health psychology & behavioral medicine - Meagher Lab

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIORAL MEDICINEPSYC/NRSC 630-600INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Mary Meagher OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday 12-3:00OFFICE: Psychology 281E-MAIL: M-Meagher@tamu.eduPHONE: 845-2564WEBSITE: http://MeagherLab.tamu.eduOFFICE HOURS: Tuesday 3-5:00 CLASS: Psychology Room 284SELECTED READINGS: Readings will be assigned from: (1) journals articles related tohealth psychology, psychoneuroimmunology, psychoneuroendocrinology, pain, etc., and (2)related book chapters. Each week I will assign 2-3 articles for the group to read which I will poston my website: http://MeagherLab.tamu.edu.OPTIONAL TEXT: Shelley Taylor (2012). Health Psychology. Eighth Edition, New York:McGraw-Hill. You may order this book if you want a textbook for foundational materials, oryou may check out my copy.WHAT IS HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY? Health psychology addresses the role of behavioraland lifestyle factors in health and illness. Over 50% of all deaths and illnesses (e.g., heartdisease, cancer, strokes, chronic pain, etc.) are attributable to behavioral and life-style factors.Psychologists play an important role in conducting basic and applied research designed toelucidate the mechanisms mediating these relationship as well as the efficacy of interventionsdesigned to prevent and modify health-compromising behaviors.SCOPE OF THE COURSE: This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview ofthe field of health psychology with an emphasis on stress, psychoneuroimmunology, and pain.We will begin by exploring the history of biomedical and biopsychosocial models of health.Then we will discuss models of prevention, health behavior change and biopsychosocial factorscontributing to exercise, obesity, substance abuse, smoking, and cancer. We will review thebiobehavioral literature on stress, coping and psychoneuroimmunology and examine itsimplications for the treatment of infectious disease, AIDS, arthritis, MS and cancer. We will alsodiscuss the psychobiological basis of pain; management of stress, pain, and chronic illness(cardiovascular disorders, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, etc.). In each section, we will discussthe role of biological and developmental processes and individual differences. For example, wewill discuss how developmental experiences can alter the reactivity of the stress, immune andpain mechanisms resulting in individual differences in vulnerability to disease. Throughout thecourse we will examine the efficacy of behavioral medicine interventions on stress, immunity,disease and aging.FORMAT: Each week I will present a power point overview of the topic. This will befollowed by shared presentation and discussion of the assigned articles for that week. Everyonewill be expected to have read the posted readings for the week (usually 2-3 articles) and toparticipate in this discussion. Students interested in discussing other papers related to the themefor that week may present a paper of your own choosing after you have sent me a copy of PDF toreview 3 days in advance of class. The paper should be relevant to the general theme for that

week and can be read in place of one of the assigned papers. We will also have a few invitedguests who with expertise relevant to the topic of the week (Fields/Smoking,Welsh/Immunology, Taufner/CAM). A few experiential components will also be included inclass to illustrate techniques for relaxation training, including breath awareness and body scanexercises.GRADES: Your grade will be determined by your weekly article presentations (25%, eachworth 10 points each for a total of 100 points), contribution to class discussion (25%, 100points), and 10 reaction papers (50%, each worth 20 points, 200 points). Your weekly reactionpaper (approximately 2-3 pages) should cover the readings for the week. Clinical and counselingstudents may choose to focus 3 to 4 of their reaction papers on experiential assignments relatedto behavioral medicine interventions related stress and pain reduction.COURSE GRADE:90% - 100% of 400 points= A80% - 89% of 400 points= B70% - 79% of 400 points= C60% - 69% of 400 points= D59% - below% of 400 points = FCOURSE OUTLINE: Below I present a rough outline of the course. The exact timing ofmaterial is subject to change and content may be slightly modified to match the interests of thegroup. Readings for each class will be posted on my website one week in advance of class.I. INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY8/28 Orientation: Why Are You Here? What is health Psychology?IntroductionsHistory of the Mind-Body Relationship: Ancient Greece to presentContributions of Psychoanalysis, Psychosomatic Medicine, and the EastBiomedical vs. Biopsychosocial ModelII. HEALTH BEHAVIOR & PRIMARY PREVENTION9/4 Prevention and Health Behavior ChangeHealth Behaviors and PreventionAttitude Change ApproachesSelf-Determination TheoryCognitive-Behavioral, Motivational Enhancement, and CAM approachesSocial Engineering and Environmental Approaches9/11 Health Enhancing Behaviors12-1:00 Lisa Taufner: Stress Reduction ***Exercise promotionNutrition, Weight Control, ObesityCancer and Injury Prevention, CAM

9/18-9/25 Health-Compromising BehaviorsAlcohol Abuse and DependenceSmoking – Guest discussant: Sherecce Fields ***III.STRESS, PSYCHONEUROIMMUNNOLOGY & COPING10/2 Psychobiology of Stress & IllnessWhat is stress?Seyle's General Adaptation SyndromeLearned HelplessnessMcEwen’s Allostatic Load and Cohen’s Integrative ApproachImpact of developmental experiences on neuroendocrine-immune functionCytokines and stressOverview of the immune and neuroendocrine systems and health10/9 PsychoneuroimmunologyImmune system structure & functionPsychoneuroimmunologyPNI Intervention & Treatment Research: Cancer, AIDS, & ArthritisPNI in Cancer, Aging and Inflammatory DiseasesGuest discussant: Jane Welsh***10/16 Video Assignments While I am at the Society for Neuroscience ConferenceYouTube links to be posted on my website10/23 Moderators, Measurement and Management of Stress & ImmunityCognitive Appraisal TheoryStress MeasurementDevelopmental Influences and Individual Differences in StressCoping with Stress and Social SupportEffects of Behavioral Medicine Interventions on Stress and Immunity:CBT Stress Management, Relaxation, Disclosure, CAM, Exercise10/30 Alternative MedicineOverview of alternative medicine interventions (e.g., mindfulness-basedstress reduction, meditation, diet) and NCCAM evidence-based criteria toevaluate the risks and benefits of selected complementary therapiesIV. PAIN AND OTHER CHRONIC & TERMINAL ILLNESS11/6-11/13 Pain MechanismsBiological pathwaysPain modulation and sensitizationPlacebo

Individual differences11/20 Pain ManagementPain assessmentDevelopmental and individual differences in coping with painAcute and chronic pain management11/27 Heart Disease, Hypertension, Stroke, and DiabetesCardiovascular systemStress, Depression and HostilityDevelopmental, SES, Ethnicity and Individual DifferencesIntervention & Treatment Research: Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes12/4 Chronic and Terminal IllnessAdjustment to chronic illness: Chronic Pain, Cancer, Immune andInflammatory Diseases (HIV, MS), Death and Dying