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Stress, Coping and Health

Code: 43875
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Research in Clinical Psychology and Health OP 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Antoni Sanz Ruíz
Email :
antonio.sanz@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Jordi Fernández Castro
Jenny Moix Queralto

Group languages

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

Prerequisites

No previous requirements

Objectives

The objective of this module is to provide students with an expert knowledge of current models of stress and coping research that allow them to analyze and evaluate applications in the health field, as well as design research protocols in this field.
 

Learning outcomes

  1. Understand and relate theoretical models which guide research in the area of stress.
  2. Apply stress models to little-researched health problems in interdisciplinary areas.
  3. Understand and know how to apply assessment instruments for stress and confrontation.
  4. Search for information in scientific literature using appropriate channels and integrate such information to propose and contextualize a research topic.
  5. Use scientific terminology to argue the results of research in the context of scientific production, to understand and interact effectively with other professionals.
  6. Apply the outstanding ethical principles and act accordingly to the deontological code for the profession in the scientific research practic.
  7. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.

Contents

Content

  • Stress study models (psychological, psychosocial and transactional)
  • Methodology of stress assessment (objective, self-report and ecological longitudinal measurements).
  • Stress and risk of illness.
  • Stress and chronic diseases.
  • Stress and disability.
  • Stress and work.
  • Stress and cognitive performance.
  • Stress management strategies.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Collaborative work 7.5 0.3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Seminar of theory and collaborative work 30 1.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Readings and assigments 112.5 4.5 1, 4, 7


  • This subject will be developed in two parts:
  • The first part (theory) will be an update of research in the field of stress, coping and health. In these sessions, part of the time will be devoted to the presentation of the teachers, another to the discussion of readings provided prior to moodle and the remaining time (approximately a half of the total) to the realization of individual or group exercises.
  • The second part of the subject (practice) will consist of the preparation of a collaborative research project by teams, consisting of developing the protocol of a study in the field of stress, coping and health, through a work dynamic based on the combination of simulation and challenge-based learning, developed through general group sessions plus tutorials by work teams.
  • Use of AI: Use of AI is permitted within the framework of ethical principles and good practices in research.


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

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Ev 3.Presentation of collaborative work. 20% 0 0 5, 7
Ev 1. Student's porfolio 40% 0 0 1, 4, 5, 7
Ev 2. Collaborative work 40% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  • The final grade will set up of:
  • Ev 1. Student's portfolio. Weight: 40% Portfolio of the student that gathers the evidences of autonomous learning, summary of the readings and sessions of the seminar. Online submission of written evidence. Around week 13.
  • Ev 2. Collaborative work. Weight: 40% Collaborative work: It includes the elaboration process and the results in written online presentation. Around week 16.
  • Ev 3. Collaborative work: presentation. Weight: 20%. Online face-to-face presentation of collaborative work. Around week 17.
  • It is considered passed based on the minimum weighted grade of 4.85, and having participated in the oral defense of the collaborative work with a minimum grade of 4. If this double criterion is not passed, the final grade will be 4.5. Once the subject has been passed, systems cannot be established to improve the final grade.
  • Those who have not passed the subject but have achieved a minimum grade of 3.5 can opt for recovery, which will consist of complementary activities or a summary exam that will be assigned to each student by the subject coordinator. The maximum score that can be obtained in the recovery test is a 5.
  • This subject does not allow neither unique assessment nor synthesis avaluation.
  • In any case, the Guidelines for the evaluation of the qualifications of the Psychology Faculty 2026-2027 will be applied: https://www.uab.cat/doc/DOC_PautesAvaluacio_2026
  • Feedback on learning evidences will be provided during the directed teaching sessions at the classroom and tutorial sessions.


Bibliography

Basic bibliography:

Fernández-Castro, J. (2020). Libérate del Estres. Barcelona: RBA.

Fiona Jones & Jim Bright (2001). Stress. Mith, theory and Research. Harlow (UK): Pearson-Prentice Hall.

Margaret E. Kemeny (2003). The Psychobiology of Stress. Current directions in psychological science, 12(4),
124-129Bibli

Michael P. O'Driscoll (2013). Coping with stress: a challenge for theory, research and practice. Stress anHealth: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 29(2), 89-90. doi:10.1002/smi.2489

 

Complimentary bibliography:

Avia, M.D. y Vázquez, C. (1998). Optimismo inteligente. Madrid: Alianza editorial.

Taylor, S.H.  (2007). Psicología de la Salud (7ª Edición). México: McGraw-Hill.

Álava, M. J. (2003). La inutilidad del sufrimiento. Madrid: La esfera de los libros.

Brannon, L. y Feist (2001). Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: Paraninfo.

Fernández-Abascal, E.G. (Ed.) (2009). Emociones Positivas. Madrid: Pirámide.

Fernández-Abascal, E.G. y Palmero, F. (Eds.) (1999). Emociones y Salud. Barcelona: Ariel.

Fernandez-Castro, J., Rovira, T., Doval, E., Edo, S. (2009). Optimism and perceived competence: The same or different constructs? Personality And Individual Differences, 46(7), 735-740.

Gil-Monte, P. y Juncota, J.M. (1997). Desgaste psíquico en el trabajo: El síndrome de quemarse. Madrid: Síntesis.

Gutiérrez, T., Raich, R.M., Sánchez, D. y Deus, J. (2003). Instrumentos de evaluación en Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: Alianza.

Lazarus, R.S. (1999). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. New York, US: Springer Publishing Company.

Marks, D.F. (2002). Freedom, Responsibility and Power: Contrasting Approaches to Health Psychology . Journal of Health Psychology, 7(1), 5-19.

Morrison,V. y Bennett (2008). Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: Pearson.

Murray, M. and Campbell C. (2003). Living in a material World: Reflecting on some assumptions of Health. Psychology. Journal of Health Psychology, 8(2), 231-236.

Ogden, J. (2005) Health Psychology. London: McGraw- Hill Education

Robles, H. y Peralta, M.I. (2007). Programa parael control del estrés. Madrid: Pirámide.

Sapolsky, R. M. (2008). ¿Por qué las cebras no tienen úlcera? La guía del estrés. Madrid: Alianza.

Smith, Jonathan (1993). Understandig stress and coping. New York: MacMillan Publising compañero.

Taylor, S.E. (1991). Health Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Taylor, S.E. and Stanton, A. (2007). Coping Resources, Coping Processes, and Mental Health. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 3:377-401

Valdés, M. (2016). El estrés. Desde la biología hasta la clínica. Barcelona: Siglantana.

Vázquez, C., Hervás, G. (2009). La Ciencia del bienestar : fundamentos de una psicología positiva. Madrid: Alianza

 

WEB:

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/folkman_susan.php (Comprehensive cancer center. University of California)

http://www.star-society.org/index.html (Stress and Anxiety Research Society)

http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index.htm (Australian center on quality of life)

 

Software

Students must have TEAMS and the data analysis programs used in this master's degree (GPower and Stata or Jamovi or SPSS or R)

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish first semester afternoon