Health Psychology

Assessment: to be confirmed
The module aims to provide students with a basic knowledge of the major theories and research in the field of health psychology. The module will be concerned with the study of approaches to both psychological and physical health and illness. Prevention, assessment, and treatment of forms of mental and physical disorder in which psychological influences either contribute to, or can be used to relieve, an individual's distress or dysfunction will be examined from the perspective of clinical health psychology. Consideration of the influence of cognitive and social theories underlying practice in this field will be a central theme in introductory part of the module. As students progress through the module they will be provided with an opportunity to examine, in depth, a number of current topics of research in Clinical Health Psychology which focus on selected specialties in the area of health. A thorough analysis of each topic will be undertaken, and a considerable amount of directed reading will be required.
Students hoping to pursue a postgraduate training in health psychology or clinical psychology will find this module particularly useful.