PY0770 - Health Psychology in Theory and Practice

You will learn by participating in interactive lectures. There will be a two separate lecture each week, one focussing on theory, one on practice. Each lecture will last approximately 90 minutes. You will be encouraged to engage in debate within the class, and be given the skills to discuss and dispute the concepts, theories and models that are presented. Theoretical concepts will always be linked to practical real-world examples, drawn from on-going health psychology research and from the clinical and research work of the tutors . You will also be encouraged to participate in journal club style events, where you will work in groups to critically assess and present current health psychology theory and practice. You will also be given practical guidance around grant writing and get introduced to what intervention looks like in clinical health psychology.

You will be supported in learning during this module by taking part in interactive lectures and workshops, where discussion, feedback, small group work, and group discussion will form part of the learning culture. The University’s e-learning portal will direct you to content that will help you explore topics brought up in the lectures, and you will be encouraged to use the modules discussion board to further explore these topics.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. You will be expected to demonstrate a critical understanding of how non-psychological factors contribute to individual, group and population behaviour as it relates to health
2. You will be expected to be able to describe and critically evaluate the key health psychology theories that are currently
leading health research and policy.
3. You will be expected to describe and critically evaluate existing frameworks for developing, describing and evaluating
behaviour change interventions
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
4. You will be expected to demonstrate an ability to include a variety of relevant stakeholders in your research, and the
ability to make the design, conduct and dissemination of it accessible to them
Personal Values Attributes:
5. You will be expected to have the knowledge and skills to develop and design novel health psychology research, which is cognisant of professional practice and ethical frameworks

Summative assessment:
There will be one summative assessment at the end of the semester.
This will be a 4000 word essay in which you will be expected to demonstrate your knowledge of health psychology theories and how they are put into practice.. In this assignment you will put together a real-world research proposal which should demonstrate your ability to systematically design and evaluate an in-practice health psychology intervention using a theoretical framework to design, conduct and/or evaluate it. This will assess MLOs 1 to 5. Feedback will be provided in writing on the blackboard, detailing the main areas of strength and areas for improvement in your assignment. Additionally, a summary of the average marks with more generic feedback will be given in-class and via the e-learning portal.

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In the 21st-century many of us are becoming ill because of our own behaviour. At the same time treatment of many health complaints is no longer just a matter of administering a drug, but involves changing the way physical health complaints are managed, both by patients and healthcare professionals. As such, a theoretical and practical understanding of what makes us behave the way we do, how this can impact on our health, and how we can change this, is crucial to understanding modern healthcare. This module will also make you aware that you are currently surrounded by incentives to change your behaviour, to be fitter, happier and more productive. These government policies and health initiatives all have health psychology at their core. Understanding health psychology, both in theory and in practice, will allow you to critically evaluate this new healthcare landscape, and give you the knowledge and skills to shape it.