Psychology 2036A-650

1.0         CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

This course will cover the role of psychological factors in the prevention of illness and the maintenance of good health, and treatment of already-existing illness. Topics will include the stress/illness relationship, psychological influences on physical symptom perception and reporting, personality and health, behavioral factors in disease, coping, adherence and compliance.

Antirequisites: Psychology 3330F/G

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in te most recent course.

0.5 course

2.0         COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor:  Mustaq Khan, Ph.D., C.Psych.
                  Psychologist, Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care; Assistant Professor,
                  Department of Psychiatry; and Adjunct Clinical Professor, Department of Psychology

I can be reached through telephone and e-mail
Phone Number: 519-455-5110 ext. 47537
E-mail: mkhan35@uwo.ca 
[Please include “PSY 2036” as part of the subject heading in your e-mail, so that it can be distinguished from spam. Messages checked weekdays, and not checked on weekends.]

Teaching Assistant: Kathleen Lyons
Office: Natural Sciences Centre (NSC) room 120K
Office Hours: by appointment
E-mail: klyons8@uwo.ca     [Include “PSY 2036” as part of the subject heading in your e-mail]

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext. 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.

3.0         TEXTBOOK

Required:

Ragin, D. F. (2015). Health psychology: An interdisciplinary approach to health (2^nd edition).

       Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. [ISBN: 9780205962952]

4.0       COURSE OBJECTIVES

We will examine biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors involved in health behaviour, susceptibility to illness, reactions to being ill, and the individual’s involvement with the healthcare system. Health and illness issues from all over the globe will be highlighted. The aim is to increase your understanding of worldwide health problems, their prevention, and their treatment.

5.0       EVALUATION

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets,  the expectation is that  course marks will be distributed around the following averages:

70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2100-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):

A+       90-100            One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A         80-89              Superior work that is clearly above average
B         70-79              Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C         60-69              Competent work, meeting requirements
D         50-59              Fair work, minimally acceptable
F          below 50        Fail

The course grade is based on participation in online discussions and on three multiple choice tests.

Participation in online discussions, worth 10% of the course grade

Throughout the term, there will be a total of five online discussion forums on the course OWL site. Each discussion forum is therefore worth 2% of the course grade. A forum will become open on the day that its associated textbook chapter is introduced. The opening and closing date for each forum is listed in the Lecture Schedule (see section 7.0 of this course outline). You would need to contact your Academic Counsellor if you miss one or more posting and you are requesting academic accommodation for the missed posting(s) (see Section 9.0 of this course outline). With Academic Counselling approval, the final exam will be reweighed to accommodate the weight of the missing post(s).

Your forum post will be marked according to the following 3-point scale:

0 = no, late, or an inadequate post. Aspects of an inadequate post include: restating the question in your own words but not providing a clear answer to the question; posting information that is off-topic, incorrect, rude, or irrelevant to the discussion; or providing no references or supporting experience.

1 = adequate post with superficial thought and preparation. Shallow contribution to the discussion (e.g., agrees or disagrees). The post does not enrich discussion; that is, it repeats but does not add substantive information to the discussion. There is use of personal experience, but no references to readings or to research.

2 = the post is factually correct but lacks full development of concept or thought. It elaborates on the question or on an existing post with further comment or observation. There is incorporation of some references from literature and from personal experience. The post contributes valuable information to discussion, with minor clarity errors.

3 = the post demonstrates analysis of the question or of others’ posts. Information is factually correct. There is reflective and substantive contribution which advances meaningful discussion with clear and concise comments. References to literature, readings, or personal experience support comments.

Three multiple-choice tests, worth 25%, 30%, and 35% of the course grade

There will be three tests, non-cumulative in content. These tests deal with material covered in the textbook and in the OWL Sakai lesson notes. There will be 100 questions on each test, with each test being two hours long. Approximately 30% of the questions will come from the OWL Sakai lesson notes, and the remainder will be based on the textbook readings. No aids are allowed during the test. Bring your Western student card and a No. 2/HB pencil to the test. Students who wish to change the location of their exam centre will need to give Distance Studies at least 4 weeks advanced notice before the date of the test.

According to university policy, the Academic Counsellor--not the course instructor--processes all cases of missing a test. If you miss a test, you are required to contact your Academic Counsellor in a timely fashion and be prepared to submit to them the necessary supporting documentation (see Section 9.0 of this course outline). Have your Academic Counsellor inform me in writing (e.g., e-mail) about the outcome of his or her discussion with you.

If you miss any of the midterm tests because of legitimate documented reasons, you will get to write a unique 3-hour version of the final exam (multiple-choice) that additionally covers the course material from the missed midterm(s). The additional material (50 questions) will be weighed according to the weight of the midterm that was missed. For example, if you missed the first midterm, the extra questions in your final exam would be worth 25%. If you missed the second midterm, the extra final exam questions would be worth 30%. If you missed both midterms, the extra final exam questions would be worth 55%. Getting the unique 3-hour version applies to having missed one or more of the two midterms, and does not apply to missing the final exam. If you miss the final exam, you will need permission (i.e., a Special Exam form) from your Dean’s office to write a makeup 2-hour final exam. Go through Academic Counselling for requesting a Special Exam form.

6.0       TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

• Midterm Test #1 (worth 25% of course grade): Saturday October 17 at the exam centre you selected. This test is on chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and corresponding OWL Sakai notes. Time and location to be announced (TBA).
• Midterm Test #2 (worth 30% of course grade): Saturday November 14 at the exam centre you selected. This test is on chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, and corresponding OWL Sakai notes. Time and location TBA.
• Final Exam (worth 35% of course grade): during the December 11-22 final exam period, at the exam centre you selected. This test is on chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and corresponding OWL Sakai notes. Date, time, and location TBA. As a reminder, do not make plans for travel during the final exam period until you know when your final exams will be.

7.0       LECTURE SCHEDULE

An assigned textbook chapter means that all the pages in that chapter are assigned as reading. The matching OWL Sakai lesson note expands on material found in the textbook. For the tests, you are responsible for the material in the textbook, as well as the material in the OWL Sakai notes.

WEEK                           REQUIRED READINGS (textbook chapters & OWL Sakai notes)

Sept. 10-18                       Chapter 1: An Interdisciplinary View of Health
                                                1^st Discussion Forum opens Sept. 10 and closes Sept. 25 at 11:55 pm

Sept. 21-25                       Chapter 2: Research Methods

Sept. 28-Oct. 2                  Chapter 3: Global Communicable and Chronic Diseases

                                                2^nd Discussion Forum opens Sept. 28 and closes Oct. 9 at 11:55 pm

Oct. 5-9                             Chapter 4: Theories and Models of Health Behavior Change

Oct. 13-16                         Chapter 5: Risky Health Behaviors

October 17                       MIDTERM TEST #1 (worth 25%) on Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4

                                          and corresponding OWL Sakai notes            

Oct. 19-23                         Chapter 6: Emotional Health and Well-Being

                                                3^rd Discussion Forum opens Oct. 19 and closes Oct. 28 at 11:55 pm

Oct. 26-28                         Chapter 7: Stress and Coping                                       

Nov. 2-6                            Chapter 8: HIV and AIDS

                                                4^th Discussion Forum opens Nov. 2 and closes Nov. 13 at 11:55 pm

Nov. 9-13                          Chapter 9: Cardiovascular Disease

November 14                   MIDTERM TEST #2 (worth 30%) on Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 and corresponding OWL Sakai notes   

Nov. 16-20                        Chapter 10: Chronic Pain Management and Arthritis

                                               5^th Discussion Forum opens Nov. 16 and closes Nov. 27 at 11:55 pm

Nov. 23-27                        Chapter 11: Cancer

Nov. 30-Dec. 4                 Chapter 12: Health Care Systems and Health Policy: Effects on Health Outcome

Dec. 7-9                            Chapter 13: The Health Psychologist’s Role: Research, Application, and Advocacy

Dec. 11-22                       FINAL EXAM PERIOD    FINAL EXAM (worth 35%) on Chapters 9, 10, 11,

                                         12, 13 and corresponding OWL Sakai notes. As a reminder, do not make

                                     plans for travel during the final exam period until you know when your

                                     final exams will be.