Health Psychology

This course is designed to acquaint students with the theory, research, and practice related to being a health psychologist in the 21st century. Upon completion of the course, students will have a practical and scholarly understanding of diverse issues such as how the definition of health shapes the role of the health psychologist, national health objectives, the role of environment and cultural diversity in health, theories of behavior change, treatment adherence, stress management, health promotion, risk reduction, and prevention. The course is intended to inform the students about the role of psychology in preventing illness, promoting wellness, managing chronic disease, as well as evaluating outcomes relevant to applied problems in health. Further, the course is designed to facilitate an interdisciplinary perspective on the basic problems, processes, and unresolved issues in biopsychosocial aspects of health, illness, and healing. Students will gain an understanding of the history and foundation of the field of health psychology and its connection to related disciplines (e.g., behavioral medicine, public health). Emphasis will also be placed on students learning to apply various theories and models that have been developed to explain and modify health behaviors.