Any acadèmic

Logo UAB

Medical Psychology

Code: 102946 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2502442 Medicine FB 2

Contact

Name:
Lidia Gimenez Llort
Email:
lidia.gimenez@uab.cat

Teachers

Albert Fernandez Teruel
Rosa Maria Escorihuela Agullo
Lidia Gimenez Llort
Constanza Denisse Daigre Blanco
Anastasiya Ivanova Serokhvostova
Sara Nieves Maurel Ibañez
Yolanda Pardo Cladellas
Beatriz Molinuevo Alonso
Oren Contreras Rodriguez

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is advisable that students have attained basic competences in Biostatistics and that have an English language level that allows them to understand audiovisual material and texts written in this language.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The subject is taught in the second year of the Degree in Medicine, in the pre-clinical training stage, a period dedicated to students acquiring basic knowledge about the structure and function of the human body. Its general objectives are that students:

  • To acquire a repertoire of knowledge about the basic processes of human thinking, emotions and behaviour that allow the students to discern in future training stages between normal and abnormal psychological functioning.
  • To interpret and use concepts and measures derived from basic psychology that are commonly used in medical practice.
  • To describe the limitations and biases of our brain in information processing and the repercussions that they have on the behaviour of the health professional and in that of the user of the health services.
  • To describe the relationship between psychological states, personality traits and somatic illnes.
  • To describe the most common mental disorders and the most commonly used mental disorders classification systems.
  • To describe the essential characteristics and applications of the various evidence-based psychological treatments that can be used in medical practice.
  • To be able to change the paradigm of the single model for the bio-psycho-social one that includes not only gender and age perspectives but also transversal bio-psycho-social competencies associated with equity, diversity and inclusion.
  • All these objectives must contribute to the students obtaining a background of competences that will enable a better understanding of the thinking-emotions-behavior triad of the users of the health systems, their own triad and the professional relationship with the user and the healthcare team.
 
 
 

Competences

  • Demonstrate understanding of the importance and the limitations of scientific thought to the study, prevention and management of diseases.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the principles of normal human behaviour and its alterations in different contexts.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the structure and function of the body systems of the normal human organism at different stages in life and in both sexes.
  • Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  • Identify and measure the affective and emotional components of human behaviour and their disorders.
  • Obtain and prepare a patient record that contains all important information and is structured and patient-centred, taking into account all age and gender groups and cultural, social and ethnic factors.
  • Recognise the effects of growth, development and ageing on individuals and their social environment.
  • Recognise the role of complexity, uncertainty and probability in decision-making in medical practice.
  • Recognize the determinants of population health, both genetic and dependent on gender, lifestyle, and demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural factors.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Administer psychological tests with screening functions, interpret results and draw conclusions.
  2. Assess the relationships between the processes of motivation and emotion.
  3. Define basic features of developmental psychology.
  4. Define the main concepts and theories of the processes of motivation and emotion.
  5. Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  6. Describe the factors determining cognitive and social development and developmental differences between individuals.
  7. Describe the general classification of mental disorders based on the ICD of the WHO and on the DSM.
  8. Describe the influence of the cognitive processes (expectations, attributions, etc.) in decision-making.
  9. Describe the main cognitive processes (thought, language, intelligence, sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, learning).
  10. Describe the main methods for classifying abnormal behaviour.
  11. Distinguish and explain the different research methods in psychology.
  12. Distinguish the disorders associated with cognitive and personality processes.
  13. Distinguish the main mechanisms that regulate the processes of motivation and emotion.
  14. Enumerate the advantages and the limitations of the scientific method in psychology.
  15. Explain cognitive, emotional and psychosocial development in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
  16. Explain the concept of mental disorder.
  17. Identify forms of measurement of the processes of motivation and emotion and explain their limitations.
  18. Identify links between motivation and emotion and other psychological processes.
  19. Identify the general aetiological factors involved in mental disorders.
  20. Identify the main characteristics of the most common mental disorders.
  21. Identify the most significant changes in human development at each stage in life and their effects.
  22. Identify the problems of development.
  23. Point out the main components of a psychopathological examination.
  24. Transfer basic knowledge of the cognitive processes and personality processes to the field of health.
  25. Transfer the basic conceptual understanding of the processes of motivation and emotion to the field of health.

Content

THEORY TOPICS

T1. Psychology and medicine: conceptual and methodological aspects

T2. Psychology of development

T3. Psychology of aging

T4. Thinking and language

T5. Intelligence

T6. Personality

T7. Sensation and perception

T8. Attention and consciousness

T9. Elemental learnings and classical conditioning

T10. Instrumental conditioning

T11. Memory

T12. Motivation and emotion

T13. Physician-patient relationship

T14. Stress, illness and health

T15. Mental disorders

T16. Psychological treatments in medicine

 

LABORATORY PRACTICES (PLABs)

PLAB 1. Anxiety and stress: measurement and management

PLAB 2. Assessment of behaviour through psychological tests

PLAB 3. Analysis of communication in clinical situations

 

VIRTUAL SELF-LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH PROGRAMMED DELIVERY (AVAs)

AVA 1. Assessment of behaviour through psychological tests

AVA 2. Biasses in human thinking

AVA 3. Evaluation of the clinical relationship with the CICAA scale

AVA 4. Psychoneuroimmunology

 

 

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Laboratory practices 7 0.28 1, 23, 5, 10, 9, 11, 12, 17, 24
Theory 45 1.8 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2
Type: Autonomous      
VIRTUAL SELF-LEARNING ACTIVITIES / SELF-STUDY / READING ARTICLES / REPORTS OF INTEREST 91 3.64 1, 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 25, 2

Theoretical classes, laboratory practices and autonomous activities (virtual self-learning activities, individual study, bibliographic or documentary consultations, Virtual Campus consultation).
 
The evaluable theoretical content will include the material taught in the theory classes and the chapters or parts of the chapters of the textbook of the subject [FELDMAN, R. (2021). Understanding Psychology (15th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill] that will be determined by faculty for each topic.
 
Virtual self-learning activities are activities that must be performed using the Campus Virtual and that are linked to the theoretical topics or to the practices. They must be responded and delivered within a period of 6-7 days after their publication according to a schedule that will be anounced at the beginning of the course. Once the delivery period of the exercises has ended, the students will have the answer templates for self-scoring.
 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Assessment and participation in virtual activities and practices. 15% 1 0.04 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2
Laboratory practices and related activities: Written evaluation with objective tests: Selections Items: Multiple choice questions 35% 2 0.08 1, 5, 11, 12, 24
Theory and related activities: Written evaluation: Objective tests: Selection items: Multiple choice questions 50% 4 0.16 1, 23, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9, 7, 8, 13, 11, 12, 14, 16, 15, 21, 19, 22, 17, 20, 18, 24, 25, 2

REQUIREMENTS TO PASS THE SUBJECT

For evaluation purposes, the subject is divided into two integrated blocks: a) Block first part of theory that includes the subject of theory corresponding to topics 1 to 8 and virtual activities 1 and 2 + practices (PLAB 1) ; b) Block second part of theory that includes the subject of theory of the subjects 9 to 16 and the virtual activities 3 and 4 + practices (PLAB 2 and PLAB 3).
 
To pass the subject, students must have passed each of the two integrated Blocks with a minimum grade of 5.
 
Students will have two opportunities to pass each of the Blocks: the first, in the calls for partial assessments and the second in the resit test. 

 

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION

1. Partial assessments of the subject

During the course there will be two partial assessments. The dates will be set by the Coordination Team of the Teaching Unit. These assessments, if passed, will serve to eliminate material from the recovery test. Each exam will result in a separate grade. The questions will be multiple choice format with five possible answers and only a valid option and will be written in Catalan and Spanish language.
 
A correction will be applied to discount random correct answers [Corrected score = (correct answers - (errors / 4))] which will be transformed into a note that can range from 0 to 10.
 
The first partial assessment will consist of an exam of 40 questions, with two integrated parts: a) First partial theory, of 36 questions on the contents of the Block first part of theory (32 questions from topics 1 to 8, plus 2 questions from each AVA) and b) practice exam, with 4 questions on the subject matter of the first part of practice Block (PLAB 1).

The second partial assessment will also consist of an exam of 40 questions, with two integrated parts: a) Second partial theory, of 32 questions on the contents of the Block second part of theory (28 questions from subjects 9 to 16, plus 2 questions of each AVA) and b) practice exam, with 8 questions on the subject matter of the second part of practice Block (PLAB 2 and PLAB 3).

After each assessment, students will have a period of 24 hours to send, through the Virtual Campus, comments or complaints about the questions, which will be analyzed by the teaching staff before publishing the provisional list of grades. Subsequently, after the list of grades has been published, an examination review session will be called which will be announced at least two days in advance.

2. Participation in practices and virtual activities

2.1. Active participation in practicals: At the end of each practical session, an evaluation activity (short questions) will be carried out with the aim that students can demonstrate their participation in the academic process of the subject.

2.2. Participation in the virtual activities: The delivery of the answers to each of the virtual activities will be counted.

3. Test of reassessment 

Students who have not passed the subject through the partial assessments may take a make-up test that will be held on the day set by the Coordination Team of the Teaching Unit. The test will consist of 2 parts, with the same distribution of partials: 1) First partial theory and practical exam; 2) Second partial theory and practice exam. Each student will only have to examine the part that they did not pass in the partial assessments.

The characteristics of the exams as well as the formula to calculate the grade will be the same as those of the partial assessments.

After the exams, students will have a period of 24 hours to send comments or complaints about the questions through the Virtual Campus, which will be analyzed by the teaching staff before publishing the provisional list of grades. Subsequently, after the list is published, an examination review session will be called.

Students who have not passed the subject through the partial evaluations and who on the day of the make-up test do not appear for the exam or exams of the parts not passed, will be qualified as "NOT ASSESSABLE ". 

4. Final mark of the subject

Final mark = [( (mark 1st PARTIAL + mark 2nd PARTIAL) /2 ) * 0.85] + [(mark of the short questions of the practice part + virtual self-learning activities) * 0.15).

This formula will only be applied if a grade of 5 has been obtained in each of the 2 PARTIALS of the subject.

The final grade for students who have not passed the two partials of the subject after the make-up test will be:

In the event that the grade resulting after applying the formula to calculate the Final Grade is ≤ 4.7, that grade will be given.
In the event that the grade resulting after applying the formula to calculate the Final Grade is > 4.7, the final grade will be 4.7.

 

SINGLE ASSESSMENT

1. Single assessment
The people assigned to the SINGLE ASSESSMENT will have ONE ASSESSMENT TEST at the end of the course, coinciding with the "RECOVERY TEST" of the people with "CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT, which will have the same characteristics and will be scored the same as the one described above. This evaluation will include:

(I)- Two PARTIAL assessments (2 partial exams): (1st PARTIAL + 2nd PARTIAL)/2) * 0.85

(II)- A "test of 6-8 short questions" (very short) which will correspond to the practices and virtual self-learning activities (Note "test of short questions" + virtual self-learning activities) * 0.15.

2. Final mark of thesubject
The FINAL MARK will be the sum of the grades (I) + (II).

3. Test of reassessment for people with "SINGLE ASSESSMENT"

The TEST OF REASSESSMENT for people with SINGLE ASSESSMENT will consist of an exam of 22 short questions, 1 question for each topic of theory and AVAs (total, 19 questions) and 1 question from each practice (total, 3 short questions) .


Bibliography

Specific bibliography

FELDMAN, R. (2021). Understanding Psychology (15th. Ed). New York: McGraw Hill

Consultation bibliography (can be found in the UAB libraries)

AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

BERGER, K. S. (2016). Psicología del desarrollo: infancia y adolescencia. (9ª ed.). Buenos Aires: Médica Panamericana.

BREEDLOVE, S. M. WATSON, N. V. (2017). Behavioural Neuroscience  (International 8th ed). Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.

CARLSON, N. R. BIRKETT, M.A. (2017). Physiology of behavior (12th ed). Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

DAVIDOFF, L. L. (2003). Introducción a la psicología (3ª ed.). México: McGraw-Hill/Interamericana.

DAVIDSON, R. J., SCHERER, K. R., GOLDSMITH, H. H. (Eds.). (2003). Handbook of affective sciences. New York: Oxford University Press.

GLEITMAN, H., FRIDLUND, A.J., REISBERD, D. (1999). Psychology (5ª ed.). New York: Norton.

GOLDSTEIN, E. B. (2006). Sensación y percepción (6ª ed.). Madrid: Thomson

KANDEL, E. R., SCHWARTZ, J. H., JESSELL, T. M., SIEGELBAUM, S. A., HUDSPETH, A. J. (2012). Principles of neural science (5th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

MYERS, D. G. (2011). Psicología (9ª ed.). Buenos Aires; Madrid: Médica Panamericana.

PÉREZ ÁLVAREZ, M., FERNÁNDEZ HERMIDA, J. R., FERNÁNDEZ RODRÍGUEZ, C., AMIGO VÁZQUEZ, I. (Coords.). (2003). Guía de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces. Madrid: Pirámide.

PERVIN, L. A. (1996). The Science of personality. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

REEVE.J. (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons.

ROLLS, E. T. (2005). Emotion explained. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

SAPOLSKY, R.M. (2008). ¿Por qué las cebras no tienen úlceras? Madrid: Alianza editorial.

SCHACTER, D. L., GILBERT, D. T., WEGNER, D. M.(2014). Psychology (3rd. ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

STECKLER, T., KALIN, N. H., REUL, J.M.H.M. (Eds). (2005). Handbook of stress and the brain. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

TARPY, R.M. (2000). Aprendizaje: Teoría e investigación contemporáneas. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.

WADE, C., TAVRIS, C. (2003). Psicología. (7ª Ed.). Madrid: Pearson Educación.

WARD, J. (2015). The student’s guide to cognitive neuroscience (3rd ed.). New York: Psychology Press.


Software

No need for specific software.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 101 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 102 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 103 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 104 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 105 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 106 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 107 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 108 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 109 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 110 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 111 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 112 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 113 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 114 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 115 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 116 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 117 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 118 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 101 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 102 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 103 Catalan first semester morning-mixed