2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC5915M Health Behaviour Change: Theories, Methods and Interventions

15 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Professor Mark Conner
Email: m.t.conner@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

At least an upper second-class honours degree in Psychology or a discipline containing a substantial amount of psychology and research

Module replaces

PSYC5906 Health Behaviour Change: Theories, Methods and Interventions

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module will examine a range of different health behaviours and what health psychology research has contributed to the understanding and changing of such behaviours. In particular, the module will focus on what different theories have contributed to our understanding of the prediction of health behaviour at the individual level and how theory might contribute to changing such health behaviours.

Objectives

1. Equip students with the skills, knowledge and insight to describe in detail, and critically evaluate, a range of social cognition models and behaviour change techniques.

2. Enable students to demonstrate awareness and evaluation of alternative social cognition models as applied to health behaviours.

3. Provide students with the ability to reflect on how social cognition models and behaviour change techniques can be used to direct effects to change health behaviours.

Teaching will take the form of small- to mid-sized group lectures and peer presentations. These provide an optimal method of presenting the appropriate depth and breadth of information to students on a wide range of topics, while also encouraging student participation and group discussion. The sessions will involve critical exploration of theoretical and applied issues. For the majority of sessions, roughly half of the time will consist of academic-led coverage of core content, while the remainder will involve group discussions and exercises. For one session there will be student-led presentations of pre-selected specific studies linked to a topic.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following subjects specific learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. Describe and critically evaluate a range of social cognition models and behaviour change techniques.
2. Critically evaluate interventions to change health behaviours.
3. Critically reflect on how theory-based interventions can be used to direct effects to change health behaviours.

Skills Learning Outcomes

1. The ability to search for and identify material to solve problems and tasks as required
2. The ability to use literature effectively to justify arguments and approaches to address real-world problems
3. The skills required to identify and synthesise relevant information into coherent written work
4. Oral presentation skills

Syllabus

* Understanding health behaviours
* Social Cognition Models: Theory and Application
* Theory of Planned Behaviour/Reasoned Action Approach/Prototype Willingness Model
* Social Cognitive Theory/Health Action Process Approach
* Behaviour Change Techniques
* Theory-based interventions
* Bowel screening: Barriers and facilitators
* Changing approach behaviours: Tooth brushing in children
* Implementation Intentions: Applications to protection, risk and detection behaviours
* Changing treatment adherence – predictors and interventions

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	10	2.00	20.00
Practicals	1	4.00	4.00
Private study hours			126.00
Total Contact hours			24.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback will be provided through participation in group discussion in each class session where each student will be required to contribute and their understanding of key material will be assessed and commented on by staff.

In addition, a dedicated workshop will focus on reviewing existing interventions through student-led discussion and staff feedback as preparation for the written examination.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Presentation	1 x 15 minute group presentation	10.00
Online Assessment	One compulsory question, one choice	90.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The compulsory examination question will focus on students’ application of relevant theories, models, and techniques to address real-world problems (e.g., increasing vaccination, reducing obesity). There is no compensation between summative components of assessment, all components must be passed. In the event of failure of one or more component(s), the module mark will be capped at 50 on successful resit of the failed component(s).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:53

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