Course description
This intensive January session course provides an introduction to the scientific study of how psychological science informs our knowledge of health and illness across the human lifespan. By examining both basic and applied (clinical) research and learning about the interventions health psychologists provide, students gain a better appreciation of the mind-body connection and why the dichotomy between physical and mental health is not always useful. Topics covered include stress and disease processes, coping with chronic illness, health beliefs and health behavior including self management of various medical conditions, and psychoneuroimmunology and health outcomes research. In addition to the traditional focus on cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease and HIV, there is a specific focus on the newly emerging scientific knowledge about how COVID-19 affects mental health and cognitive functioning and how health behavior and health beliefs contributed to adaptation during the pandemic.
