Psychology Week 1: Introduction to Health Psychology

Course Introduction

• The course covers topics in health psychology and clinical psychology.

Course Outline

• The course is divided into three modules: health psychology, clinical psychology, and health psychology (again).
• Topics in health psychology include:
  • Introduction to health and psychology
  • Health enhancing and health risk behaviors
  • Models of health and illness
  • Behavior change
  • Psychological and health interventions
  • Psychological aspects of injury and pain
  • Psychology of the patient
• Topics in clinical psychology include:
  • Psychology of abnormality
  • Anxiety disorders and stress
  • Mood disorders
  • Eating disorders and addictions
  • Personality disorders and schizophrenia

Essential Reading

• The essential reading for the course is Ogden, J. (2012). Health Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Assessments

• There are three assessments in the course:
  • Assessment 1: Workbook, 1000 words, 30% weighting
  • Assessment 2: Intra-session exam, 30% weighting
  • Assessment 3: Report, 1200 words, 40% weighting

What is Psychology?

• The aim of psychology is to describe, explain, predict, and control or modify behavioral and mental processes.

Clinical Psychology

• Clinical psychology is concerned with the assessment and treatment of mental illness.
• Clinical psychologists have skills in:
  • Psychological assessment and diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Research, teaching, and evaluation

Clinical Psychology and Mental Illness

• Mental illness is a condition that causes serious disorder in a person's behavior or thinking.
• Common mental disorders include:
  • Mood disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Eating disorders
  • Substance abuse disorders
  • Personality disorders

What is Health?

• Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
• Multiple factors comprise health, including:
  • Physical health
  • Mental health
  • Social health
  • Intellectual health
  • Financial health
  • Environmental health
  • Occupational health
  • Spiritual health

Models of Health

• Biomedical model: freedom from disease, pain, or defect, used in most Western countries to diagnose and treat disease.
• Biopsychosocial model: considers biological, psychological, and social factors.

Health Psychology

• Health psychology is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the application of psychological knowledge and techniques to health, illness, and healthcare.
• The goal of health psychology is to:
  • Develop our understanding of biopsychosocial factors involved in health promotion and maintenance
  • Improve healthcare systems and health policy
  • Prevent and treat illness
  • Investigate causes of illness

The Impact of Health Psychology

• Health psychology has a significant impact on health sciences.

How does Health Psychology differ from Clinical Psychology?

• Health psychology focuses on promoting health and preventing illness, while clinical psychology focuses on assessing and treating mental illness.

This quiz covers the introductory topics of psychology and health, including the outline of the unit and weekly modules on health psychology. It's an ideal assessment for students in their first week of psychology studies.