Can't believe it's the last week of term already

Can't believe it's the last week of term already.  Still lots to try to get finished. Some recent highlights:

Been marking student assignments on the module I run on our MSc Health Psychology programme. Students have to write a case study of a hypothetical person who has a chronic health condition, describe the psychosocial issues they face, then choose and justify a self management intervention that will help them with these issues. Students can choose any condition they wish. Diabetes, HIV and arthritis proved the most popular choices this year.

I've also been writing new modules for the degree restructuring that's currently taking place for next academic year, including: clinical and counselling psychology, applied social psychology and professional skills for psychology graduates. I'm particularly keen on the last of these but finding an assessment strategy that will work for such a large group of students (its a mandatory module) will be a bit of a challenge.

In the last week I've drafted ethics submissions for projects with external collaborators, on the experience of volunteering and of monitoring one's fertility. I'm hoping that dissertation students and/or placement students will work on these in the next six months to a year.

I've also just submitted a research paper on PCOS to a journal - please please PLEASE don't let it be rejected... and have decided to write a blog entry as an excuse to digress from the very long NHS form I have been struggling with...

Module starts again

Wrote a reference today for one of our graduates who is applying to do a masters in social work.  This is a highly relevant way to apply the knowledge and skills developed in a BSc Psychology degree. 
I've also been finalising the module guide and various teaching materials for my MSc health psychology module which starts tomorrow: M99PY Self management of chronic illness and disability.  Tomorrow's session is on theoretical models of disability.  I'll be telling students about the papers they will be asked to present on in the comming weeks, including:

Pain


Campbell, C., & Guy, A. (2007). 'Why can't they do anything for a simple back problem?' A qualitative examination of expectations for low back pain treatment and outcome. Journal of Health Psychology, 12(4), 641-652.

Fullen, B. M., Baxter, G. D., O'Donovan, B. G. G., Doody, C., Daly, L., & Hurley, D. A. (2008). Doctors' attitudes and beliefs regarding acute low back pain management: A systematic review. Pain, 136(3), 388-396.

Diabetes

Dantzer, C., Swendsen, J., Maurice-Tison, S., & Salamon, R. (2003). Anxiety and depression in juvenile diabetes: A critical review. Clinical Psychology Review, 23(6),787-800.
Grigsby, A. B., Anderson, R. J., Freedland, K. E., Clouse, R. E., & Lustman, P. J. (2002). Prevalence of anxiety in adults with diabetes a systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53(6), 1053-1060.

Asthma

Milton, B., Whitehead, M., Holland, P., & Hamilton, V. (2004). The social and economic consequences of childhood asthma across the lifecourse: A systematic review. Child: Care, Health and Development, 30(6), 711-728.

Weiser, E. B. (2007). The prevalence of anxiety disorders among adults with asthma: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 14(4), 297-307.

Stroke

Donnellan, C., Hevey, D., Hickey, A., & O'Neill, D. (2006). Defining and quantifying coping strategies after stroke: A review. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 77(11), 1208-1218.

Gilworth, G., Phil, M., Cert, A., Sansam, K. A. J., & Kent, R. M. (2009). Personal experiences of returning to work following stroke: An exploratory study. Work, 34(1), 95-103.

Coronary heart disease

French, D. P., Cooper, A., & Weinman, J. (2006). Illness perceptions predict attendance at cardiac rehabilitation following acute myocardial infarction: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 61(6), 757-767.

Woodgate, J., & Brawley, L. R. (2008). Self-efficacy for exercise in cardiac rehabilitation: Review and recommendations. Journal of Health Psychology, 13(3), 366-387.

Cancer

Najjar, N., Davis, L. W., Beck-Coon, K., & Carney Doebbeling, C. (2009). Compassion fatigue: A review of the research to date and relevance to cancer-care providers. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(2), 267-277.

Ussher, J. M., Perz, J., Hawkins, Y., & Brack, M. (2009). Evaluating the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for informal carers of cancer patients: A systematic review of the research literature. Health Psychology Review, 3(1), 85-107.