SHN7012 - Mental Health and Wellbeing in Contemporary Society

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Identify the challenges of mental health in Europe, including issues relating to ethics, values and disability.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the contribution positive psychology plays in our understanding of mental health and wellbeing.
Critically review research examining lifestyle contributions to the healthy mind, e.g. active leisure, spiritual engagement, nutrition, alcohol and other drug choices.
Evaluate initiatives to develop or improve mental health and wellbeing for a range of population groups such as children, adolescents, males and vulnerable populations, within a range of contexts.
Critically appraise the positioning and support for mental health within health policy frameworks locally and nationally.

Content:

The module will examine mental health within the UK and nationally, including trends in mental ill-health, policy responses, interventions, challenges and service provision. The history and evidence base of positive psychology and its practical application within settings and for specific population groups will be explored. Mental health for specific population groups will be examined, with a focus on vulnerable groups such as migrants, males, prisoners, ex-service men and women and minority ethnic groups. The exploration of specific populations will review the evidence supporting mental health, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, relationships, spiritual engagement, medication, social legal and illegal drugs use, work and leisure. The module will then examine initiatives available to address mental ill-health including anti-bullying programmes, social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing and brief solution focused therapy.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The module will be taught using a blended learning approach involving an initial face-to-face contact phase of lectures and workshops followed by a distance learning phase involving engagement with on-line tasks such as reading, data collection, analysis and synthesis of research, problem solving and discussion forums. Additional synchronous e-learning sessions will be delivered throughout the module. Individual student support will be provided through email, telephone and skype tutorials.

Lectures/workshops
Hours: 2
Intended Group Size: Cohort

On-line and e-learning tasks
Hours: 50 (5h per week x 10 weeks)
Intended Group Size: 1

On-line seminars/web based seminars
Hours: 3
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Individual tutorials
Hours: 1

Guided independent study
Hours: 144

Further details relating to assessment
The literature review will provide an early opportunity for students to produce a piece of extended writing at Master's level, and will be based on a critical review of challenges of understanding and responding to mental ill-health, as well as a review of the evidence on factors promoting positive mental health.Further details relating to assessment

In the report, students will identify a specific target group and will evaluate initiatives to support mental health, taking account of positive psychology as well as treatment-based initiatives.

Assessment:

001 Literature review; 2,500 words; mid-semester 1 70%
002 Report; 1,500 words; end of semester 1 30%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Nina Fryer
Level -
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 7PGS1

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