Impact by Design: Conducting Complex Interventions in Psychology
Course content
Intervention and evaluation research in psychology are indispensable tools for creating positive change, informing best practices, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of the field. They bridge the gap between theory and application, transforming psychological knowledge into tangible benefits for individuals and society. It has a strong significance when:
- Improving mental health and wellbeing with effective and cost-effective approaches.
- Addressing societal challenges with targeted individual and community-based solutions.
- Guiding policy and practice to inform policymakers and practitioners about the best evidence-based practices.
But how design, implement and evaluate interventions according to the complexity of the non-theoretical but, real-world?
- During this course, we will dive into a very helpful
methodological framework to recognize and adopt appropriate methods
to develop and evaluate complex interventions. By reading,
discussing, and designing together your own intervention proposal,
you will go beyond asking whether an intervention works (by
achieving its intended outcome); instead, we'll explore a
broader spectrum of questions. This includes identifying additional
impacts, assessing its value compared to the resources needed for
implementation, theorizing its mechanisms, considering its
interaction with the implementation’s context, evaluating its
contribution to system change, and understanding how the evidence
can be applied to support decision-making in the real world.
It will allow you to maximize the utility, efficiency, and impact of your own interventional project.
The content of this elective course encompasses (among other things):
- Introduction to psychological principles in research.
- The use of quantitative and qualitative data in mixed methods and action-research.
- Theoretical models in the field of behavior change, system thinking and ecological approaches.
- The integration of process evaluations and realist evaluations in complex interventions.
- The use of advance statistics in logic model evaluations.
The course is open to:
- Master Programme in Psychology
The course is open to:
- Exchange and Guest students from abroad
Knowledge:
- Have research-based knowledge of concepts, theories, and methods in intervention and evaluative research in applied psychology.
- Identify sound methodological frameworks for interventional studies.
- Describe the logic model underlying interventions’ description, key mechanisms and context factors through which interventions can impact on their expected outcomes.
Skills:
- Develop scientific and critical thinking skills, through reviewing, evaluating, and discussing existing literature on interventional and evaluative research, as well as debating contrasting research findings and frameworks.
- Critically compare the most suitable methods to evaluate an interventional project in different settings.
- Demonstrate adequate understanding of combined research methods and data analysis.
Competences:
- Review and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of interventional studies in an area of interest.
- Present and discuss an interventional proposal in the own field of interest.
- Explain own interventional logic model and its implementation and evaluation plan.
- Demonstrate the ability to justify the methodological soundness of an interventional project.
- Relate psychological concepts to one's interventional proposal and interests to aid in the learning process
Class.
Attendance of at least 75% of the classes and active participation
in the activities, assignments, presentations etc. set by the
course coordinator.
Active participation consists of:
1) Class discussion: demonstrates accurate reading and
understanding of assigned texts;
2) Group work and small-scale workshops: active students’
contributions to the construal of classes and the transposition of
theoretical material to real-life cases;
3) Oral presentation/group discussion: students will take part in a
group debate, where groups will present and discuss
positions/frameworks related to applied psychology and intervention
research.
Max. 600 pages (compulsory or compulsory/self-chosen)
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
- Full-degree students – sign up at Selfservice on KUnet
- Exchange and guest students from abroad – sign up through Mobility Online and Selfservice- read more through this website.
- Credit students from Danish universities - sign up through this website.
The dates for the exams are found here Exams – Faculty of Social Sciences - University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Please note that it is your own responsibility to check for overlapping exam dates.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Written assignment
- Type of assessment details
- Set assignment.
A research-based intervention proposal.
The interventional project will need to address a relevant psychological intervention within the area of interest. It will cover the description of the intervention, its methodological approach, logic model and a complete evaluation plan. It does not to be implemented in real practice.
The proposal will be presented by a written document following given specific guidelines and followed by an oral presentation. The written part should include a title page, an abstract, and references. It should follow APA style and have a length between 12-18 pages dependent on group size.
1 student max. 12 pages, 2 students max. 15 pages and 3 students max. 18 pages
Students will receive guidance throughout the course and some feedback on their ideas and plans for potential implementation halfway through the course. Additional specifications will be given when the course starts. - Examination prerequisites
-
Attendance of at least 75% of the classes and active participation in the activities, assignments, presentations etc. set by the course coordinator.
Active participation consists of:
1) Class discussion: demonstrates accurate reading and understanding of assigned texts;
2) Group work and small-scale workshops: active students’ contributions to the construal of classes and the transposition of theoretical material to real-life cases;
3) Oral presentation/group discussion: students will take part in a group debate, where groups will present and discuss positions/frameworks related to applied psychology and intervention research.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
Unless otherwise specified, the Department of Psychology prohibits the use of generative AI software and large language models (AI/LLMs), such as ChatGPT, for generating novel and creative content in written exams. However, students may use AI/LLMs to enhance the presentation of their own original work, such as text editing, argument validation, or improving statistical programming code. Students must disclose in an appendix if and how AI/LLMs were used; this appendix will not count toward the page limit of the exam. This policy is in place to ensure that students’ written exams accurately reflect their own knowledge and understanding of the material.
- Marking scale
- passed/not passed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
-
Exam information:
The examination date can be found in the exam schedule here
- Re-exam
-
Reexam information:
The reexamination date/period can be found in the reexam schedule here
Criteria for exam assessment
Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.
To obtain the top grade “12”, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.
To obtain the passing grade “02”, the student must in a satisfactory way be able to demonstrate a minimal acceptable level of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 30
- English
- 30
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- APSK15627U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedulegroup
-
B
- Studyboard
- Department of Psychology, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Psychology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Elena Bermejo Martins (13-6e756e776a376b6e7b766e737849797c8237747e376d74)
Er du BA- eller KA-studerende?
Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende