HLTH06035 2019 Health Psychology

Demonstrate knowledge of psychological theory related to various aspects of health, illness and related behaviours.

Interact and participate effectively within a group environment.

Communicate health and psychological information effectively in a variety of forms.

This module will be delivered full-time and will include a weekly mix of whole-class lectures and discussion-led small-group workshops, where theory is applied to practical examples, case studies and real life scenarios.  Lectures aim to include opportunities for student-tutor interaction, and occasionally involve a blended learning approach.  Independent learning should include directed reading and computer-based learning tasks.  These approaches are expected to address the various learning needs of students.

A VLE may be used as a repository for educational resources and as a means of assessment (e.g. quizzes on required reading, uploading assignments etc).

Assessment in the module is a combination of continuous assessment tasks (40%) and a final exam (60%).

Multiple continuous assessments are deliberately offered in different formats to cater for different learning styles, e.g. oral presentation, written paper, online theory quizzes (short-answer, and MCQ), worksheet completion tasks and/or reading based tasks.

On-going quizzes (may be computer-based) will involve low-weighted quizzes at regular intervals e.g. 5% every 3 weeks, totally 20% and may be based on directed reading tasks, assessing various theoretical concepts.

An oral presentation/written paper on a designated course topics will be included towards the end of the module weight ed at 20% to assess students knowledge of theoretical concepts and application of theory.

A student may repeat all or part of the continuous assessment and/or the final exam where they have met the minimum attendance requirement at workshops.

If a student fails to meet the minimum attendance, they will be recommended to repeat-attend the workshops.

Overview of the emergence of health psychology as a field of study, historical origins and development etc

Comparison of the Biomedical and Biopsychosocial Models of viewing Health & Illness

Overview of health & health-related behaviour

Overview of evidence linking individual personality factors and aspects of health & illness including health-related behaviours

Overview of psychological perspectives on stress, coping and illness including psychosocial modifiers of the stress response

Introduction to theoretical models of health-behaviour change with application to case study examples

Psychological perspectives on pain  & chronic illness

Introduction to Exercise Psychology

Introduction to Positive Psychology