PSY111 Foundations of Psychology for the Health and Human Services
Assessment 2: Short answer exercise
HEALTH, STRESS AND COPING
Task: For this assessment, you must complete ALL parts of BOTH (2) exercises. Each of the 2 exercises is broken into smaller tasks.
This assessment will allow you to develop your skills in selection of material, comprehension and application of theory, and referencing and presentation. Both parts of the exercise explore the topic of Health, stress and coping (Chapter 14).
Presentation: Each of the 2 exercises should start on a separate page and have clear headings (e.g. Task 1, Task 2, etc.) to indicate which questions are being answered. You do NOT need to provide the actual full question for each task, just a heading such as “Task 1”. You should provide one reference list (with the references you have used for BOTH exercises), at the end of the whole assignment.
Important notes:
Please remember that this is a psychology assignment, so you should try to include principles and theories of psychology wherever appropriate (demonstrate what you have learned in this subject), and use appropriate psychology sources (e.g. psychology textbooks, psychology journal articles) to support your answers.
Please remember to also refer to the detailed information about this task including the marking criteria and standards in your Subject Outline.
EXERCISE 1: HEALTH BEHAVIOURS AND MOTIVATION
This exercise requires you to demonstrate your research skills, comprehension and critical thinking. Our behaviours stem from our intentions. Whilst intention certainly does not always translate into behaviour, it is a necessary first step. This can be applied to whether our intention to engage in healthy behaviours results in us actually doing so. When you are choosing articles for this exercise you may choose to focus on your own profession, for example as an Oral Health student you may wish to explore what the theory says about oral hygiene/oral health behaviour.
Task 1
Identify two journal articles that explore how the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) can be applied to health behaviours. Under the heading Task 1, please cite them using APA format (i.e. give the full citations). You will also need to include them in your reference list.
Task 2
Explain the relationship between the Theory of Reasoned Action and health behaviours. You may wish to utilise your 2 chosen articles for this, or other sources. (250 words)
Task 3
Why don’t our good intentions always result in action? Thinking critically, outline some of the limitations of applying the Theory of Reasoned Action to health behaviours. (250 words)
EXERCISE 2: PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
In order to complete this exercise, you will first need to go to the CSU library site, find the Psychology databases, then find the EBSCOhost (Psychology) database, and search for this journal article (and of course, then read the article!). Please search via the CSU library rather than just a Google search, as part of the rationale for this assessment is to develop your research skills and introduce you to the library databases!
Author: Helen M Stallman
Title: Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data
Task 1
Summarise IN YOUR OWN WORDS (not just paraphrasing the Abstract) what the article is about (150 words).
Task 2
IN YOUR OWN WORDS, describe what protective factors against mental health problems were identified in this study. (100 words)
Task 3
Answer the following question:
In the Limitations section of the article, it notes that “caution should be exercised in generalising these findings to all Australian students”. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, explain why. (100 words) Task 4
Find another journal article about stress or mental health in university students. Summarise IN YOUR OWN WORDS (not just paraphrasing the Abstract) what the article is about (150 words).
Rationale (from the Subject Outline)
This assignment will allow you to:
1) demonstrate your comprehension of key psychological concepts and theories (Learning Outcome 1)
2) develop your literature search skills (sourcing, reading and evaluating scientific research articles and academic literature) and your academic writing, referencing and critical thinking skills (Learning Outcome 2)
3) demonstrate that you can apply psychological theories and concepts to relevant issues and real world situations (Learning Outcome 3)
Marking criteria (from the Subject Outline)
Criterion 1: Selection of material
Use of relevant, credible and authoritative sources
Criterion 2: Comprehension & application of theory
Evidence of comprehension of sources relating to the relevant psychological concepts (including psychological theory and research findings). Evidence of appropriate application of psychological theory and concepts to real life situations or examples.
Criterion 3: Critical thinking; evaluation and analysis of psychological literature
Evidence of critical thinking and evaluation of the literature. Links between the literature and the implications it has on the topic/area are clearly explained.
Criterion 4: Referencing and presentation
Overall presentation of the assessment item conforms to the formatting requirements (e.g. word limit, line spacing) of the exercise and the seventh (7th) edition of the APA referencing style manual. Appropriate spelling, grammar and use of punctuation. Clarity and conciseness in written expression.
Feedback/marking sheet
Task Subtasks Marking criteria Word limit Mark
EXERCISE 1: HEALTH BEHAVIOURS AND MOTIVATION

TASK 1
? Identify two journal articles that explore how the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) can be applied to health behaviours.
? Cite them using APA format
(i.e. give the full citations).
? Include them in the reference
list. 1.
2.
4. Selection of material
Comprehension and application of theory
Referencing and presentation N/A /1
TASK 2
? Explain the relationship between the Theory of Reasoned Action and health behaviours. You may wish to utilise your 2 chosen articles for this, or other sources.
? Include in-text citations to support your explanation. 1.
2.
3.
4. Selection of material
Comprehension and application of theory
Critical thinking; evaluation & analysis of psychological literature
Referencing and presentation 250 words /5
TASK 3
? Thinking critically, outline some of the limitations of applying the Theory of Reasoned Action to health behaviours. 1.
2.
3.
4. Selection of
material
Comprehension and application of theory
Critical thinking; evaluation & analysis of psychological literature
Referencing and presentation 250 words /4
Total Exercise 1
/10
EXERCISE 2: PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN UNIVERSI
TY ST UDENTS
TASK 1
? Summarise IN YOUR OWN WORDS (not just paraphrasing the Abstract) what the article is about 2. Comprehension and application of theory 150 words /6
TASK 2 ? IN YOUR OWN WORDS,
describe what protective factors against mental health problems were identified in this study. 2. Comprehension and application of theory 100 words /4
TASK 3 ? Answer the following question: In the Limitations section of the article, it notes that
“caution should be exercised in generalising these findings to 1.
2. Selection of material
Comprehension and application of theory 100 words /4
all Australian students”. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, explain why. 3. Critical thinking; evaluation & analysis of psychological literature
TASK 4 ? Find another journal article about stress or mental health in university students.
Summarise IN YOUR OWN
WORDS (not just paraphrasing the Abstract) what the article is about 1.
2.
4. Selection of material
Comprehension and application of theory
Referencing and presentation 150 words /6
Total Exercise 2
/20
Total assignment mark
/30
Marker comments