Dr. Regan Gurung
Professor,
University of Wisconsin
Green Bay

Chair Human Development
Chair of the Education and Training Committee

Weekly Schedule

Classroom Exercises and Demonstrations

The material in health psychology lends itself to a wide variety of educational classroom activities.

Course Projects

Term Paper
The student prepares a well-organized exposition of a particular topic, based up a careful study of existing data or ideas. The paper should include: a title page; an introduction to the topic/issue/problem, which explicitly relates to the topic of behavioral medicine; a survey of the literature; a summary and conclusions; a list of footnotes; and a reference list.

Journal Article Summaries
Students read and summarize articles in journals. The articles should be related to topics covered in the textbook or lectures. Each summary should be written in the students' own words, be no longer than two or three pages, and include the reference citation.

Empirical Research
The instructor presents an array of potential research topics, and the students divide up into large groups on the basis of their interest in the topics. Each group meets with the instructor to design an empirical study. Most of the students engage in collecting the data, while the remaining students complete statistical analyses. Each student then writes an individual research report, following APA style.

Book Report
Students select a book from a list, or seek approval for a book not on the list so long as it relates to Health Psychology, and prepare a report that includes student reactions to the book, demonstrating application to everyday life. Students should discuss, for example, what special meaning or message the book has for him or her; how it relates to his/her life or that of others; "universal truths" uncovered; and, agreement/disagreement with the author's conclusions.

Oral Presentation
Students are required to make a presentation in class on a health behavior. Topics might include relaxation techniques, exercise plans, specific dietary habits, etc. Research or historical background, information on how that behavior affects the student's life, and the benefits/drawbacks to that behavior should be discussed. Each student may be required to write a short paper summarizing the relevant issues and findings discussed in his/her group's presentation.

Health Profile
Students use information from the text to build a Personal Health Profile, enabling them to decide about personal behavior and potential changes relating to health. In constructing their profiles, students make recommendations for personal changes. These changes are backed by research citations in order to force students to use research-based information rather than popular, media-based advice concerning behavior and health.

Self-Modification
Students engage in a health-related behavior modification, either a problem to decrease or a behavior to increase. During the course the students report on their projects, with a formal report or presentation at the end. Sample behaviors appropriate for projects might be: excessive or inappropriate eating, smoking, exercise, alcohol use, stress reduction, etc. There are two phases of the project: (a) a baseline phase and (b) a modification phase. During the baseline phase, the student observes, records and keeps a chart on the occurrence of the target behavior. During the modification phase, the Principles of Behavior will be applied to modify the target behavior.

Field Trips and Field Work

Field experiences provide valuable avenues for enriching health psychology courses. Visits can be arranged to local hospitals or nursing homes, and to pain clinics where students can observe techniques of biofeedback and psychophysiological assessment. Students can also do volunteer fieldwork in hospitals and other health care settings as an option or requirement of the course.

Guest Speakers

Enrichment possibilities through the use of guest speakers are quite wide ranging in the field of Health Psychology. Speakers might include:

1. Practitioners or researchers who are experts on specific illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, or kidney disease;
2. Health care or rehabilitation specialists, such as nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and medical social workers;
3. Clinical health psychologists who help patients cope with chronic or terminal illnesses;
4. Hospice workers;
5. Public health workers involved in community health-promotion programs;
6. Individuals who work in AIDS prevention and treatment programs;
7. Representatives of a local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving; and
8. Individuals with knowledge of health care systems and needs in other societies.
   
   
   

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