S244 Health Psychology
This document addresses the content related abilities with reference to the module. Abilities
of thinking, learning, team work, and communication, are addressed by the system wide
curricular practices at the Polytechnic.
Module Synopsis
This module aims to introduce the field of health psychology. Students will explore the links
between mental processes and behaviours as related to health and illness. The module
encourages critical awareness of the role of psychological theory and methodology in
maintaining healthy functioning. Topics include theories of healthy behaviour, health
enhancing behaviour, health risk behaviour, and rehabilitation. This course will challenge
students to critically evaluate the role that cognition, society and the environment play in the
health of individuals.
Module Objectives
Throughout the course, students will learn:
1) Introduction to Psychology/Health Psychology
 Define psychology.
 Describe the kinds of occupations taken by psychologists and the agencies in which
they work.
 Identify and discuss the different psychological explanations underpinning the work of
psychologists/health psychologists.
 Describe the various ways in which psychologists/health psychologists gather data
(e.g. experimental, surveys, correlational research and naturalistic observational
research).
 Define health psychology.
 Describe the Mind-Body relationship.
 Explain the Biopsychosocial model.
2) Developmental Psychology
 Define developmental psychology.
 Understand the major theoretical perspectives in developmental psychology.
 List the developmental changes of an individual at critical stages of life (e.g.
childhood, puberty, adolescence, adulthood, aging, death and dying).
 Discuss the different approaches to the study of life-span development.
3) Learning
 Identify and describe the common approaches to the study of learning.
 Distinguish the different models and types of memory.
4) Emotions
 Define emotions and describe how it influences human behaviour.
 Describe and differentiate the major theories of emotions.
Strictly Confidential. For Articulation Purpose Only.
5) Personality
 Define personality.
 List the major perspectives of personality development.
 Describe the major types of personality assessment methods.
6) Abnormal Psychology
 Define abnormality in psychological terms.
 Identify and explain the casual factors in mental disorders under different models used
for treatment.
7) Social Psychology
 Define the concepts of social influence and attitudes.
 Identify the difference between prejudice and discrimination.
 Discuss the reasons why are people prejudiced and how can it be stopped.
 Describe the major studies of social influence.
 Describe how attitudes are formed and can be changed.
8) Health-Enhancing Behaviours
 Define health behaviours.
 Identify the theories and models in health behaviours.
 Identify the benefits and determinants of regular exercise.
 Identify the factors that influence health behaviours.
9) Risk Factors to Health
 Define substance dependence, poor diet and no exercise/sedentary lifestyle.
 Identify the contributing factors to health compromising behaviours.
 Compare the treatment programs for health compromising behaviours.
 Discuss the interventions for health compromising behaviours.
10) Stress/Moderators of Stress Experience
 Describe the dimensions of stressful events.
 Discuss the research findings on stress.
 Compare and contrast sources of chronic stress.
 Differentiate between different coping styles and their corresponding impact on
health.
 Demonstrate different stress management techniques.
 Explain the contributing factors to burnout in health care professionals.
11) Management/Coping/Rehabilitation/Psychological Interventions of Chronic Illness
 Explain the emotional responses to chronic illness.
 Summarise the strategies for coping with chronic illness.
 Illustrate the physical and social issues of chronic illness.
 Distinguish different interventions to chronic illness.
12) Coronary Heart Diseases, Hypertension, and Stroke
 Define coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke.
 Describe the factors involved with managing coronary heart disease.
 Illustrate the psychosocial factors that influence hypertension.
 Identify the problems in the self-management of stroke.
Strictly Confidential. For Articulation Purpose Only.
13) Psychoneuroimmunology, Cancer and AIDS
 Outline the psychological factors that influence the course of AIDS and other
autoimmune diseases.
 Identify the different coping strategies used with AIDS and other autoimmune
diseases.
 Illustrate the relationship between the immune system and stress.
 Outline the psychological factors that influence the course of cancer.
 Identify the different coping strategies used with cancer.
14) Pain Management/ Death and Dying
 Differentiate between acute and chronic pain.
 Demonstrate some non- invasive pain control techniques.
 Outline the components of pain management programs.
 Outline the dying trajectories, stages in people’s reaction to dying and grief and
bereavement.
15) Adherence and doctor/patient communication
 Describe the nature of the communication between patient and health care provider.
 Analyse factors influencing adherence.
 Discuss the ways to improve communication and reduce non-adherence.
Strictly Confidential. For Articulation Purpose Only.
Module Syllabus
Allocated time per day in hours
(e-Module format)
Module Coverage
To work on
materials and
resources provided
Assignments and
Revision

Introduction to Psychology/ Health
Psychology
4
3

Developmental Psychology
4
3

Learning
4
3

Emotions
4
3

Personality
4
3

Abnormal Psychology
4
3

Social Psychology
4
3

Health-Enhancing Behaviours
4
3

Risk Factors to Health
4
3

Stress/ Moderators of Stress
Experience
4
3

Management/ Coping/ Rehabilitation/
Psychological Interventions of
Chronic Illness
4
3

Coronary Heart Diseases,
Hypertension, and Stroke
4
3

Psychoneuroimmunology, Cancer
and AIDS
4
3

Pain Management/ Death and Dying
4
3

Adherence and doctor/ patient
communication
4
3
60
45
Total = 15 Problems
= 105 hours
(due to lack of contact time)
Strictly Confidential. For Articulation Purpose Only.