Health Psychology

LEARNING BROCHURE

Health Psychology and Social Psychology

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health as a
state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being,
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Good health is
important for individuals and society, and it encompasses both
physical and mental well-being. Mental health affects our thoughts,
feelings, actions, relationships, and decision-making abilities.

Social psychology can be applied to understand and promote

health-related behaviors. Healthy practices, lifestyle, and attitudes
can go a long way in ensuring the positive health and well-being of
an individual.

Promoting Health
When promoting health, one of the
important aspects that we need to
focus on is awareness. A scale called
the Health Modernity Scale can be
used to measure health-related
knowledge, attitudes, and practices
among individuals, and accordingly, a
suitable intervention strategy can be
developed.

There are three models that could be

used to promote health.
 Models

Health Belief Model Theories of

Reasoned
Action
According to the health belief model, the Health Belief
health-related behavior displayed by an Model
individual will depend on the severity of the Theory of
illness as perceived by the individual, the Planned
benefits of health behavior as perceived by Behavior
the individual, and the perception of barriers
or obstacles regarding the health-related Social Cognitive
behavior. Theory
Stages of
Change Model

THEORY OF PLANNED
BEHAVIOR
The main points of the text are two
psychological models for health-related
behaviors. The Theory of Planned
Behavior, proposed by Ajzen, focuses on
an individual's behavior intentions, which
can be determined by their attitude
towards the behavior.
Social Cognitive Theory

The Social Cognitive Theory explains human thoughts and

behavior, including health, by considering personal and
socio-structural determinants. The theory assumes people
are agentic thinkers and their thoughts have
determinative functions. The theory's applications to
health include self-efficacy and expected outcomes, as
well as considering perceived and actual socio-structural
factors that may set barriers to healthy practices. The
theory asks researchers and practitioners to consider
interactions between personal and socio-structural
factors.

Stages of Change
Model

h a n g e M o d e l, p ro posed by
The Stages of C n te , d e scribes the
n d D ic le m e
Prochaska a iv id u al goes through
st a g e s a n in d
different e h a v io r, st arting from
th e ir b
when changing
-c o n te m p la ti o n to maintenance.
pre
Social psychology plays an important role in health and mental
health, and interventions can focus on social norms and social
networks aiming to facilitate healthy behavior.

Psychological theories play a crucial role in enhancing health

promotion practices by influencing voluntary behaviors that contribute
to overall well-being. Health education encompasses various learning
experiences aimed at fostering health-promoting actions, while health
promotion employs educational and environmental support to cultivate
behaviors conducive to good health.

Key aspects of health promotion involve careful planning, outcome

evaluation, the application of social and behavioral science theories,
and the systematic use of empirical data. Creating theory-driven
health promotion programs requires a comprehensive understanding
of different theoretical components and their practical applications.
Notably, the Theory of Planned Behavior is commonly utilized to
elucidate individual health behaviors.

The five steps of Intervention Mapping

1. Defining proximal program objectives based on scientific analysis of

health problems and problem-causing factors

2. Selecting theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies

to change health-related behavior.

3. Producing program components, design, and production.

4. Anticipating program adoption, implementation, and sustainability.

5. Anticipating process and effect evaluation.

 Overview

Several key theories are identified

for effective implementation,
including modeling in Social Cogn
itive Theory, active learning,
risk-scenario information, anticipa
ted regret under the Theory
of Planned Behavior, fear arousal,
behavioral journalism, and
personalized risk feedback through
computer tailoring. These
theories provide a framework for de
signing and executing
strategies to enhance program eff
ectiveness.

Sample Study

Studies on Taiwanese adolescents indicate a link between

inadequate sexual knowledge, negative sexual attitudes, and
risky sexual behaviors. Traditional, non-student-centered
teaching methods prevail in Taiwanese sex education. This
study, conducted in Southern Taiwan, implemented a school-
based social marketing sex education program that
demonstrated positive effects. Using a one-group pretest-
posttest design, the program improved sexual knowledge and
attitudes in seventh-grade students from 24 junior high
schools. The findings suggest that a school-based social
marketing approach tailored to young people's interests and
er
needs has the potential to enhance sexual knowledge and fost
positive attitudes toward sexual health among junior high
school students.