HLTHPSYC 719 : Health Psychology Assessment

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Extends content knowledge in health psychology through the development of skills in the assessment and evaluation of constructs commonly used in health psychological research and practice. Includes consideration of general issues in psychometric theory and the specific assessment issues commonly confronting widely-used health psychological research designs, as well as detailed coverage of specific content areas including illness cognitions, health-related psychophysiology, emotions, and health outcomes.

Course Overview

This course supplements learning in the first year of the MHealthPsyc program in developing a key set of skills in assessment. It requires that students take their understanding of methods and content areas into how to operationalize, assess, and evaluate predictors and outcomes. In addition to developing knowledge of common instruments, the course provides students with the basic conceptual and design tools to interpret findings, choose the right instruments, and develop instruments. As a graduate-level course, importance is placed on developing the ability to write in scientific formats as well as to interpret and communicate psychometric data. Students will gain valuable hands-on experience with designing health psychology research instrumentation and implementing the processes by which such data are evaluated. At the conclusion of the course, students should have the skills needed to:
a. Describe and discuss the core aspects of psychological research assessment, the strengths and limitations of different approaches, and the particular issues associated with health psychology assessment in diverse developmental and ethnic groupings
b. Critically Evaluate the appropriateness, strengths, and weaknesses of health psychology instrumentation and assessment approaches
c. Conduct, Apply and Synthesize ongoing developments in your knowledge and conceptual understanding of psychometric issues in health psychology research as you consider new content areas and begin to develop your own empirical research.
d. Communicate knowledge and understanding of health psychological instrumentation and assessment techniques in a form that is consistent with APA standards

Course Requirements

Restriction: PSYCH 701, 747

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate and apply an understanding of psychological measurement to a range of phenomena (Capability 1.2, 2.2, 3.1 and 5.1)
  2. Communicate in scientifically standard language and formats regarding how different constructs in health psychology should be assessed (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 4.1 and 5.1)
  3. Understand basics of psychological and non-psychological measurement as applied to health (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1 and 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Test 2% Individual Test
Test 2% Individual Test
Test 2% Individual Test
Test 2% Individual Test
Test 2% Individual Test
Essay 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 40% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Test
Test
Test
Test
Test
Essay
Essay
Final Exam

Learning Resources

F. T. L. Leong & J. T. Austin (Eds.), The psychology research handbook : a guide for graduate students and research assistants (2nd ed., pp. 326-344). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Course Contacts

Dr. Nathan Consedine
Professor of Health Psychology
Department of Psychological Medicine
Building 507, Room 3008
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand
Ph: 0064-09-923-5976
Fax: 0064-09-373-7013

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect [24] hours of lectures, a [0] hour tutorial, [12] hours of reading and thinking about the content and [12] hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 23/06/2020 08:03 a.m.