Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Course Description Status: Approved

Course Description Version: 25/26.P.2.00

Description Period: 2025./26 academic year pavasara semestris

Study Course Accepted: -

Study Course Description

Digital Technology Use in Psychology

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
VPUPK_272
Branch of Science
Psychology
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Psychology
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Zane Gulbe
Structure Unit Manager
Kristīne Mārtinsone
Structural Unit
Department of Health Psychology and Paedagogy
Contacts

Riga, Dzirciema Street 16, vppk@rsu.lv, +37167061587

About Study Course

Objective

To improve and promote the acquisition of knowledge about the application of digital technology, information technology and digital telecommunications technologies in psychology, their possibilities, limitations and specifics. To develop the ability to apply digital technologies, information technologies and digital telecommunications technologies in providing psychological assistance and counseling. Critically evaluate the existing remote psychological interventions, summarize the methods for solving the selected problem in the specific target group, as well as choose the most suitable methods of providing psychological assistance.

Preliminary Knowledge

Knowledge of health psychology, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, psychometrics, psychological counselling acquired during Bachelor’s degree studies. Knowledge of health psychology theories and behaviour change acquired during Master’s degree studies.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Students are familiar with the application of digital technology, information technology and digital telecommunications technology in psychology, their possibilities, limitations and specifics. Students define the nature of intervention and the main possible types of digital intervention in psychology, are familiar with the possibilities and limitations of digital intervention and remote counseling.

Skills

1.Students know how to use digital technologies, information technologies and digital telecommunications technologies in providing psychological assistance and counseling. Students are able to create a psychological assistance plan, integrating digital technologies, digital interventions; uses critical thinking abilities, analyzing the existing possibilities of digital technology application and interventions in the field of psychology, defines efficiency criteria and prerequisites; chooses the most appropriate methods of providing psychological assistance.

Competences

1.Students critically evaluate existing remote psychological interventions, collect methods for solving the selected problem in the specific target group, and also choose the most suitable methods of providing psychological assistance. Students evaluate digital opportunities in psychology and interventions based on the learned criteria; develops a methodology for solving the selected problem in the specific target group/client, based on the differentiated needs of the target group; critically evaluates the application possibilities of digital technologies and interventions in psychology, argues about its strengths and potential risks, offers solutions for mitigating the identified risks; uses technology in providing psychological assistance.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Individual work
-
-
Make your practical contribution - both in a group and individually in the psychology of digital technologies in the content bank. Create a plan of psychological assistance according to the case of the client's difficulties, integrating into it several possibilities of application of digital technologies in psychological assistance. A mandatory requirement is the provision of feedback at the end of the study course in the e-environment - for the relevant study course.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Examination
-
-
2.

Examination
-
10 points

The assessment in this study course will be cumulative.

It will consist of:

- small works, group work and activities in lectures/classes (max. score 1)

- evaluation of the group work (group 4) on the application of digital technologies to work with clients (max. score 2) - present to the group 8-10 min to

  • provide a summary of methods, interventions, tools with detailed explanation of the application, as well as the application to groups of specific clients in the class.

- assessment of individual work on the application of digital technologies to work with clients (max. score 2)

  • submit 1 intervention, a description of the method, the use of the digital solution in customer work (name, author/- ri, year, country of development, target group, application, results, conclusions (individual conclusions on the integration of OAR digital technologies in customer work), reference to source and/or specific Article) - to be submitted in writing - Word/PDF document in e-environment L (volume 1-3 pp) - correct terminology applied; - quality of conclusions - correctness, language, relevance, scope; - presentation of results (empirical and descriptive); - quality of study/braiding pattern, year of development;
  • - Total volume and content quality.

- final work score (max. score 5)

final work framework - (in group 4)

• Description of the difficulty/problem of the selected client, demographics (detailed but focused only on the work of a psychologist with clients relevant and relevant)

• psychological assistance plan for 10 sessions (detailed for each and with justification as well as purpose for the particular session), integrated digital technologies for providing assistance (at least 4 digital solutions) - potential and more successful achievement of the goal)

• justification of the chosen use of digital technologies in customer/patient work (why specifically for this case, customer, difficulty, purpose). Duration of the session (justification), description and justification of the method/methods applied, justification of the combination.

• expected effectiveness (based on theoretical guidelines, studies)

• limitations (clearly and in detail)

• final work to be submitted: Power point/Canva presentation (15 min) presented on the date of the test and submitted in an e-environment (submitted by one of the team members) individually submitted - Word/PDF document

final test: Face-to-face.

The works shall be submitted on the e-learning platform, in the section - practical work

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Introductory lecture. Use of digital technologies in psychology. Online counselling and web-based research. Opportunities and limitations of web-based interventions.

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Introductory lecture. Use of digital technologies in psychology. Online counselling and web-based research. Opportunities and limitations of web-based interventions.

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Remote psychological help and counseling

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Remote psychological help and counseling

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Remote psychological help and group counseling

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Remote psychological help and group counseling

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Ethical, legal and data security aspects of remote psychological assistance and counseling

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Ethical, legal and data security aspects of remote psychological assistance and counseling

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Digital competence in the 21st century

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Digital competence in the 21st century

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Development of psychological intervention/psychological assistance

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Development of psychological intervention/psychological assistance
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Zane Gulbe, Ivans Jānis Mihailovs, Inese Paiča, Kirils Dubiņins, Tatjana Bergmane. (2021). Attālināta psiholoģiskā palīdzība un konsultēšana. Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte

2.

Cooper, S., Campbell, L., & Smucker Barnwell, S. (2019). Telepsychology: A Primer for Counseling Psychologists ψ. The Counseling Psychologist, 47(8), 1074-1114.

Other Information Sources

1.

Zinātniskie raksti no EBSCO, PUBMED, SCIENCE DIRECT datu bāzēm

2.

Journal of Health Psychology