Module: eHealth, eWell-being Digital Therapeutics

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	eHealth, eWell-being Digital Therapeutics
Module Code	PSY1098
Faculty	Psychology	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge of technology in the context of health and well-being. Specifically, the student will initially learn about the major theories and research in the field of health psychology and will be introduced to the ways in which biopsychosocial processes can influence health, well-being and illness. Following on from this, the role of disruptive technologies in supporting, monitoring, influencing, and predicting health and wellbeing outcomes will be considered, and the student will understand best practices to designing and implementing a technology based health intervention.

Learning Outcomes

1. Review the biopsychosocial causes and consequences of health and illness
2. Review predictors of health behaviours and the ways in which health behaviours can be changed
3. Understand the role of technology in the context of health and well-being
4. Explore and review the literature about different digital therapeutics in terms of their research status, treatment efficacy and future directions
5. Discuss technological innovations to facilitate health behaviour change and health interventions
6. Understand the principles and best practice approaches to developing an eHealth intervention
7. Apply the principles of eHealth intervention design to develop an eHealth intervention.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	12	Weekly lecture content delivered addressing indicative syllabus
Tutorial	12	Guided activities and group tasks
Online activity	24	Contribution to online discussion forums and supplement understanding of indicative syllabus
Assignment Completion	47	Assessment preparation including the integration of relevant theory and research
Independent Study	30	Self directed reading
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	21172	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Isaiah Gitonga	Module Teacher	Emma Delemere

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Report(s)	Individual Portfolio. Each student must submit an individual portfolio presenting the evidence-based design of an eHealth or digital health intervention developed to address a specific health behaviour or outcome.This report will include a 1) literature review of research in the area, 2) a description and justification for the eHealth intervention 3) an evaluation of any ethical issues related to interventions of this kind 4) an implementation plan and plan for assessment of the effectiveness of the eHealth intervention.	60%	n/a
Completion of online activity	Students will contribute to a weekly online discussion forum conducted on LOOP by posting an individual response to specific discussion prompt, and responding to a minimum of two peer discussion posts per week.	20%	n/a
Report(s)	Students will be assigned into pairs and tasked with drafting a peer review report of the individual portfolio submitted by a classmate. Students will also revise their individual portfolio in response to the peer review report received from their peer.	20%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introducing health, health psychology and the biopsychosocial model of health and illness

Health protective and health risk behaviours

Explaining and changing health behaviour

Health and illness-related cognitions

Stress, health and illness; theories, moderators and management

Patient adherence and communication

Psychosocial impact of illness

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen, Saskia M. Kelders, Hanneke Kip, Robbert Sanderman/Routledge: 2021, eHealth Research, Theory and Development A Multidisciplinary Approach, 2nd, Routeldge, 9781315385907
Ogden, J.: 2019, Health Psychology: A Textbook, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Education (UK),
Fleisch, E., Franz, C., & Hermann, A: 2021, Digital Pill,
Hale, T., Chou, W. S., Cotton, S. R. & Khilnani: 2018, eHealth: Current Evidence, Promises, Perils, and Future Directions,
Ogden, J. (Ed.): 2008, Essential Readings in Health Psychology, Open University Press, Berkshire, 978-0335211388
Albery, I. P & Munafò, M: 2008, Key Concepts in Health Psychology, SAGE, Los Angeles, 978-1412919333
Friedman, H. S. (Ed.): 2011, The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 978-0195342819
Horrocks, C., & Johnson, S.: 2012, Advances in Health Psychology: Critical Approaches, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 978-0230275386
Lyons, A. C. & Chamberlain, K.: 2006, Health Psychology: A Critical Introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 0-521-00526-4

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None