walden psyc8573 Week 1 Assignment Health Psychology latest 2017 october

Week 1 Assignment

Assignment: Health Psychology

Several trends have shaped healthcare today, including the rise of chronic disease as the leading cause of death for adults in industrialized nations. Behavioral and lifestyle choices, as well as psychological well-being, became a focus of treatment along with the medical regimen for adults with chronic disease. Similarly, children and adolescents also may have to alter their behaviors and incorporate new medication and medical procedures into their lifestyles when diagnosed with chronic diseases. Yet, children and adolescents are less likely than adults to comply with their new behaviors, lifestyles, and medical regimens. There are multiple interventions to handle noncompliance in children and adolescents. According to the behavioral theory of adherence, both positive and negative reinforcement can strengthen the behavior (adherence) in the desired direction in children and adolescents, but punishment can decrease the behavior (noncompliance) (Brannon & Feist, 2007).

Submit your Assignment by Day 7. For this Assignment, review the media in this week’s Learning Resources. Select an illness experienced by an adolescent in the media piece. Consider similarities and differences between child and adolescent health psychology and adult health psychology. Also, consider why noncompliance is a concern for children and adolescents. Please note that you will only view media featuring adolescents because of ethical and legal considerations regarding the taping of younger children.

The Assignment (2–3 pages)

Briefly describe the illness you selected from the media piece.

Compare the treatment and coping strategies of the child or adolescent you selected with those of adults who might have the same illness.

Explain how a health psychologist may have to work differently with a child/adolescent with that illness from how he or she would work with an adult with that illness.

Explain why noncompliance might be a significant issue for children and adolescents dealing with health issues.

Describe one intervention that a health psychologist might use to address the issue of noncompliance and explain why it may be effective.

Support your response using the Learning Resources and other current literature.