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
The course aims to:
- Promote the development of a solid and responsible professional identity as a General Health Psychologist, integrating the human, ethical, scientific, legal and professional dimensions that underpin the practice of health psychology.
- Promote a comprehensive understanding of the person, health and psychological suffering, incorporating an anthropological perspective that encourages reflection on different ways of understanding human beings and their implications for clinical practice.
- Develop an ethical and deontological approach to professional practice, fostering the ability to identify, analyse and make responsible decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas and complex situations in healthcare practice.
- Understand the professional, legal and healthcare framework within which General Health Psychology is practised, developing criteria for safe and responsible practice in accordance with current regulations.
- Understand the characteristics and demands of professional practice in health psychology, including the development and sustainability of professional practice, interdisciplinary work and basic knowledge of pharmacological treatments relevant to mental health.
- Develop a critical, reflective and evidence-based approach, acquiring the skills needed to evaluate scientific knowledge and apply it rigorously and responsibly to clinical decision-making.
- Analyse the opportunities, limitations and ethical implications of new technologies and artificial intelligence applied to psychology, promoting their critical and responsible use in accordance with the principles of healthcare practice.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Identify advanced knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context.
- CN02 - Identify the obligations and responsibilities of healthcare personnel regarding information confidentiality and patients' personal data protection.
- CN05 - Indicate the activities necessary for the constitution, launch, and management of a company, its different legal forms, and the corresponding legal, accounting, and tax obligations.
- CP01 - Communicate one's own conclusions, as well as the knowledge and rationale underpinning them, to specialized and general audiences in a clear, precise, and unambiguous manner, taking into account cutting-edge information and communication technologies in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CP02 - Work from the perspective of quality and continuous improvement, demonstrating autonomous and self-critical learning skills for responsible and effective professional performance in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CP03 - Work in multidisciplinary groups in the clinical and healthcare field, critically and constructively evaluating one's own work and that of other professionals, and identifying both personal and professional strengths and limitations in professional practice.
- CP04 - Implement strategies and mechanisms in the clinical and healthcare field to promote gender equality, equity, and respect for diversity, using inclusive and non-discriminatory language in professional practice.
- CP06 - Apply the fundamentals of bioethics and the method of deliberation in professional practice, ensuring that practice as a healthcare professional complies with the provisions of Law 44/2003, of November 21, on the regulation of healthcare professions.
- CP09 - Manage referral to the corresponding specialist professional, demonstrating knowledge of the role of the general health psychologist in different contexts.
- CP14 - Apply the principles of human rights, democratic values, and sustainable development in professional practice, promoting a culture of peace and ensuring inclusive and sustainable environments that respect the dignity of all people in the healthcare field.
- HB01 - Apply acquired knowledge to address problems in multidisciplinary contexts, interpreting information that is often incomplete or limited, and identifying ethical aspects and social responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
- HB02 - Formulate working hypotheses in research, critically selecting information for problem-solving and applying the scientific method within the clinical and healthcare field.
- HB03 - Integrate in a critical, synthetic, and rigorous manner the knowledge and advances of clinical psychology within the clinical and healthcare field for their effective application in professional practice.
- HB05 - Use previously critically examined clinical information sources, evaluating their relevance and validity for professional practice.
- HB06 - Demonstrate solid knowledge of current regulations in the Spanish healthcare field, ensuring that psychological practices align with established regulations and standards.
- HB07 - Demonstrate a solid ethical and professional commitment by assuming civic and social responsibilities, contributing to the construction of a more just and equal society from the field of health psychology.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
- Describe the Spanish National Health System and the areas of practice of General Health Psychologists, identifying their functions within the current regulatory framework.
- Identify the professional fields, obligations, responsibilities, and ethical and deontological principles of Psychology in healthcare settings, and apply them to professional practice.
- Identify strategies to promote gender equality, equity, and respect for human rights in professional healthcare practice.
- Use relevant bibliographic sources to assess the effectiveness and clinical utility of evidence-based psychological techniques and interventions.
- Interpret research data in the field of Health Psychology, drawing evidence-based conclusions and communicating them clearly to the professional and scientific community.
- Design a plan for establishing a differentiated, sustainable, and legally compliant professional practice, taking into account regulatory and market requirements.
Syllabus
Block I. Foundations of professional positioning
- Development of the professional identity and role of the General Health Psychologist.
- Anthropological foundations applied to the understanding of the person and psychological suffering.
- Ethical and deontological principles guiding professional practice.
- Reflection and decision-making in situations related to the practice of Health Psychology.
Block II. Professional practice and clinical complexity
- Legal and regulatory aspects relevant to the practice of General Health Psychology.
- Foundations for the development and sustainability of professional practice.
- Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology relevant to psychological practice.
- Professional practice and coordination with other healthcare professionals.
Block III. Critical thinking and the future of the profession
- Foundations of methodology and research applied to Health Psychology.
- Search, interpretation and critical appraisal of scientific evidence.
- New technologies and artificial intelligence applied to Psychology.
- Critical reflection on the challenges, opportunities and ethical implications of the evolution of the profession.
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.