Lists
Lists
Harris, Katherine (2024) Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology: a portfolio of research and professional practice, including, Knowledge and beliefs of asthma among peers without asthma in London secondary schools. Doctoral thesis, London Metropolitan University.
Overview:
This portfolio was developed using practice and training from my professional role as a postdoctoral researcher at two medical schools at two London-based universities and as a senior public health intelligence specialist at a London local authority during the COVID-19 pandemic. When I started this portfolio, my place of work specialised in medical research, and my role was specifically focused on research into childhood respiratory conditions. To complete some of the competencies within this portfolio, I discussed various opportunities within my workplace with colleagues and existing health psychologists. I was very fortunate to work in this environment as I was given the freedom and flexibility to develop my skills whilst meeting the core requirements necessary to practice as a qualified health psychologist.
The primary aim of my role as a postdoctoral researcher was to lead on a research project which used behaviour change interventions to improve outcomes for children and young people with asthma. The primary cohort in this study was children and young people aged 11-13 years in London secondary schools. The intervention included workshops for both children with asthma, and their peers, and the intervention was grounded in psychological theory, including the COM-B model (Gielen, A. C., McDonald, E. M., Gary, T. L., & Bone, L. R., 2008) and the behaviour change taxonomy (Michie, S., Richardson, M., Johnston, M., Abraham C., Francis, J., Hardeman, W., Eccles, M. P., Cane, J., Wood, C. E., 2013).
As a senior member of staff in the team, I was jointly responsible for the intervention development in the early stages. I was also solely responsible for obtaining ethical approval, data collection, data analysis and dissemination. I also supervised a team of learning and outreach officers, who facilitated the recruitment of schools and the delivery of the intervention in schools. My management included weekly team meetings, and regular liaison with the team through email and face-to-face meetings. I provided a written update to the principal investigator on the project once a week and informed him of any queries which needed to be discussed. My role also included collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, facilitated through attendance at monthly meetings and skype and telephone conferences. I also attended and presented research at several international conferences.
The aim of this portfolio is to demonstrate how I have met the competencies required to practice as a health psychologist.
Structure of portfolio:
Section B begins with the presentation of my research project. The focus of this research project is the current knowledge and attitudes of children and young people without asthma in London secondary schools. Data was collected from children and young people without asthma between October and December 2018. The children completed an online questionnaire about asthma, and the data was analysed quantitatively.
Section C includes the five competencies that are required to qualify as a health psychologist. Unit one covers the generic professional competence. Included within this is a reflective report and a report around service user involvement in my training. I have also included my logbook and reflective practice in the appendices section of unit one.
Unit two includes the paperwork for the psychological interventions competence. The first intervention was a one-to-one intervention, which was conducted with an adult patient within a smoking cessation clinic. Included here is a case study report of this intervention.
The second intervention covers my group intervention. This intervention used a theatre provocation piece to raise awareness of asthma in schools. I have also included a case study on this intervention under unit two.
Unit three includes the systematic review component of the research competency. My systematic review looked at the barriers to medication adherence among children and young people with asthma. The data in this review was analysed qualitatively.
Unit four covers the consultancy competency, whereby I conducted a systematic mapping review looking at the management of fatigue in long-term physical health conditions. Included here is a case study of this competence, as well as the contractual agreement that was in place before the consultancy began.
The final unit in section C is the teaching and training competence. I taught a number of different sessions, including the use of behaviour change theory in intervention development to undergraduate psychology students. I also taught undergraduate medical students about doctor-patient communication. Included in unit five is a case study of one of my teaching sessions, along with the observer's report and student feedback.
 |
View Item |