Behavioral Interventions for Health Psychology (Psyc 6300) Course Syllabus Instructor: Monica Ramirez Basco, Ph.D. Office Number: Life Sciences Building, Room 407 Office Telephone Number: (817) 272-7559 Email Address: [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays: 1:00 to 2:00 and 4:00 to 5:00, or Wednesdays by appointment Time and Place of Class Meetings: Wednesdays: 4:00pm to 6:50pm in LS 420 Description of Course Content: This graduate seminar will focus on the development and testing of psychosocial interventions for health psychology. Student Learning Outcomes: 1. Become familiar with clinical issues in the implementation of psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions in health psychology 2. Learn how to develop a psychosocial intervention 3. Gain skills in designing treatment outcome studies to validate the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions. Requirements: None Required Textbooks and Other Course Materials: Required Text: Boyer, B.A. & Paharia, M.I. (2008). Comprehensive Handbook of Clinical Health Psychology. New Jersy: John Wiley and Sons Recommended Text: Beck, Judith D. (1995). Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. New York: Guilford Press Reading Assignments: The reading assignments will be discussed on the first day of class. The required text is required reading. Students will be expected to identify articles on their health problem of choice as it applies to the topics of discussion during the course. The APA ethical guidelines are also required reading. A foundation in cognitive behavior therapy can be gained from the Beck (1995) book listed as optional reading.Class Date General Topics Health Problems (See Book Chapters) Theoretical models and interventions Research Issues Assignments due August Introduction to Psychosocial Interventions for Health Psychology Ethics of psychosocial interventions Ethics of intervention research Diabetes Renal Disease Obesity Biopsychosocial model Cognitive Behavioral Model Ethics of intervention work Topic of psychosocial intervention due by 9/2, including brief rationale for this selection. September Basic Principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy Cancer Multiple Sclerosis Gastrointestinal disorders Social Cognitive Theory Transtheoretical model Expressive Writing Targets of intervention Assessing treatment outcome. Literature searches Psychosocial intervention target of intervention and rationale. Due 9/30 October How design a psychosocial treatment protocol for health Psychology Cardiovascular Diseases Headaches Theory of Reasoned Action Cognitive Model of Stress and Coping Motivational interviewing Control conditions Focus Groups Evidence Tables to justify selection of psychosocial treatment strategy. Due 10/28. November Testing Psychosocial treatment interventions Validation, efficacy, and effectiveness HIV/AIDS Injuries Arthritis Gate Control Theory of Pain Systems Theory Learned Helplessness Theory Biofeedback Training interventionists Internal validity of interventions Final psychosocial treatment protocol due by 11/30. Presentations begin by 11/16Attendance: Attendance is required to allow for review of articles and discussion of topics relevant to the course syllabus. Group exercises will aid development of skills. Alert the professor if you will not be in attendance in class. Descriptions of major assignments and examinations with due dates: The final product to be developed during the course is a psychosocial treatment protocol for a health problem of your choosing. The details of the project will be discussed in class. The final product will consist of several subcomponents. The subcomponents will be turned in through the semester and will be graded individually. The final product will be completed and presented to the class in lieu of a final examination. Grading Policy: There will be no examinations in this course. There will be several in-class participatory exercises to facilitate development of the four required assignments (see table above). The topic selection and rationale will be work 25 points. The psychosocial intervention target of intervention and rationale written summary will be worth 50 points. The Evidence Tables to justify selection of psychosocial treatment strategy will also be worth 50 points. The final protocol will be worth 100 points which will include a presentation of the final protocol to the class. Final grades are determined based on a percentage of the total possible points earned. Drop Policy: Please refer to the University’s drop policies. Note that the last day to drop classes is October 30th. Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 92-112 - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty of their need for accommodation and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability. Also, you may visit the Office for Students with Disabilities in room 102 of University Hall or call them at (817) 272-3364. Academic Integrity: It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University."Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." (Regents’ Rules and