Course Outline
MHN708 Lifestyle Factors and Mental Health
Course Coordinator:Christina Driver (cdriver@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Psychology
2024Semester 1
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, substance use, stress management, social networks and the environment are all lifestyle factors that shape and impact mental health and wellbeing. Lifestyle interventions are behaviours and actions that an individual can modify or change to improve their mental and brain health. In this course you will cover the emerging evidence base in lifestyle medicine and explore ways this approach can be adopted as an early intervention strategy as well as how it can supplement other therapies in the treatment of mental health disorders.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Online | |||
| Online – The online activities will include a variety of asynchronous, interactive learning materials, and options for lecturer and peer to peer collaborations, and lecturer and peer zoom drop-ins. | 3hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Course Topics
- Health promoting and health comprising lifestyle factors in relation to mental health
- The environment and mental health
- The ‘big 5’ lifestyle factors impacting mental health, including the neuroscientific evidence
- Lifestyle psychiatry
- Alcohol/other drug use and mental health problems
- Lifestyle factors and the glymphatic system
What level is this course?
700 Level (Specialised)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
| 1 | Select and evaluate current and emerging approaches to mental health disorders, as well as propose novel approaches, based on current practice and theory in lifestyle medicine. | Creative and critical thinker |
| 2 | Argue persuasively for multidisciplinary approaches to complex mental health disorders to target a specific audience, based on neuroscientific evidence. | Empowered |
| 3 | Critique multidisciplinary lifestyle medicine approaches to mental health disorders against the limitations of traditional approaches, and then address the affordances and impacts, as well as justifying the methods of approach when proposing new approaches. | Sustainability-focussed |
| 4 | Apply advanced communication skills to targeted audiences using relevant presentation genres. | Empowered |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in Program AR602 or AR706.
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
You will be provided with multiple opportunities to gain early formative feedback relevant to your first assessment task by engaging with your learning materials. These include interactive self-check activities in the modules, posting responses to discussion forums and responding to your practice activities in the indicated manner. In addition, you will have the opportunity to request a Zoom consult, along with submitting an early draft of your first assessment item.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Case Study | Individual | 20% | 1500 words (750 words per case example) |
Week 5 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual | 30% | 20 mins |
Week 9 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Written Piece | Individual | 50% | 4000 words |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Case studies | |
| Goal: | The goal is to evaluate current approaches to lifestyle based initiatives to improve mental health in the community, with a focus on environment-based approaches. |
| Product: | Case Study |
| Format: | You will appropriately select and present two case studies of current environmental initiatives, to explain why the interventions are being implemented. Your case studies will evaluate their effectiveness based on current practice evidence, include economic considerations and suggest potential future avenues for such initiatives. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 2:TED Talk style presentation | |
| Goal: | The goal is to argue persuasively for multidisciplinary approaches to address complex mental health disorders with a focus of highlighting the neuroscientific evidence. |
| Product: | Oral and Written Piece |
| Format: | You will present a TED style talk to an audience of the general population, evaluating the emerging ‘Big 5’ approaches utilised in multidisciplinary lifestyle approaches to mental health. You will argue for their inclusion as interventions for a specific mental health disorder, using the neurobiological evidence behind each as your core message. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 3:Grant funding application | |
| Goal: | The goal is to propose a multidisciplinary lifestyle medicine community intervention or research program, to address a specific mental health issue. |
| Product: | Written Piece |
| Format: | You will prepare a grant funding application to propose a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention program or research project, addressing a specific mental health issue. Using the examples provided as a guide, your application to a funding body will also include addressing limitations of past approaches, affordances and suggested methodology of your proposed approach, and a discussion of its impacts. |
| Criteria: |
|
Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Specific requirements
All work submitted for assessment is to be word processed and submitted electronically. It is expected that students will have ready access to a computer with common productivity software and reliable Internet access. Students will be able to participate in video conferencing, and therefore it is recommended to have computer capabilities to join these sessions (e.g. webcam, microphone).
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Additional assessment requirements If standard graded course, add: Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate: 5% (of the assessment task’s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task 10% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the third day 20% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension, you must contact your Course Coordinator and supply the required documentation to negotiate an outcome.
SafeUniSC
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
Study help
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
AccessAbility Services
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
-
In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au