Psychological Intervention in Health Problems

Year
4
Academic year
2019-2020
Code
02018309
Subject Area
Psychology
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
2nd Cycle Studies - Mestrado

Recommended Prerequisites

Behavior Modification, Behavioural and Cognitive Models, and Psychopathology I and II

Teaching Methods

Expositive and interrogative method, large group discussion, use of audio-visuals for the projection of diagrams with topics of the contents taught.

Role-play and simulation exercises to develop assessment and intervention skills. It is also proposed to conduct researches, in small groups, which are presented and discussed in class by the students.

Occasionally people are invited to talk about specific issues, such a specific pathology (e.g., the President of the Portuguese Association of Relatives, Friends and People with Epilepsy, a technician who works with diabetic patients).

Learning Outcomes

An important movement of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been its application to health and disease. The relevance of the application of the cognitive-behavioral model to physical illness has been particularly emphasized.

CBT has been used successfully in several health problems and can be an ideal approach to help patients to minimize the negative psychological impact of their illness and to promote healthy behavior patterns and lifestyles.

CBT has proven particularly effective in managing stress, in the treatment of psychological problems in comorbidity with physical illnesses and in the interdisciplinary treatment of illness.

The main aim of this course is to disseminate the development of CBT, in the field of health problems, in terms of assessment, conceptualization, intervention and research. It is also intended to provide knowledge about the application of the cognitive-behavioral approach to specific health problems.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The syllabus consists of two main modules:

a) An introductory module, briefer, on health and its promotion and on stress and coping (conceptual models and research and intervention strategies).

b) A second module, more extensive, on assessment, conceptualization, intervention and research on various issues related to health (to become sick and to be ill; to experience physical symptoms without an organic cause; the relationships established between meanings, emotions, behavior and disease; the psychological impact of physical illness and its treatment) and on several specific health problems (asthma, diabetes, heart diseases, oncology, epilepsy, syndromes like fibromyalgia, smoking).

Head Lecturer(s)

Ana Paula Soares Matos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 50.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Belar, C. D., Deardorff, W. W., & Staff, A. P. (2015). Clinical Health Psychology in Medical Settings: A Practitioner's Guidebook. Washington: APA.

Buceta, J. M., & Bueno, A. M. (2000). Tratamiento psicológico de hábitos y enfermedades. Madrid: Pirámide

Lovallo, W. R. (2015). Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions. London: Sage Publications

Mack, A. H., Brady, K. T., Miller, S. I., Frances, R. J. (2016). Clinical Textbook of Addictive Disorders. NY: Guilford Publications.

Marks, D., Murray, M., Estacio, E.(2018). Health Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice. London: Sage Publications.

Roberts, M. C., & Steele, R. G. (2017). Handbook of Pediatric Psychology. NY: Guilford Publications

Safren, S., Soroudi, N., & Gonzalez, J.(2015). Coping with chronic illness : A cognitive-behavioral therapy approach for adherence and depression. NY : Oxford University Press.

Taylor, R. (2011). Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic illness and disability. NY: Springer.