THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : School of Health in Social Science

Undergraduate Course: Psychological Perspectives on Health and Care (SHSS10005)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis is a compulsory course for students in the third year of the MA Health, Science and Society. Building on the teaching in the first and second year, this course seeks to support students to develop a critical understanding of the theories and practice of health and mental health from a psychological perspective. The structure will follow the natural life span of individuals, through childhood, adolescence, adulthood to older adulthood, illustrating key psychological concepts and theories and their application on health and care.
Course description This course aims to support students to develop a critical understanding of health and mental health care from a psychological perspective. Drawing upon the research and teaching expertise of the Section of Clinical Psychology within the School of Health in Social Science, students will develop a knowledge base of the key psychological concepts and theories in relation to health and mental health. Students will also learn to link theories with practice and develop a critical reflection on how theories can inform evidence based practice in health and mental health care. The course structure will follow the natural life span, from childhood, adolescence, adulthood to older adulthood. In the context of this developmental framework, psychological theories and psychotherapies related to common mental health problems including, for example, anxiety, depression, and psychosis, will also be covered.

Contents & Structure

This course will consist of 10 two-hour interactive teaching sessions.

The first one will be an introductory session with an overview of the course structure, learning outcomes, and assessment requirement. This lecture will give an introduction to key psychological theories and concepts and their application to health and mental health across life span. The following teaching sessions will cover a range of topics, such as the importance of early life experiences, neurodevelopmental disorders, eating disorders and body image, emergence of mood disorders in adolescents, severe mental health problems and psychological treatments in adults, health and mental health care in older adults, psychological approaches for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities or long term health conditions.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should have studied on at least 2 University / College level social science courses (such as Health Studies, Sociology, Politics, Social Policy, Social Anthropology, Psychology, etc) and achieved a B grade or above.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2020/21, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  25
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 176 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 1500 word article (40%)
2500 word essay (60%)
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Students will develop a critical understanding of the principal psychological theories and concepts in the context of mental health.
  2. Reflect on how psychological theories and concepts can be applied to the social care and health context.
  3. Students will develop a critical awareness of how health and mental health needs and care change across the life span.
Reading List
Carr, D. (2006). The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology: A Contextual Approach (3rd Edition). London: Routledge.

Sroufe, L., & Carlson, E. (1999). Implications of attachment theory for developmental psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 11, 1¿13.

Patel, V., Flisher, A. J., Hetrick, S. and McGorry, P. (2007). Mental health of young people: A global public-health challenge. Lancet, 379, 1302-1313.

The British Psychological Society (2014) edited by A. Cook. Understanding psychosis and schizophrenia https://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/user-files/Division%20of%20Clinical%20Psychology/public/understanding_psychosis_-_final_19th_nov_2014.pdf

Woods, R. & Clare, L. (2008). Chapter 31: Psychological Interventions with people with dementia, part five, intervention. In Handbook of the Clinical Psychology of Ageing, second edition. London: Wiley-Blackwell.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsPsychology,Health,Mental Health
Contacts
Course organiserDr Laura Cariola
Tel: (0131 6)51 4194
Email: laura.cariola@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Morven Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3972
Email: Morven.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk
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