Advanced Seminar in Health Psychology (PSY 360) Spring 2016

Dr. Micah Sadigh Department of Psychology Cedar Crest College

2

Syllabus

Title: Advanced Seminar in Health Psychology (PSY 360) (3 Credits) Class Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1-2:15 PM Classroom: Curtis 241 Faculty: Dr. Micah Sadigh Office: Curtis 120 Office Hours: Office Hours: Mondays: 10-11 AM; 1-2:30; Tuesdays: 4-5 PM; Wednesdays: 10-11:00 AM; 4-5 PM; Thursdays, 4-5 PM; Fridays: 10 to 11 AM; or by appointment (610-606-4666, Ext. 3715) E-mail: micasa@cedarcrest.edu Description: This is an advanced seminar in Health Psychology in which we will delve deeper into the relationship between health and behavior. The latest theoretical developments in Health Psychology as well as empirical findings in behavioral interventions for a variety of medical disorders will be the focus of this seminar. Some of the topics will include: models of behavior change, classical conditioning in health and disease, social contributors to healthy living, behavioral cardiology, psychological interventions in cancer, chronic pain, behavior and HIV, and methods of modifying maladaptive behaviors, and palliative care. Students in this seminar will be required to give class presentations on a variety of topics related to Health Psychology. A final project requires the production of a publication-ready quality manuscript based on these presentations. Course Outcomes: These student learning outcomes are based on the criteria for a 300 level course and were endorsed by the Psychology Department 1. Knowledge Base of Psychology: Health Psychology explores how behavior affects health. As such, the course relies heavily on the knowledge of human behavior, particularly as far as leaning and conditioning are concerned. 2. Research Methods in Psychology: Research methodology especially as it pertains to papers discussed in this course will play an important role in understanding the types of research that are conducted in Health Psychology. 3. Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is necessary for understanding why people choose behaviors that may result in disease and death. This is the cornerstone of

3

Health Psychology and students are guided to develop the necessary skills to question the motivations and drives that contribute to maladaptive behaviors. 4. Application of Psychology: This area will specifically focus on how research enhances clinical applications.

The General Format for the Course: In addition to weekly lectures, students will be assigned papers for class presentation, which will be based on the most current and relevant topics in Health Psychology. These papers include theoretical, empirical, and clinical components that are currently defining the field. Each student will be responsible for giving a class presentation based on the paper assigned to her/him. All students will be required to participate in the discussion that will follow each presentation. Class participation will count for 25% of the final grade.

A General Outline of the Course: Weeks 1 Lecture & Discussion

Health Psychology: Its history and a review of basic principles

The relationship between health and behavior

Current trends in Health Psychology

Research in Health Psychology

Assignment

Read the classic paper “The Responsibility of the Individual” By John H. Knowles (1977)

Week 2 Lecture & Discussion

Lifestyles and Health: The Freedom to Choose

Assignment

Read “The Alameda County Study: A Systematic, Chronological Review” By Housman and Dorman (2005)

Presenter:

4

Week 3 Lecture & Discussion

The Prevalence of Heart Disease in the United States: What Makes us Different?

Assignment

Read “Psychological Perspectives on the Development of Coronary Heart Disease” By Mathews (2005)

Presenter:

Weeks 4 Lecture & Discussion

Psychophysiology of stress and its relationship to disease Assignment

Read “Psychologists and Pediatricians: Opportunities for Collaboration in Primary Care” By Stancin and Perrin (2014)

Presenter: Week 5 Lecture & Discussion

Caner: Prevention, Treatment, and Coping Strategies(Part 1) Assignment

Read “Biobehavioral Approaches to Cancer Progression and Survival” By Lutgendorf and Andersen (2015)

Presenter: Lecture & Discussion Week 6

Cancer: Prevention, Treatment… (Part 2)

Assignment

Read “Fostering Multiple Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors for Primary Prevention of Cancer” By Spring et al. (2015)

Presenter:

5

Week 7 Lecture & Discussion

Chronic Pain: The Nightmare that Persists

Presentation and discussion I & II

Assignment

Read “Contributions of Psychology to the Understanding and Treatment of People with Chronic Pain: Why it Matters to ALL Psychologists” By Jensen and Turk (2015)

Presenter:

Week 8 Lecture & Discussion

The HIV Challenge: Behavior Change is the Answer! Assignment

Read “Opportunities for HIV Combination Prevention to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities” By Grossman, Purcell, and Veniegas (2013)

Presenter:

Read “The Intersection of Gender and Ethnicity in HIV Risk, Interventions, and Prevention” By Wyatt (2013)

Presenter: Week 9 Lecture & Discussion

Some of the Flaws of the Biomedical Model: The Centrality of Communication

Assignment

Read “ Psychology and Primary Care: New Collaborations for Providing Effective Care for Adults with Chronic Health Conditions” By Fisher and Dickinson (2014)

Presenter:

6

Week 10 Lecture & Discussion

Coping with Death and Dying Assignment

Read “Opportunities for Psychologists in Palliative Care: Working with Patients and Families Across the Disease Continuum” By Kasl-Godley, Kingm, and Quill (2014)

Presenter: Week 11 Lecture & Discussion

The Future of Healthcare: An Evolutionary Process Week 12 Poster Presentations: Part I Week 13 Poster presentations: Part 2 Week 14

Final Exam

Reading Assignments PDF copies of classic and recently published papers in the field of Health Psychology will be provided for each lecture topic at the beginning of the semester. Instructions for the final paper: Based on your assigned paper for class presentation and discussion, as well as your poster presentation, write a literature review paper with a minimum of 10 recent references (2010-2015), exploring the current developments in Health Psychology. You must follow the APA style!

7

Instructions for class presentation and discussion: Give a 20-30 minute presentation grounded on your assigned paper by reviewing some of the key concepts presented in the paper. Based on your reading, generate a minimum of 5 questions that will be used during the discussion period.

Instructions of the poster presentation: Capture the essence of your final paper in a poster with a maximum of 10-12 slides. Your poster must include an abstract and a reference section. Detailed instruction for the organization of the poster will be provided to you

The final grade for the course will be calculated based upon the following percentages: Presentation and Discussion: 20% Final poster presentation 20% Final Paper 20% Class Participation: 20% Final Exam 20%

Attendance Policy (Please Read Carefully)

Psychology Department Attendance Policy

The Psychology Department is committed to the principle that regular and punctual class attendance is essential to the students’ optimum learning and successful academic achievement. Regular class attendance is a student obligation, and students are responsible for all work, tests and written assignments. Therefore, students are expected to be present for all class sessions. The Psychology Department’s attendance policy recognizes that there will be times when attendance at class is not possible. You may think of the policy as being similar to the type used in the corporate world where each employee is given a certain number of “personal/sick days.” Based on the number of regularly scheduled class meetings, you will be allowed a certain number of absences (see below) with no consequences, no questions asked. In other words, there is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. You are of course responsible for anything covered during those missed classes, and for submitting assignments on time, regardless of whether or not you attend. Beyond the allowable number of absences, there are consequences that will adversely impact

8

your grade, much as missing too many days of work can adversely impact your employment status. Above all else, you should carefully consider each decision to not attend class, as once your allotted absences have been used, they are gone. It is important that students arrive for class on time. Late arrivals are very distracting, not only to the instructor, but also to fellow students. Repeated late arrivals are not acceptable and will be addressed on an individual basis. It is each student’s responsibility to understand this policy and to keep track of absences throughout the semester. Application to this Class: Formal attendance will be taken during all class sessions. This class meets twice per week (28 class meetings). You may miss 3 classes without penalty. If you miss 4 classes, your final grade (cumulative percentage of points) will be lowered by 5%. That means that if you have earned 84% of the available points in the class, which is a B grade, you would be lowered to 79%, which is a C+. Likewise, if you have earned 77% of the points available, the penalty would take you down to 72%, which is a C-. As a reminder, a C grade (73%) is required in all Psychology courses. If you miss 5 classes, you will be docked an additional 5% points off of your final grade (for a total of 10%). If you miss 6 classes, you will receive a failing grade for the course. If you miss six classes, you have missed approximately 25% of the class meetings. UNNECESSARY CONVERSATIONS Unnecessary conversations during the lectures will be distracting to your fellow students as well as your professor. Those who engage in such conversations will be dismissed from class. TEXT-MESSAGING Text-messaging is prohibited during the lectures. Policy for Absence Verification Please note that absence verifications are used only to notify faculty members that a student missed class for a legitimate, verifiable, and unexpected reason. Class attendance policies are at instructors’ discretion, and an absence notification does not suggest that faculty members will “excuse” an absence, accept late assignments, or provide the opportunity for make-up exams or assignments. Legitimate, verifiable, and unexpected reasons for class absence include personal medical emergencies/illness, accidents, and family deaths. Absences are considered legitimate, verifiable, and unexpected at the discretion of the Assistant Dean of Student Success and Retention. The process for obtaining an absence notification is detailed below. For anticipated absences, such as funerals, students should make arrangements for an absence notification in advance whenever possible. Students should

9

1. Obtain documentation The documentation obtained must provide details of the circumstances around the student’s absence, including the dates. Documentation for a funeral should include a funeral notice. Documentation for an illness can be from Health Services or an off-campus medical provider. 2. Inform involved faculty members of the absence and determine which faculty members require an absence verification. It is the student’s responsibility to inform faculty of any absences. Once informed of an absence, faculty members should notify students if an absence notification is required. This information should appear in the course syllabus as well. 3. When faculty notification is requested, provide documentation to Academic Services. Students should provide documentation to Academic Services (Curtis 109) to be approved. Students must indicate the names of faculty to be notified. Pending approval, an absence notification is sent via email only to the faculty indicated by the student. Questions regarding absence notifications should be directed to Academic Services; CUR 109; advising@cedarcrest.edu; ext. 4628. Cedar Crest College is committed to making reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the National Rehabilitation Act in order to assist students with disabilities in reaching their academic potential. If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance in this course, please contact Academic Services (CUR 109, ext. 4462 advising@cedarcrest.edu) to discuss the needed accommodations. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and may require advance notice to implement. Honor Code: Students are expected to abide by the Cedar Crest College Honor Code. Acts of misconduct (e.g., cheating during an examination, copying material on your homework, or allowing someone to use your homework) will not be tolerated. Infringements will be handled according to college policy. Special Accommodations: If you require assistance due to a documented disability, I will be more than happy to help you in any way possible to meet your needs. Please see me after class. As far as tests and other assignments are concerned, I need to know about your need for special accommodations right away.

10

Code of Respect: You are encouraged to share your thoughts, reflections, ideas, and informed opinions. Such sharing will help all of us grow. However, I ask you to take care not to impose your views on others and/or make remarks that may be injurious to others. You can expect unconditional respect from me and I ask you to do the same for your fellow students. Classroom Protocol: All Cedar Crest College students are expected to be familiar with and fully supportive of the college’s policy regarding the honor code and academic integrity. See the Student Guide for more information regarding the enforcement of these policies. Appropriate classroom behavior is defined and guided by complete protection for the rights of all students and faculty to a courteous, respectful classroom environment. That environment is free from distractions such as late arrivals, early departures, inappropriate conversations and any other behaviors that might disrupt instruction and/or compromise students’ access to their Cedar Crest College education. Plagiarism: If plagiarism is suspected, I am bound to follow academic regulations. Plagiarism is the act of presenting the ideas, words or other intellectual property of another as one’s own. The use of other people’s work must be properly acknowledged and referenced in all written material. The use of material without acknowledgement is an offense. Cheating: Bear in mind that allowing another to copy one’s work is an academic offense just as is copying from someone. Furthermore, submitting the same paper for two courses without arrangement is also an academic offense. Grades:

A 93.0-100% C 73.0-76.6% A- 90.0-92.9% C- 70.0-72.9% B+ 86.7-89.9% D+ 67.0-69.9% B 83.4-86.6% D 65-66.9% B- 80.0-83.3% F below 65% C+ 76.7-79.9%

Cedar Crest College is committed to making reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the National Rehabilitation Act in order to assist students with disabilities in reaching their academic potential. If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance in this course, please contact Academic Services (CUR 109, ext. 4462 advising@cedarcrest.edu) to discuss the needed accommodations. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and may require advance notice to implement.

11

RUBRIC FOR CLASS PRESENTATION (PSY 360)

Student :

Exceeds Expectations

10

Meets Expectations

9-8

Needs Improvement

7

Below

Expectations

6-0

Total

Organization Student presents

information in logical,

interesting sequence which

audience can follow.

Student presents

information in logical

sequence which

audience can follow.

Audience has difficulty

following presentation

because student jumps

around.

Audience

cannot

understand

presentation

because there

is no sequence

of

information.

Subject

Knowledge

Student demonstrates full

knowledge (more than

required) by answering all

class questions with

explanations and

elaboration.

Student is at ease with

expected answers to all

questions, but fails to

elaborate.

Student is uncomfortable

with information and is

able to answer only

rudimentary questions.

Student does

not have grasp

of

information;

student

cannot answer

questions

about subject.

Eye Contact Student maintains eye

contact with audience,

seldom returning to notes.

Student maintains eye

contact most of the time

but frequently returns

to notes.

Student occasionally uses

eye contact, but still reads

most of report.

Student reads

all of report

with no eye

contact.

Elocution Student uses a clear voice

and correct, precise

pronunciation of terms so

that all audience members

can hear presentation.

Student's voice is clear.

Student pronounces

most words correctly.

Most audience

members can hear

presentation.

Student's voice is low.

Student incorrectly

pronounces terms.

Audience members have

difficulty hearing

presentation.

Student

mumbles,

incorrectly

pronounces

terms, and

speaks too

quietly for

students in the

back of class

to hear.

Question

and Answers

Student acknowledges

questions effectively and

responds to them in a

coherent, organized

manner

Student addresses

questions appropriately

and offers meaningful

explanations

Student offers general

answers to question,

which lack full integration

of material discussed

during presentation

Student offers

overly general

or inaccurate

answers to

questions

Total Points:

12

RUBRIC FOR THE FINAL PAPER (PSY 360)

Criteria/Scale Exceeds Expectations 10-9

Meets Expectations 8-6

Below Expectations 5-3

Unsatisfactory 2-0

Total

Ideas and Content Writing is clear, focused, and engaging; Strong supporting detail

Main idea is evident; Details are somewhat limited

Purpose and main idea are unclear; details are irrelevant

Lacks a central idea; Minimal development

Organization Effectively organized in a logical manner; Introduction and conclusion are creative and engaging

Organization structure was clear; Beginning and ending are developed

Some attempt at organization; Beginning and ending not developed

Lack of coherence; No identifiable introduction or conclusion

Word Choice/Vocabulary

Precise, carefully chosen words; Words create vivid images

Words are descriptive and provide the reader with some images.

Adequate use of words, but some may be used inappropriately

Limited range of words; Some words are misused

Sentence Fluency Easy flow and rhythm; Effective variation in sentence patterns

Flows somewhat; Good variety of sentence lengths

Sentence structure is either choppy or there are run-on sentences; Monotonous sentence patterns

Difficult to follow or read; Disjointed and confusing

Conventions/Mechanics Strong control of standard conventions of writing; Only minor errors in mechanics

Control of most writing conventions; some errors

Frequent significant errors that impede readability

Numerous errors that distract the reader and make the text difficult to read

Total Points