Community Psychology

The University of Bergen offers students enrolled in the Professional Studies Programme in Psychology lectures and supervised placements in the community psychology course. The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge and experience within community psychology as a discipline, as well as knowledge of the relevant work and research methods, and insight into the clinical practice of community psychology. Emphasis will be placed on the students¿ understanding of the significance of contextual and societal factors related to one¿s mental health and quality of life, and how one can prevent illness and promote health through both community-based measures and measures at the system level. The user perspective and understanding of the marginalization process through community psychology will also be addressed as core topics. The students will be given an overview of the different work methods and inclusive action research used in community psychology, and they will gain experience from community psychology practice through the completion of an independently conducted project

Topic 1: Introduction to community psychology

Community psychology will be introduced as a discipline in topic 1. The students will also be given an introduction to the scope of mental disorders and mental health problems, risk factors and resource factors. The students will be taught about epidemiological concepts and epidemiological methodology.

Topic 2: Social and societal contexts

In topic 2, the students will be provided with an introduction to the core topics of social capital, social networks, social support and their impact on mental health. The course will further provide an introduction to the societal factors that impact mental health as well as how marginalization processes are understood in community psychology. The students will be introduced to action research and user participation.

Topic 3: Project-based community psychology placement work

The students will carry out a project-based community psychology placement of a total of 15 days. The placement must take place over a period of about five weeks, and will conclude at a date agreed upon with the specific clinical placement site. The placement is designed as project work based on specific issues relevant to those who work within the field of community psychology. The students complete their practical training in groups, and the placement projects are prepared in cooperation with the clinical placement site and the professional staff connected to the course at the Faculty of Psychology. The placement will provide students with specific experience with project work in the field of community psychology. Relevant placement projects will be prepared in cooperation with relevant organizations such as, for example, the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, RVTS, hospital trusts and the municipal psychologist service. The placement work will be summarized in writing in the form of a report and presented to the cohort and the clinical placement site.

Knowledge

The student will have:

• an overview of what community psychology is and what characterizes community psychology thinking
• an overview into the concepts and theories key to understanding human health and behaviour in a contextual and societal perspective
• an overview of the core epidemiological concepts and methods
• knowledge of the laws and regulations relevant to public healthcare work, municipal psychologists and community psychologists
• knowledge of the extent of mental disorders in the population and of the most important factors that impact mental health at the population level

Skills

The student will be able to:

• explain epidemiological concepts and methods
• explain how user perspective and action research can be applied in community psychology contexts
• explain core elements in planning and implementing projects relevant to community psychology, such as preventative and health promotion measures at the municipal level
• formulate and implement simple research that can contribute to highlighting the effects of preventive and health promotion measures
• explain mental health from a social perspective.

General competence

The student will be able to:

• analyze and present community psychology issues and specific procedures, dilemmas and decisions in the work on them
• reflect on the fundamental values that community psychology is based on
• reflect on and communicate the significance of psychologists also engaging in preventative and health promotion work and measures at the system level