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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 132 (2014) 324 329

6th International Conference on Intercultural Education Education and Health: From a

transcultural perspective

New Approach to Teaching of Health Psychology Focusing on

Social Work in the Family
A.Vosekova *, Z. Truhlov a, J. Levickab
a

University of Hradec Krlov, Department of Social Work, Hradec Krlov, Czech Republic
b
Trnava University, Faculty of Health Care and Social work, Trnava, Slovakia

Abstract
Authors focus on issue of health psychology in the context of university teaching of social work students. Within the framework
of a study programme there is health psychology presented as interdisciplinary field of science which is based on bio - psycho
social model of health/disease. The starting premise it the assumption of functional connection of socio-psychological training
with educative process (interactive form of teaching) within the subject of health psychology. The aim is to find out how
students perceive learning of this subject and its benefits into practice from the view of a used formed of educational process.
2014 The Authors.
Authors. Published
Publishedby
byElsevier
ElsevierLtd.
Ltd.Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Christine
Sleeter
Mara Antonia
Casanova.
Selection and peer-review
peer-reviewunder
underresponsibility
responsibilityofofHUM-665
Encarnacin
Soriano,
Research
Group
Research
andand
Evaluation
in Intercultural
Education.
Keywords: Health psychology, social work, bio-psycho-social model, interactive form

1. Introduction
Health psychology is defined as an interdisciplinary scientific field, which bases its approach to health on the
bio-psycho-social model. Unlike the classical somatic medicine, it focuses mainly on the psycho-social factors of
health (illness). This definition stresses the joining of the efforts of experts from different professions concerned
with health: medical workers, psychologists, social workers etc. (Cassens, 1992; Dawnie and Tannahil., 1996;
Kivohlav, 2001; Kivohlav, 2002).

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: alena.voseckova@uhk.cz

1877-0428 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of HUM-665 Research Group Research and Evaluation in Intercultural Education.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.317

A. Vosekov et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 132 (2014) 324 329

325

The influence of psycho-social factors on health is generally acknowledged, however, it is not reflected in
practice. That is why our course on health psychology is not conceived as a mere acquisition of theoretical
knowledge but it should offer an independent view of the issue in the context of the bio-psycho-social model of
health to the individual students. We base the teaching on the fundamental ideas of humanist psychology, our own
experience with long-term PCA (Person Centered Approach) training as well as psychotherapeutic practice (Pelck
and Vosekov1999; Vosekov and Pelck, 1998). We regard a functional connection of psychotherapy and
social-psychological training with the education process as useful (interactive teaching method). We believe that
mainly in the case of helping professions (doctors, nurses, social works, pedagogues etc.) interactive education in
the form of self-experience courses is necessary for their professional life as well as the preservation of their mental
health.
1.1. Person centered approach (PCA)
PCA is a prominent approach in humanist psychology and psychotherapy based on the thoughts and methods of
the American psychologist C. Rogers (Rogers, 1980, 1993). PCA is by no means a mere set of techniques or
strategies but a complex approach to the world, the people and oneself. Rogers and his co-workers stressed three
basic psychotherapeutic attitudes or conditions. The effect of the therapy is maximized if all three factors are
present and well balanced.
x Emphatic understanding of the clients feelings and their personal meanings.
x The authenticity and sincereness of the therapist or congruency.
x Acceptation and unconditioned positive attitude to the client on the part of the therapist.
In the domain of education an analogical term to PCA Student Centered Teaching, SCT is used. The application
of SCT in classes is necessarily connected with re-definition of the roles of the teacher and student. Traditional
education systems put all the power in the hands of the omnipotent teacher, leaving the student little or no
opportunity to participate on the teaching.
The asymmetry of the relationship often results in counter-productivity. A more creative approach to the
education process consists in a more facilitating attitude focused on the creation of collective atmosphere, which
enables to accept oneself and ones own feelings, to develop self-confidence and the skills of realistic assessment
of ones own goals and decrease the manifestations of maladaptive behaviour etc. (Hall and Saunders, 1997; Lea,
Stephenson and Troy, 2003; Prince and Felder, 2006, 2007; Pedersen, 2003). A facilitating teacher is able to rely
on the student, his/her integrity and the natural possibilities of developing his/her individuality and independence
in a supportive and stimulating environment of the classroom. On the other hand, facilitating approach is connected
with a great degree of students control and responsibility for the content and ways of his/her own study. Unlike
teaching focused on performance, facilitating approach favours teaching through exploration, which supports
students inquisitiveness and stimulates healthy social and emotional development of the personality (Pedersen,
2004; Prince and Felder, 2006, 2007). The changes of power relationships permit students to assume greater
responsibility for their own education through active participation at the definition of individual study objectives
(Estes, 2004; Iyoshi and Hannafin, 2005; Taylor, 2000).
Similarly to PCA, SCT is based in the quality of human relationship between the teacher and the student. Even
in the case of student-teacher relationship, the closeness of another person may create a psychotherapeutic
environment thanks to significant level of emphatic understanding, authenticity and warmness (Barr and Tagg,
1995; Carlile and Jordn, 2005). A meeting in such a relationship involves maximal and intense concentration on
the other, who receives acceptation and acknowledgement. Such meetings can become a source of inner strength
and people who experience them describe them as agreeable confirmation and strengthening of their own identity.
The degree of the teachers acceptation, empathy and congruence is a vital component of SCT. Compared to
common classes, study groups (SPT) showed an increase of personal adaptation, studying outside the pre-scribed
outlines, creativity and responsibility (Forster and Robson 1992; Vosekov and Pelck, 1998; Vosekov, 2003).

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Moreover, the application of PCA in teaching contributes to mental hygiene. This is especially prominent in
first graders, who face a number of specific developmental tasks besides the adaptation to university study. The
relationships in SCT create a greater space for an entirely new experience necessary for self-acceptation. Selfconcept can be best formed in an environment with stable relationships and full of warmness and acceptance
(Carlile and Jordn, 2005; Lea, Stephenson and Troy, 2003; Lonka and Ahola, 1995). Experience with oneself and
the world gradually differentiates self-concept and reinforces the ability to cope with new experience. The process
of the transformation of self-concept proceeds from rigidity of self-concept, distance from others, toughness and
detachment from feelings towards immediate experiencing, acceptation of feelings and experience, verification of
concepts and the discovery of the changing Me, to reality, close relationships, unity and integrity. The person
realizes his/her own value and the sense of life and his/her personality develops.
1.2. The course of health psychology
The subject of health psychology has been university of designed this way and incorporated into the education
at the Department of social work at University of Hradec Krlov since 2011. Health Psychology for Social
Workers at our workplace takes place in the first semester and consists of six three hour blocks. The introductory
blocks of lectures deal with the necessary theoretical bases of the subject: bio-psycho-social model of
health/illness, pathogenetic/salutogenetic approach to the health of an individual, the fundamental postulates of
PCA and their importance for social workers. The lectures are followed by self-experience seminars. The first and
the second session focus on the issue of stress (cognitive map of stress, the strategies of coping with stress,
relaxation exercises and selected techniques of concentration and creative imagination). The third block treats the
development of self-cognition and the search for possibilities of self-development, self-creation and self-control.
The fourth block focuses on the development of specific socio-psychological skills which constitute the sociopsychological competence of a social worker. The following issues were discussed: family and a patient, old age,
dying, death etc.
Education of health psychology at our department is a new, evolving subject that applies functional connection
of socio-psychological training with educative process (interactive form of teaching).
1.3. Objectives
The main goal of this research is to find out how students perceive learning of this subject and its benefits for
practice from the view of the used form of educational process. Specifically, the aim of this study is first, to obtain
students subjective experience. Second, it assesses the immediate mental state of the students at the beginning
and at the end of the semester.
Research sample comprised 48 students of social work, who took the course Health Psychology in the 1st
semester of presence study in the academic year 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 (average age 18.2, 44 women, 4men).
The uneven representation of men and women to a great extent corresponds with social work practice in the Czech
Republic, where there has been a prevalence of women for many years.
The respondents were granted anonymity both in the case of the processing of notes taken during discussions
and the processing of data obtained using the questionnaire. All were informed about the purpose of the research
and the methods of analysing and use of the data.
2. Methodology
Students assessed the course. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used (Miovsk, 2006).

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2.1. Qualitative research method

The qualitative element consisted in focus group discussion (FGD). The method works with the content of
group interactions which occur spontaneously within a debate about a given topic (Morgan, 1984). The method of
focus group is efficient when dealing with the topic with important group phenomenon (Patton, 1980).
The objective of the use of FDG was to find out about students perception of the course and its contribution to
practice. The following questions corresponding with this wide area were defined:
T1: What is the perception of this particular form of teaching from the point of view of the education process
(levels: information, attitudes, emotions)?
T2: What is the understanding of the application of PCA in connection to my self-cognition and selfacceptation?
T3: How does the course help with social work practice?
The above questions served as a basis of a scenario for FDG including sets of questions used in the research.
Summary 6 FGDs were realized from January to March 2012 and 2013 (after the end of the semester). FGDs were
managed by authors of transmission and recorded in writing. The obtained data were analysed using the inductive
approach.
2.2. Quantitative research method
Quantitative assessment of the course was focused on the objectification of students subjective experience. The
psychological test SUPOS7 (Mikk and Bichek, 1984) was used to assess the immediate mental state of the
students. Students filled the test in at the beginning and at the end of the semester. I
Each components of the test can be internally divided into 2 key criteria which help us to judge the changes in
experiencing in the context of situational variables:
Activation block
PE Mental well-being feelings of satisfaction, pleasant mood and positive mental eagerness, often
accompanied by euphoria and self-confidence
A Activity, energy feelings of strength and energy connected with thirst for action
Disintegration block
O Impulsiveness, relaxation moodiness, difficulties with self-control, impetuousness, irritation and
uncontrolled aggression
N Mental unease, disgruntlement manifested by mental and motoric unrest, grumpiness, dissatisfaction,
resp. impatience and restlessness
U Anxious expectation, worries feelings of uncertainty, mental tension, anxious mood, worries about future
consequences etc.
D Depression feelings of exhaustion, pessimism, annoyance, weakness, apathy
S Dejection feelings of sadness, loneliness, over-sensitiveness, unhappiness
3. Results and discussion
3.1. The course and its levels of meaning perceived by the students
The perception of the benefits of the form of teaching in question of all groups was de facto the same. It was
interesting to note the overlap of answers to sub-questions (T1,T2,T3) the connection of education and personal
level with the contribution to social work practice.
T1: Education level the effort to improve the theoretical basis connected with ones own experience
It wasnt just theory, we tried some methods in practice. What interested me most, was the possibility of
relaxation when coping with stress. Its a pity that we had so little time to do it. Ive already found some books
about it and Im considering taking a course.

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I was interested in a more general view of the issues of health and its preservation. I never thought of the
salutogenetic question Why do people fall ill?. I enjoy looking for salutary in life.
I never seriously thought about what health means to me. Common painting showed me how we perceive the
term HEALTH. Our schoolmate who suffers from diabetes had a different attitude (she has to take insulin since
her childhood, must not eat sweets and she has to restrict herself in many things)I have taken health for
granted until now.
T2: Personality level students become more confident in self-assessment, more relaxed and they often take
long-term interest in development and self-development. Students stressed the increased cohesion of the group and
mutual saturation of needs (acceptation, expression of emotions).
The course has given me a lot, mainly because it taught us to listen to each other. It was about us and for us. I
realized which things I coud change in my life.
What I liked best was the topic of stress and how to cope with it. I got rid of the fear of failure. I discovered new
strength to cope. But I have still a long way to go.
I realized that other students have similar problems as me.
T3: The level of social skills the students felt an improvement of the ability to regulate the dynamics of social
relationships, their involvement in them and the overall social interaction skills.
Ive learned to listen to the other, calm down and try to understand instead of criticising.
At first, I had problems to participate. I found it all a kind of weird but my attitude changed towards the end and
I am glad that I did not run away and stayed.
It makes you think about yourself and your relationships with others.
3.2. Objectification of the students subjective experience
The comparison of students immediate mental state at the beginning and at the end of the course revealed an
increase of the values of the activation block (PE + A) and a decrease of the values of the disintegration block.
Statistically significant changes (above 5 %) occurred mainly in O (moodiness, difficulties with self-control,
impetuousness, irritation and uncontrolled aggression) and U (feelings of uncertainty, mental tension, anxious
mood, worries about future consequences etc.). Mental well-being of the students improved, they are more active
and creative than at the beginning of the course.
Table 1 Percentage of the components of IMS (immediate mental state)
Measurement

PE

1. measurement

34,83

26,67

11,42*

4,25

12,58*

8,83

1,52

2. measurement

38,9

29,12

7,93

5,62

6,79

10,44

1,2

*level of significance p0.05

Legend: activation block PE,A, disintegration block O,U,N,D,S

The changes in the subjective experience of the students confirm the positive effect of group dynamics. The
changes in the subjective quality of experience in the direction of prevailing stenic states (activation block)
connected with the decreased percentage of the disintegration block components in IMS can be understood as
indicative of the increase of the subjectively experienced wellbeing.
4. Conclusion
The application of bio-psycho-social model of health/illness in the care for the client requires joined efforts of
many professions, the participation of a social worker being indispensable. In the case of the course Health
Psychology for Social Workers, the psychosocial level was added to the traditional biomedical model. The

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interconnection of socio-psychological training with the education process (interactive teaching) created space for a
new experience which inevitably conditions the practice of a social worker and his/her social competence in work
with families. Changes simultaneously affected several levels:
x a release of the existing personal capacities of a person, insight enabling correction and formation of a realistic
self-image, authentic relationship with oneself and others, formation of a realistic image of the possibilities of
personal development, acquisition of the ability to find a good solution of interpersonal and group conflicts;
x understanding of group processes, group dynamics and the acquisition of the ability to form them, optimization
of organization skills and work or educational activities, development of the basic socio-psychological skills
needed in social work practice;
x formation of a positive attitude to mental health, the possibilities of its preservation and development,
motivation to its preservation, healthy lifestyle.
The potential of relationship conceived as a meeting in the area of development and self-development of
students and teachers has been little appreciated. Let us conclude by quoting words of M. Buber (1999):
a real lesson (i.e. not one when the teacher repeats his words on and on, nor one, whose outcome is known
in advance, but one which develops in mutual surprises), real, unusual embrace, real unfeigned fight what is
important, does not happen in one participant or the other, nor in a neutral world involving both and all other
things, but between them both, in the dimension accessible to them both and no one else
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