Psychology 2036A-650

The Psychology of Physical Health and Illness

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

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 the 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 a 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.]

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 (2nd 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%     2190-2990 level courses
75%     3000-level courses
80%     4000-level courses
   
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario 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 four online discussions and on three multiple choice tests.

 

Participation in four online discussions, worth 8% of the course grade

There will be a total of four 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 (no half marks):

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, and personal experience support comments.

Three multiple-choice tests, worth 24%, 33%, 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.

     Missing a midterm test

     It is the Academic Counsellor, rather than the course instructor, who 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). Your Academic Counsellor will inform me 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 24%. If you missed the second midterm, the extra final exam questions would be worth 33%. If you missed both midterms, the extra final exam questions would be worth 57%. 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. Realize that the unique 3-hour exam is, in effect, a more cumulative type of exam. As such, it will require you to be studying more material for a single test compared to if no midterm test had been missed in the first place.

     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 24% of course grade): Saturday June 11 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 33% of course grade): Saturday July 9 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 August 2-5 final exam period, at the exam centre you selected. This test is on chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 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   CLASS 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)

 

May 9-13                           Chapter 1: An Interdisciplinary View of Health

                                                1st Discussion Forum opens May 9 and closes May 20 at 11:55 pm                                      

May 16-20                         Chapter 2: Research Methods

May 24-27                         Chapter 3: Global Communicable and Chronic Diseases

                                                2nd Discussion Forum opens May 24 and closes June 3 at 11:55 pm

May 30-June 3                  Chapter 4: Theories and Models of Health Behavior Change

June 6-10                          Chapter 5: Risky Health Behaviors

June 11                             MIDTERM TEST #1 (worth 24%) on Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and corresponding OWL Sakai notes              

June 13-17                        Chapter 6: Emotional Health and Well-Being

                                                3rd Discussion Forum opens June 13 and closes June 24 at 11:55 pm

June 20-24                        Chapter 7: Stress and Coping                                       

June 27-30                        Chapter 8: HIV and AIDS

July 4-8                             Chapter 9: Cardiovascular Disease

July 9                                MIDTERM TEST #2 (worth 33%) on Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 and corresponding OWL Sakai notes 

July 11-15                         Chapter 10: Chronic Pain Management and Arthritis

                                               4th Discussion Forum opens July 11 and closes July 22 at 11:55 pm

July 18-22                         Chapter 11: Cancer

July 25-29                         Chapter 12: Health Care Systems and Health Policy: Effects on Health Outcomes

August 2-5                      FINAL EXAM PERIOD    FINAL EXAM (worth 35%) on Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 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.

8.0     STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link:  http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com

Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

9.0    POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

The University of Western Ontario’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2015/pg117.html

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html


10.0        OTHER INFORMATION

Office of the Registrar web site:  http://registrar.uwo.ca

Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

    http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences

- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2015 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.