Why Study Master Health Psychology & Digital Interventions
Professionals in the field of health psychology, on the other hand, are less interested in the actual illness, and more interested in the person suffering from the disease. Behavior analysts work with clients to develop appropriate treatment plans to decrease unwanted behaviors and emphasize desirable behaviors. While many behavior analysts assist clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder, they also will work as occupational therapy assistants, drug and alcohol counselors and psychological assistants.
Consult your health psychology professors to help you formulate a specific hypothesis in a subspecialty from a broad interest in the subject. Below are four primary specializations within health psychology which describe the general responsibilities of the profession. Activities can include a mixture of presenting at and attending conferences, undertaking research, involvement in a committee and taking further post-qualification courses. It’s also important to undertake personal psychological counselling to enhance your professional practice. To begin training you’ll normally need Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership , which is achieved by completing a psychology degree or conversion course accredited by The British Psychological Society .
Additionally, public health psychology is concerned with designing and promoting programs that improve public health. In this capacity, public health psychologists might devise prevention programs that seek to reduce harmful behaviors, such as smoking, in order to reduce the incidence of cancer. The main causes of death and disease in society today are influenced by our lifestyle choices, and there is a growing focus on ways to improve health behaviours.
Fortunately, health psychologists have a diverse range of employment areas to choose from including colleges and universities, private practices, rehabilitation centers, government agencies, and mental health clinics. While a doctorate degree is usually required in order to become a licensed health psychologist, there are some employment opportunities for those with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree. Those who want to be licensed in clinical or counseling psychology must complete a minimum of a one-year internship after earning a doctorate degree. The American Board of Professional Psychology also offers board certification in health psychology.
Likewise, clinical health psychologists study the intersection of physical and mental health. Much research is conducted into how to understand the interplay between physical and emotional problems, as well as how to treat them in the most effective manner. Closely related to community health psychology is the discipline of public health psychology. This field is much more research focused than other branches of health psychology. Public health psychologists spend the majority of their time collecting and analyzing data, interpreting it, and reporting their findings to various agencies, including non-profits, research facilities, and government agencies.
Historically, this demographic does not have access to the same quality of health care as other populations. Additionally, you might work to change how health care is provided to populations like the urban poor. This could take the form of getting funding for mobile clinics to visit people in their neighborhoods, rather than those same people having to get themselves to a hospital or a clinic.