Health Psychology

Now in its third edition, Health Psychology offers the perfect introduction to this rapidly developing field. Clearly explaining the psychological processes that shape health-related behaviours, and affect core functions such as the immune and cardiovascular systems, it shows how these relationships provide the foundation for psychological interventions which can change cognition, perception and behaviour, thereby improving health.

Divided into five parts, the book looks at the biological bases of health and illness, stress and health, coping resources, motivation and behaviour, and applied health psychology. The third edition has been revised to highlight:

• Current research on the biological processes that underpin stress and illness.
  
• How stress can be best managed at individual, organisational and community levels.
  
• The ways people’s beliefs and attitudes shape motivation and behaviour.
  
• How health promotion can effectively change beliefs and attitudes to promote health behaviour change.
  
• The implications of current health psychology research for services.
  
• How health psychology research can improve healthcare practice.
  
• Looking at the roles of practitioner health psychologists.

The book is supported by useful in-text features including boxes that highlight key issues, activity boxes and essay questions to engage readers in applying what they have learned from research, and suggestions for further reading to encourage further study.

With its clear structure and ability to eloquently link theory to real-world application, this is the perfect primer for both undergraduates studying health psychology for the first time, and those embarking on postgraduate study in this exciting field.