HPS226 - Health Psychology (Chronic Illness)

Unit details

Year:

2024 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 2: Stephanie Merkouris
Previously:Applied Health Psychology
Prerequisite:

HBS110

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with:

HPS326

Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment:

1 x 2 hour (campus) seminar per week
1 x 1 hour (recorded) lecture per week
1 x 1 hour (online) Q & A per week

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment:

1 x 2 hour (online) seminar per week
1 x 1 hour (recorded) lecture per week
1 x 1 hour (online) Q & A per week

Note:

Drop-in Q&A online sessions will be scheduled throughout the trimester; see the unit cloud site for more details.

Content

This unit provides an introduction to the theory and practice of health psychology. Building on the foundation of the influential behaviour change theories, the unit offers a biopsychosocial perspective on chronic illness conceptualisation and treatment. Students will get acquainted with the concepts relevant to health and illness from the biopsychosocial perspective.  You will be asked to consider the application of these concepts to a range of clinical contexts to develop an understanding of how concepts from within health psychology can be applied to both the individual and to specific disease populations. The unit will consider the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of health and illness using applied examples from such fields as psycho-cardiology, psycho-oncology and psycho-gastroenterology, among others.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes

ULO1

Explain and evaluate how psychological and behavioural factors interact with the physical systems of the body and social factors to influence health and illness.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO6: Self-management

ULO2

Understand and evidence how psychological constructs can be applied to both the individual and specific disease populations.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO3

Demonstrate the capacity to communicate health information and research to a range of audiences, including lay people, professional peers, and members of multidisciplinary teams.

GLO2: Communication
GLO7: Teamwork
GLO8: Global citizenship

ULO4

Evaluate and apply concepts from health psychology to a range of clinical contexts.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO6: Self-management

ULO5

Demonstrate the ability to translate research questions and outcomes into a multidisciplinary clinical context.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving

Assessment

Assessment description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1: Shared Decision-Making Tool 1200 words 40%
  • Week 6
Assessment 2: Analytical Evaluation 1400 words 40%
  • Week 10
Assessment 3: End-of-Unit Assessment 90 minutes 20%
  • End-of-unit assessment period

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HPS226 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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