Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Fundamentals of Health Psychology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Students may contact both the subject coordinator and their tutor by e-mail.
Introduction
The course Foundations of General Health Psychology aims to provide students with the essential basis for developing a sound, responsible and critical professional stance in the practice of health psychology. Beyond the acquisition of specific knowledge, the course encourages students to reflect on the understanding of the person, as well as on the values and criteria from which professionals approach human suffering, establish the therapeutic relationship and make decisions in clinical practice.
Throughout the course, students will explore the different frameworks that guide and regulate professional practice, together with the complexity of the healthcare, legal and social context in which it takes place. The course aims to ensure that students understand the responsibilities, limits and implications of their professional role and are able to act with rigour, prudence and sensitivity, both in their work with patients and in coordination with other professionals and services.
Finally, the course promotes the development of critical and evidence-informed clinical thinking, enabling students to assess the quality of available information and evidence, integrate scientific and technological advances, and respond to the emerging challenges of the profession. The central thread of the course can therefore be expressed through one key question: from what standpoint does a general health psychologist observe, think, decide and work?
Pre-course requirements
None
Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Understand the anthropological, ethical and deontological foundations that guide the practice of General Health Psychology.
- Reflect on the understanding of the person, health, suffering and the therapeutic relationship that underpins professional practice.
- Identify the responsibilities, professional boundaries, and legal and deontological obligations of the general health psychologist.
- Analyse complex professional situations and make well-founded, prudent decisions that are consistent with ethical, legal and clinical principles.
- Understand the basic characteristics of professional practice, particularly in private practice, interdisciplinary coordination and work within the healthcare system.
- Understand the general principles of psychopharmacology and the psychologist’s role in assessment, follow-up and coordination with other healthcare professionals.
- Develop critical thinking skills to assess the quality of information, scientific research and available evidence, as well as to analyse the possibilities, limitations and ethical implications of new technologies and artificial intelligence.
- Integrate the knowledge acquired throughout the course in order to develop a sound, responsible and personally grounded professional stance that is sensitive to human complexity and to the emerging challenges of the profession.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB10 - Students should have learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a largely self-directed or autonomous manner.
- CB6 - Have and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for the student to develop and/or apply original ideas, often in the context of research.
- CB7 - Students should be able to apply their knowledge and ability to solve problems in new or little-known environments, within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
- CB8 - Students should be able to integrate their knowledge and cope with the complexity of formulating judgements based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflection on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
- CB9 - Students should be able to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments supporting these conclusions in a clear and unambiguous manner to specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CE11 - Understanding of the obligations and responsibilities of healthcare personnel regarding confidentiality of information and protection of patient personal data.
- CE16 - Extensive understanding of the different evaluation and intervention models in the field of General Health Psychology, as well as the techniques and procedures derived therefrom to address behavioural disorders and the psychological factors associated with health problems in different contexts (private, primary care, community, crisis and emergency situations).
- CE19 - Know the activities necessary for the constitution, start-up and management of a company, its different legal forms and the associated legal, accounting and tax obligations.
- CE2 - Apply the fundamentals of bioethics and the method of deliberation in professional practice, aligning their practice as a health professional to the provisions of Law 44/2003, of 21 November, on the organisation of the healthcare professions.
- CE20 - Knowledge of the current regulations in the Spanish healthcare field.
- CE4 - Analyse critically and use clinical information sources.
- CE7 - Formulate working hypotheses in research and collect and critically evaluate information to solve problems, applying the scientific method.
- CE8 - Know the framework for action of the general health psychologist in different contexts and know how to refer patients to the respective specialised professional.
- CG1 - Ability to use the different information and communication technologies in professional performance in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CG2 - Formulate working hypotheses in research and critically assess information to solve problems, applying the scientific method in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT1 - Evaluate inequalities based on sex and gender, to design mechanisms for achieving real equality, avoiding partial and discriminatory interpretations in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT2 - Implement strategies to promote gender equality, equity and respect for human rights in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT3 - Demonstrate ethical and professional commitment to civic and social responsibilities, especially regarding equality between people and respect for diversity in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT4 - Connect knowledge in a critical, synthetic and rigorous way in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT8 - Identify personal and professional limitations in the practice of their profession.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Upon completion of this subject, students should:
- Be familiar with the National Health System and the fields of action of general health psychologists.
- Be familiar with the occupations, obligations and responsibilities and ethical aspects of Psychology in the health field.
- Be able to identify strategies for promoting gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
- Be familiar with and know how to access sources of information and find data on the efficacy and clinical utility of psychological techniques and interventions.
- Know how to analyse and interpret research data within the framework of their disciplinary knowledge, draw conclusions from this data and communicate information to the professional and scientific community.
- Be able to plan the implementation of a professional, distinctive, sustainable and legal activity.
Syllabus
BLOCK I. Foundations of professional positioning
- Presentation and introduction to General Health Psychology.
- Anthropological foundations of psychological practice.
- Professional ethics and deontology.
BLOCK II. Professional practice and clinical complexity
- Legal aspects of psychological practice.
- Entrepreneurship and professional practice in private settings.
- Foundations of psychopharmacology for health psychologists.
BLOCK III. Critical thinking and the future of the profession
- Methodology, research and critical thinking in Psychology.
- Artificial intelligence and new technologies applied to Psychology.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The methodology that will be used will involve lectures, practical exercises, debates and reflection activities.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The course will be assessed through three in-class activities:
- Anthropology reflection: 30%
- Applied case in Ethics and Deontology: 40%
- Final integrative reflection: 30%
To pass the course, students must pass each of the three assessment components. The final grade will be calculated according to the percentages indicated above, provided that all three components have been passed.
Second sitting: The mark earned in all passed parts will be kept, while the assessment activities in all failed parts will have to be repeated. If a part is failed in the recovery, the entire subject must be taken again.