartialevaluation will consist of an exam: Second partial theory, of 36 questions on the contents of the Block second part of theory.
 
After each assessment, students will have a period of 24 hours to send, through the Virtual Campus, comments or complaints about the questions, which will be analyzed by teachers before publishing the provisional list of grades. Afterwards, after the list has been published, an examination review session will be convened at least two days in advance.

2. Assistance and active participation in class and virtual activities

2.1. Active participation in class: Throughout the semester, four evaluation activities will be carried out with the aim that students can demonstrate their active participation in the learning process of the subject. The activities will be carried out, according to the criteria of the professors, according to a calendar that will be announced at the beginning of the course. The active participation of students in these activities will generate a grade (0 to 10) for each activity. Failure to participate in the activity will result in a score of 0.
 
2.2. Participation in virtual activities: The delivery of the answers to each of the five virtual activities will be counted. Each delivery of the activity within the set deadline will result in a bonus of 0.04 points on the final grade of the subject. Failure to deliver the activity or late delivery will result in a score of 0 in that activity. 

TEST OF REASSESSMENT 

Students who have not passed the subject through partial assessments may take a Recovery Test that will be held on the day set by the Coordination Team of the Teaching Unit. The test will consist of three parts: a) First partial theory; b) Second partial theory; and c) Practice exam. Each student will only be required to take the part thathe / she did not pass in the partial assessments.
 
The characteristics of the exams as well as the formula for calculating the grade will be the same as those of the partial assessments.
 
After the exams, students will have a period of 24 hours to send through the Virtual Campus comments or complaints about the questions, which will be analyzed by teachers before publishing the provisional list of grades. Afterwards, after the list has been published, an examination review session will be convened at least two days in advance.
 
Students who have not passed the subject through partial assessments and who on the day of the Recovery Test do not appear in the examination or examinations of the parts not passed, will be classified as "NOT EVALUABLE". 
 
FINAL MARK OF THE SUBJECT
 
Final mark = (mark First part of theory * 0.23) + (mark Second partial of theory * 0.27) + (mark Exam of practices * 0.20) + (average mark of the four marks of Attendance and of active participation in class * 0.28) + (bonus of 0.04 points on the Final Grade for each exercise of virtual self-learning activity delivered within the set deadline).
 
This formula only will be applied in the case that at least a mark of 5 has been obtained in each one of the three Blocks of the subject (First partial of theory, Second partial of theory and Exam of Practices).
 
The final grade in the event that the three parts of the subject have not been passed after the Recovery Test, will be:
 
In the event that the resulting grade after applying the formula for calculating the Final Grade is ≤ 4.7, that grade will be placed.
In the event that the resulting grade after applying the formula for calculating the Final Grade is> 4.7, the final grade will be 4.7.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and active participation in class and seminars 30% 1 0.04 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2
Laboratory practices and linked virtual activities : Written evaluation: Objective tests: Selections Items: Multiple choice questions 20% 2 0.08 1, 5, 11, 12, 24
Theory and linked virtual activities: Written evaluation: Objective tests: Selection items: Multiple choice questions 50% 4 0.16 1, 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2

Bibliography

Specific Bibliography

FELDMAN, R. (2019). Understanding Psychology (14th. Ed). New York: McGraw Hill

Consultation bibliography (can be found in the UAB libraries)

AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

BERGER, K. S. (2016). Psicología del desarrollo: infancia y adolescencia. (9ª ed.). Buenos Aires: Médica Panamericana.

BREEDLOVE, S. M. WATSON, N. V. (2017). Behavioural Neuroscience  (International 8th ed). Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.

CARLSON, N. R. BIRKETT, M.A. (2017). Physiology of behavior (12th ed). Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

DAVIDOFF, L. L. (2003). Introducción a la psicología (3ª ed.). México: McGraw-Hill/Interamericana.

DAVIDSON, R. J., SCHERER, K. R., GOLDSMITH, H. H. (Eds.). (2003). Handbook of affective sciences. New York: Oxford University Press.

GLEITMAN, H., FRIDLUND, A.J., REISBERD, D. (1999). Psychology (5ª ed.). New York: Norton.

GOLDSTEIN, E. B. (2006). Sensación y percepción (6ª ed.). Madrid: Thomson

KANDEL, E. R., SCHWARTZ, J. H., JESSELL, T. M., SIEGELBAUM, S. A., HUDSPETH, A. J. (2012). Principles of neural science (5th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

MYERS, D. G. (2011). Psicología (9ª ed.). Buenos Aires; Madrid: Médica Panamericana.

PÉREZ ÁLVAREZ, M., FERNÁNDEZ HERMIDA, J. R., FERNÁNDEZ RODRÍGUEZ, C., AMIGO VÁZQUEZ, I. (Coords.). (2003). Guía de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces. Madrid: Pirámide.

PERVIN, L. A. (1996). The Science of personality. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

REEVE.J. (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons.

ROLLS, E. T. (2005). Emotion explained. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

SAPOLSKY, R.M. (2008). ¿Por qué las cebras no tienen úlceras? Madrid: Alianza editorial.

SCHACTER, D. L., GILBERT, D. T., WEGNER, D. M.(2014). Psychology (3rd. ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

STECKLER, T., KALIN, N. H., REUL, J.M.H.M. (Eds). (2005). Handbook of stress and the brain. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

TARPY, R.M. (2000). Aprendizaje: Teoría e investigación contemporáneas. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.

WADE, C., TAVRIS, C. (2003). Psicología. (7ª Ed.). Madrid: Pearson Educación.

WARD, J. (2015). The student’s guide to cognitive neuroscience (3rd ed.). New York: Psychology Press.