Health Psychology: Syllabus
Psychology 305 -- Spring 2004 -- Dordt College
 
 

Class: Tues & Thurs 9:25-10:40 (periods 22 & 42) in CL - 247
Course home page:  http://homepages.dordt.edu/~lantinga/health.htm
 

Tentative Schedule	Grading & Assignments	Class Format & Policies
Course Goals	Instructor Info	Materials
	Course Description & Prerequisites

Prerequisites for Health Psychology are junior or senior standing and completion of either Physiological Psych 221 or Abnormal Psychology 225. Background in Social Psychology 210 is helpful but is not required.  This course fulfills a psychology major requirement alternative and as such will be taught from a psychology perspective; however, students from other majors who meet the pre-requisites are very welcome.

Dr. Mark Christians has an Ed.D. in Educational Psychology and Counseling with an emphasis on substance abuse.  He has worked at Dordt since 1989 as a personal counselor and more recently as a professor of psychology, Co-Coordinator of Student Learning Assessment, and golf coach.  Mark is happily married with one son who is driving and two daughters who are not.  He enjoys playing golf, basketball, and racquetball.
Office: FO 213 (Psych Dept. pod above the Media Center); 712/722-6262 (from 8am-5pm); mark@dordt.edu
Office hours:  MWTh 2-4 or by appointment. 

Dr. Sherri Lantinga has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology and has worked at Dordt since 1997. She has 1 husband, 3 kids, 1 defunct bee hive, numerous perennial flower gardens, and a recent knack for damaging her extremities.  For more information, see her home page at http://homepages.dordt.edu/~lantinga/
Office: FO 215 (Psych Dept. pod above the Media Center); 712/722-6038 (from 8am-5pm); lantinga@dordt.edu
Office hours:  MWF 2-4 and TTh 1-3 or another time by appointment. 

Overarching goal: students will appreciate the complex interactions of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors as they impact human health and disease
(1) Demonstrate a broad background of knowledge in health psychology, including the field's history and research and methods

(2) Explain the biopsychosocial(spiritual) model and its relevance for the prevention, etiology, and treatment of disease & apply that model to specific health issues

(3) Demonstrate how a reformed Biblical view of persons impacts health-related decisions

(4) Comprehend and synthesize research on the factors involved in causing, maintaining, contributing to, preventing, and treating a specific health issue

(5) Articulate the training, settings, and responsibilities of a health-related professional by synthesizing information from several sources

(6) Better understand one's own health history and describe and enact a positive, proactive attitude toward healthy living for oneself

(7) Professionally present information in writing and in a poster presentation using APA-style

Material on library e-reserve:

Leary, M. R., Tchividjian, L. R., & Kraxberger, B. E. (1994). Self-presentation can be hazardous to your health: Impression management and health risk. Health Psychology, 13, 461-470.

Plantinga, C. Jr. (1997). Sin and addiction. In R. C. Roberts & M. R. Talbot (Eds.), Limning the psyche: Explorations in Christian psychology (pp. 245-263). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling. Psychological Science, 8, 454-458.

Trockel, M. T., Barnes, M. D., & Egget, D. L. (2000). Health-related variables and academic performance among first-year college students: Implications for sleep and other behaviors. Journal of American College Health, 49, 125-131.

Assignments
 Research and Career Papers: The purpose of the Research Paper is to help familiarize you with a specific health issue and the prevention and treatment research on that issue; the Career Paper is designed to deepen your understanding of a particular health services career by synthesizing information from several sources.  You will submit a brief proposal for each paper to make sure it is on an acceptable topic. Details for both assignments are elsewhere: http://homepages.dordt.edu/~lantinga/health_paper.htm and http://homepages.dordt.edu/~lantinga/health_career.htm
 
Poster Presentation & Reviews: To help you develop your communication skills and to help others learn more about a specific health issue or career, you will create and present a poster to the class based on either your research paper or your career paper. Details are here:  http://homepages.dordt.edu/~lantinga/health_poster.htm. For each of the two poster sessions, you will evaluate 2 posters.  Evaluating others' work helps you to better learn about the content and develop good questions for the presenter.  Details about the poster review process will be given later in the semester.

Genogram & Personal Health History: This assignment will familiarize you with your own family health history and to analyze your own lifestyle choices that may contribute to health problems.  You will interview family members, record your experience of stress, and assess the degree to which you engage in health-enhancing or health-compromising behaviors as you reflect on your own health.  More details on this assignment will be given in class.

Other assignments may be announced during the semester.
 
Class Participation
Participation points reflect regular class attendance, contributions to large and small group discussions, and brief in-class response papers. Because discussions help each other deepen understanding and challenge interpretations, students who have not thoughtfully completed the readings before class undermine the learning experiences of other students.  Every prepared student has something to contribute to the discussion, whether raising topical questions, re-stating a problem in a unique way, challenging assumptions of the authors or other students, or even helping the group stay on task.  Therefore, participation is graded to help facilitate the learning and enjoyment of the class as a whole.
 

Exam Policy: Students are expected to take exams at the scheduled time; failure to do so will result in a score of 0 unless prior arrangements are made with the instructors (in cases of illness or family emergency, documented by Student Services). Excuses such as “I overslept,” “I have 2+other tests,” or “I’m going home this weekend (so can I take the exam early)” will not exempt you from the consequence of a missed exam. Any make-up exams will be scheduled at the instructors' convenience and may take a different format than the scheduled exam.

Late work: Because assignments are often the basis of class discussion, they are due no later than the beginning of class on the due date. All late work will be penalized 10% per day, with the “late clock” beginning at class time (not the end of the day), until the graded assignment has been handed back to the class. Excuses such as “I overslept” or “The printer wasn’t working” will not exempt you from late penalties. This policy does not apply to your poster  presentation -- failure to present on the assigned date (unless there is a documented emergency) will result in a score of 0.

Absences: Merely skimming the text or copying a classmate’s lecture notes are unlikely to result in enough understanding for you to be successful in class. Therefore, don’t miss class. However, absences are sometimes unavoidable; in such situations, you are responsible for obtaining and learning any material you miss. More than 1 week’s worth of class absences (i.e., 1 night class, 2 Tues/Thurs classes, 3 MWF classes) during the semester will result in a reduction of your course grade and may be grounds for withdrawal from the course.  It is courteous (though not required) to let your instructors know why you are absent.

Writing expectations: Good writing is a skill required of all educated persons. Carefully edit and proofread your work; a significant number of grammatical or writing errors will reduce your assignment grade.

Borderline grades: Your instructors reserve the right to adjust borderline final grades up or down in light of your class preparation, attendance, number of late assignments, attitude toward the course, and your willingness to seek help (e.g., tutoring). Note that the grade of “B” is typical for most students in this course – it reflects good work. An “A” is earned by students who do outstanding work that demonstrates excellent writing and critical thinking skills, attention to detail, and work beyond the course requirements