There are many forms of abuse in the current US medical system. Some of these abuses are initiated by medical professional and some are initiated by the con
There are many forms of abuse in the current US medical system. Some of these abuses are initiated by medical professional and some are initiated by the consumer. Explore "both sides" of this issue as you research the topic this week. Refer to Ch 8 in attached book
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
Shel ley E . Taylor 10E
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
T E N T H E D I T I O N
SHELLEY E. TAYLOR University of California, Los Angeles
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY, TENTH EDITION
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Taylor, Shelley E., author. Title: Health psychology / Shelley Taylor, University of California, Los Angeles. Description: Tenth edition. | New York, NY : McGraw-Hill Education, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Identifiers: LCCN 2016044904| ISBN 9781259870477 | ISBN 1259870472 Subjects: LCSH: Clinical health psychology. | Medicine, Psychosomatic. | BISAC: PSYCHOLOGY / General. Classification: LCC R726.7 .T39 2017 | DDC 616.08—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016044904
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v
For Nathaniel
vi
SHELLEY E. TAYLOR is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her Ph.D. in social psychol- ogy from Yale University. After a visiting professorship at Yale and assistant and associate professorships at Harvard University, she joined the faculty of UCLA. Her research interests concern the psychological and social factors that promote or compromise mental and physical health across the life span. Professor Taylor is the recipient of a number of awards—most notably, the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution to Psychology Award, a 10-year Research Scientist Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health, and an Outstanding Scientific Contribution Award in Health Psy- chology. She is the author of more than 350 publications in journals and books and is the author of Social Cognition, Social Psychology, Positive Illusions, and The Tending Instinct. She is a member of the National Academies of Science and the National Academy of Medicine.
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
vii
C O N T E N T S
P A R T 1
PREFACE XV
INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY 1
C H A P T E R 1
What Is Health Psychology? 2
Definition of Health Psychology 3 Why Did Health Psychology Develop? 3
The Mind-Body Relationship: A Brief History 4 The Rise of the Biopsychosocial Method 5
Psychosomatic Medicine 5 Advantages of the Biopsychosocial Model 5 Clinical Implications of the Biopsychosocial
Model 6 The Biopsychosocial Model: The Case History of
Nightmare Deaths 6 The Need for Health Psychology 6
Changing Patterns of Illness 7 Advances in Technology and Research 8 Expanded Health Care Services 8 Increased Medical Acceptance 9
Health Psychology Research 9 The Role of Theory in Research 9 Experiments 10 Correlational Studies 10 Prospective and Retrospective Designs 10 The Role of Epidemiology in Health Psychology 11 Methodological Tools 11 Qualitative Research 12
What Is Health Psychology Training For? 12
C H A P T E R 2
The Systems of the Body 14
The Nervous System 15 Overview 15 The Brain 15 B O X 2.1 Costs of War to the Brain 17
The Role of Neurotransmitters 17 Disorders of the Nervous System 17
The Endocrine System 19 Overview 19 The Adrenal Glands 19 Disorders Involving the Endocrine System 19
The Cardiovascular System 20 Overview 20 The Heart 20 Disorders of the Cardiovascular System 21 Blood Pressure 22 The Blood 22
The Respiratory System 23 Overview 23 The Structure and Functions of the Respiratory
System 23 Disorders Associated with the Respiratory System 24 Dealing with Respiratory Disorders 25
viii Contents
Genetics and Health 29 Overview 29 Genetics and Susceptibility to Disorders 29
The Immune System 31 Overview 31 Infection 31 The Course of Infection 31 B O X 2.2 Portraits of Two Carriers 32
Immunity 32 Disorders Related to the Immune System 34
The Digestive System and the Metabolism of Food 25 Overview 25 The Functioning of the Digestive System 25 Disorders of the Digestive System 25
The Renal System 27 Overview 27 Disorders of the Renal System 27
The Reproductive System 28 Overview 28 The Ovaries and Testes 28 Fertilization and Gestation 28 Disorders of the Reproductive System 28
P A R T 2
HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND PRIMARY PREVENTION 37
C H A P T E R 3
Health Behaviors 38
An Introduction to Health Behaviors 39 Role of Behavioral Factors in Disease and
Disorder 39 Health Promotion: An Overview 39
Health Behaviors and Health Habits 39 Practicing and Changing Health Behaviors:
An Overview 40 Barriers to Modifying Poor Health Behaviors 41 Intervening with Children and Adolescents 42 Intervening with At-Risk People 43 Health Promotion and Older Adults 44 Ethnic and Gender Differences in Health Risks
and Habits 45 Changing Health Habits 45
Attitude Change and Health Behavior 45 The Health Belief Model 47 The Theory of Planned Behavior 47 Criticisms of Attitude Theories 49 Self Regulation and Health Behavior 49 Self Determination Theory 49 Implementation Intentions 49 Health Behavior Change and the Brain 50
Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to Health Behavior Change 50
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) 50 Self-Monitoring 50 Stimulus Control 51 The Self-Control of Behavior 51
B O X 3.1 Classical Conditioning 52 B O X 3.2 Operant Conditioning 53 B O X 3.3 Modeling 54
Social Skills and Relaxation Training 54 Motivational Interviewing 54 Relapse Prevention 55 Evaluation of CBT 56
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change 56 Stages of Change 56 Using the Stage Model of Change 57
Changing Health Behaviors Through Social Engineering 58 Venues for Health-Habit Modification 59
The Practitioner’s Office 59 The Family 59 Self-Help Groups 60 Schools 60 Workplace Interventions 60 Community-Based Interventions 60 The Mass Media 61 Cellular Phones and Landlines 61 The Internet 61
C H A P T E R 4
Health-Promoting Behaviors 64
Exercise 65 Benefits of Exercise 65 Determinants of Regular Exercise 66 Exercise Interventions 67
Contents ix
Evaluation of Cognitive-Behavioral Weight-Loss Techniques 90
Taking a Public Health Approach 90 Eating Disorders 91
Anorexia Nervosa 91 B O X 5.3 The Barbie Beauty Battle 92
Bulimia 93 Binge Eating Disorder 94
Alcoholism and Problem Drinking 94 The Scope of the Problem 94 What Is Substance Dependence? 95 Alcoholism and Problem Drinking 95 Origins of Alcoholism and Problem Drinking 95 Treatment of Alcohol Abuse 96 Treatment Programs 97 B O X 5.4 After the Fall of the Berlin Wall 97 B O X 5.5 A Profile of Alcoholics Anonymous 98 B O X 5.6 The Drinking College Student 99
Evaluation of Alcohol Treatment Programs 100 Preventive Approaches to Alcohol Abuse 100 Drinking and Driving 101 Is Modest Alcohol Consumption a Health
Behavior? 101 Smoking 101
Synergistic Effects of Smoking 102 A Brief History of the Smoking Problem 102 Why Do People Smoke? 103 Nicotine Addiction and Smoking 105 Interventions to Reduce Smoking 106 Smoking Prevention Programs 109 B O X 5.7 The Perils of Secondhand Smoke 110
Accident Prevention 68 Home and Workplace Accidents 68 Motorcycle and Automobile Accidents 69
Vaccinations and Screening 69 Vaccinations 70 Screenings 70 Colorectal Cancer Screening 71
Sun Safety Practices 71 Developing a Healthy Diet 72
Changing Diet 73 Resistance to Modifying Diet 73
Sleep 75 What Is Sleep? 75 Sleep and Health 75
Rest, Renewal, Savoring 76
C H A P T E R 5
Health-Compromising Behaviors 79
Characteristics of Health-Compromising Behaviors 80 Obesity 81
What Is Obesity? 81 Obesity in Childhood 83 B O X 5.1 The Biological Regulation of Eating 85
SES, Culture, and Obesity 85 Obesity and Dieting as Risk Factors for Obesity 86 Stress and Eating 87 Interventions 87 B O X 5.2 Don’t Diet 88
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 88
P A R T 3
STRESS AND COPING 113
C H A P T E R 6
Stress 114
What Is Stress? 115 What Is a Stressor? 115 Appraisal of Stressors 115
Origins of the Study of Stress 115 Fight or Flight 115 Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome 115 Tend-and-Befriend 117 How Does Stress Contribute to Illness? 117
The Physiology of Stress 118 Effects of Long-Term Stress 119 Individual Differences in Stress Reactivity 120 Physiological Recovery 121 Allostatic Load 121 B O X 6.1 Can Stress Affect Pregnancy? 122
What Makes Events Stressful? 122 Dimensions of Stressful Events 122 Must Stress Be Perceived as Such to Be Stressful? 123 Can People Adapt to Stress? 124
x Contents
Psychosocial Resources 140 B O X 7.2 Religion, Coping, and Well-Being 142
Resilience 142 Coping Style 143 Problem-Focused and Emotion-Focused Coping 144 B O X 7.3 The Brief COPE 145
Coping and External Resources 146 B O X 7.4 Coping with HIV 146
Coping Outcomes 147 Coping Interventions 147
Mindfulness Meditation and Acceptance/Commitment Therapy 147
Expressive Writing 148 Self-Affirmation 149 Relaxation Training 149 Coping Skills Training 149
Social Support 151 What Is Social Support? 151 Effects of Social Support on Illness 152 B O X 7.5 Is Social Companionship an Important
Part of Your Life? 153 Biopsychosocial Pathways 153 Moderation of Stress by Social Support 154 What Kinds of Support Are Most Effective? 155 B O X 7.6 Can Bad Relationships Affect Your
Health? 156 Enhancing Social Support 157
P A R T 4
How Has Stress Been Studied? 124 Studying Stress in the Laboratory 124 Must a Stressor Be Ongoing to Be Stressful? 124 Inducing Disease 125 Stressful Life Events 125 B O X 6.2 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 126
Daily Stress 127 Sources of Chronic Stress 128
Effects of Early Stressful Life Experiences 128 B O X 6.3 Can an Exciting Sports Event Kill You?
Cardiovascular Events During World Cup Soccer 128
B O X 6.4 A Measure of Perceived Stress 129 B O X 6.5 The Measurement of Daily Strain 130
Chronic Stressful Conditions 130 Stress in the Workplace 131 B O X 6.6 Can Prejudice Harm Your Health? 132
Some Solutions to Workplace Stressors 134 Combining Work and Family Roles 134
C H A P T E R 7
Coping, Resilience, and Social Support 137
Coping with Stress and Resilience 138 Personality and Coping 138 B O X 7.1 The Measurement of Optimism:
The LOT-R 140
SEEKING AND USING HEALTH CARE SERVICES 159
C H A P T E R 8
Using Health Services 160
Recognition and Interpretation of Symptoms 161 Recognition of Symptoms 161 Interpretation of Symptoms 162 Cognitive Representations of Illness 162 B O X 8.1 Can Expectations Influence Sensations?
The Case of Premenstrual Symptoms 163 Lay Referral Network 164 The Internet 164
Who Uses Health Services? 164 Age 164 Gender 164
Social Class and Culture 165 Social Psychological Factors 165
Misusing Health Services 165 Using Health Services for Emotional
Disturbances 165 Delay Behavior 166 B O X 8.2 The June Bug Disease: A Case of
Hysterical Contagion 167
C H A P T E R 9
Patients, Providers, and Treatments 170
Health Care Services 171 Patient Consumerism 171
Contents xi
Who Uses CAM? 192 Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An
Overall Evaluation 192 The Placebo Effect 193
History of the Placebo 193 What Is a Placebo? 193 Provider Behavior and Placebo Effects 194 B O X 9.6 Cancer and the Placebo Effect 194
Patient Characteristics and Placebo Effects 194 Patient-Provider Communication and Placebo
Effects 195 Situational Determinants of Placebo Effects 195 Social Norms and Placebo Effects 195 The Placebo as a Methodological Tool 196
C H A P T E R 1 0
The Management of Pain and Discomfort 199
The Elusive Nature of Pain 201 B O X 10.1 A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Pain:
The Childbirth Experience 202 Measuring Pain 202 The Physiology of Pain 204 B O X 10.2 Headache Drawings Reflect Distress and
Disability 204 B O X 10.3 Phantom Limb Pain: A Case History 206 Neurochemical Bases of Pain and Its Inhibition 206
Clinical Issues in Pain Management 207 Acute and Chronic Pain 207 Pain and Personality 209
Pain Control Techniques 209 Pharmacological Control of Pain 210 Surgical Control of Pain 210 Sensory Control of Pain 211 Biofeedback 211 Relaxation Techniques 211 Distraction 212 Coping Skills Training 213 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 214
Pain Management Programs 214 Initial Evaluation 215 Individualized Treatment 215 Components of Programs 215 Involvement of Family 215 Relapse Prevention 215 Evaluation of Programs 215
Structure of the Health Care Delivery System 171 Patient Experiences with Managed Care 172
The Nature of Patient-Provider Communication 173 Setting 173 Provider Behaviors That Contribute to Faulty
Communication 174 B O X 9.1 What Did You Say?: Language Barriers
to Effective Communication 175 Patients’ Contributions to Faulty Communication 175 Interactive Aspects of the Communication
Problem 176 Results of Poor Patient-Provider Communication 177
Nonadherence to Treatment Regimens 177 Good Communication 177 B O X 9.2 What Are Some Ways to Improve
Adherence to Treatment? 178 Improving Patient-Provider Communication and Increasing Adherence to Treatment 178
Teaching Providers How to Communicate 178 B O X 9.3 What Can Providers Do to Improve
Adherence? 179 The Patient in the Hospital Setting 180
Structure of the Hospital 181 The Impact of Hospitalization on the Patient 182 B O X 9.4 Burnout Among Health Care
Professionals 183 Interventions to Increase Information in Hospital Settings 184 The Hospitalized Child 184
B O X 9.5 Social Support and Distress from Surgery 185
Preparing Children for Medical Interventions 185 Complementary and Alternative Medicine 186
Philosophical Origins of CAM 186 CAM Treatments 188
Dietary Supplements and Diets 188 Prayer 188 Acupuncture 189 Yoga 189 Hypnosis 190 Meditation 190 Guided Imagery 190 Chiropractic Medicine 191 Osteopathy 191 Massage 191
xii Contents
C H A P T E R 1 2
Psychological Issues in Advancing and Terminal Illness 239
Death Across the Life Span 240 Death in Infancy and Childhood 240 Death in Adolescence and Young Adulthood 243 Death in Middle Age 244 Death in Old Age 244 B O X 12.1 Why Do Women Live Longer Than
Men? 245 Psychological Issues in Advancing Illness 246
Continued Treatment and Advancing Illness 246 B O X 12.2 A Letter to My Physician 247 Psychological and Social Issues Related to
Dying 247 B O X 12.3 Ready to Die: The Question of Assisted
Suicide 248 The Issue of Nontraditional Treatment 249
Are There Stages in Adjustment to Dying? 249 Kübler-Ross’s Five-Stage Theory 249 Evaluation of Kübler-Ross’s Theory 250
Psychological Issues and the Terminally Ill 251 Medical Staff and the Terminally Ill Patient 251 Counseling with the Terminally Ill 253 The Management of Terminal Illness in Children 253
Alternatives to Hospital Care for the Terminally Ill 253 Hospice Care 253 Home Care 254
Problems of Survivors 254 B O X 12.4 Cultural Attitudes Toward Death 255 The Survivor 255 Death Education 257
C H A P T E R 1 3
Heart Disease, Hypertension, Stroke, and Type II Diabetes 259
Coronary Heart Disease 260 What Is CHD? 260 Risk Factors for CHD 260 Stress and CHD 261 Women and CHD 263 Personality, Cardiovascular Reactivity, and CHD 264
C H A P T E R 1 1
Management of Chronic Health Disorders 218
Quality of Life 220 What Is Quality of Life? 220 Why Study Quality of Life? 220
Emotional Responses to Chronic Health Disorders 221 Denial 221 Anxiety 222 Depression 222
Personal Issues in Chronic Health Disorders 223 B O X 11.1 A Future of Fear 223 The Physical Self 223 The Achieving Self 224 The Social Self 224 The Private Self 224
Coping with Chronic Health Disorders 224 Coping Strategies and Chronic Health Disorders 224 Patients’ Beliefs About Chronic Health Disorders 225 B O X 11.2 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Other
Functional Disorders 226 Comanagement of Chronic Health Disorders 227
Physical Rehabilitation 227 B O X 11.3 Epilepsy and the Need for a Job
Redesign 228 Vocational Issues in Chronic Health Disorders 228 Social Interaction Problems in Chronic Health
Disorders 228 B O X 11.4 Who Works with People with Chronic
Health Disorders? 229 Gender and the Impact of Chronic Health
Disorders 232 Positive Changes in Response to Chronic Health
Disorders 232 When a Child Has A Chronic Health Disorder 232
Psychological Interventions and Chronic Health Disorders 234
Pharmacological Interventions 234 Individual Therapy 234 Relaxation, Stress Management, and Exercise 235 Social Support Interventions 236 B O X 11.5 Help on the Internet 236 Support Groups 237
P A R T 5
MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC AND TERMINAL HEALTH DISORDERS 217
Contents xiii
Negative Affect and Immune Functioning 287 Stress, Immune Functioning, and Interpersonal
Relationships 288 Coping and Immune Functioning 288 Interventions to Improve Immune Functioning 289
HIV Infection and AIDS 290 A Brief History of HIV Infection and AIDS 290 HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States 291 The Psychosocial Impact of HIV Infection 292 Interventions to Reduce the Spread of HIV
Infection 293 Coping with HIV+ Status and AIDS 296 Psychosocial Factors That Affect the Course of HIV
Infection 297 Cancer 298
Why Is Cancer Hard to Study? 299 Who Gets Cancer? A Complex Profile 299 Psychosocial Factors and Cancer 299 Psychosocial Factors and the Course of Cancer 301 Adjusting to Cancer 301 Psychosocial Issues and Cancer 302 Post-traumatic Growth 302 Interventions 303 Therapies with Cancer Patients 304
Arthritis 304 Rheumatoid Arthritis 305 Osteoarthritis 306
Type I Diabetes 306 Special Problems of Adolescent Diabetics 307
B O X 13.1 Hostility and Cardiovascular Disease 265 Depression and CHD 266 Other Psychosocial Risk Factors and CHD 267 Management of Heart Disease 267 B O X 13.2 Picturing the Heart 269 Prevention of Heart Disease 271
Hypertension 272 How Is Hypertension Measured? 272 What Causes Hypertension? 272 Treatment of Hypertension 274 The Hidden Disease 275
Stroke 275 Risk Factors for Stroke 276 Consequences of Stroke 277 Rehabilitative Interventions 277
Type II Diabetes 278 Health Implications of Diabetes 280 Psychosocial Factors in the Development of
Diabetes 280 The Management of Diabetes 281 B O X 13.3 Stress Management and the Control of
Diabetes 281
C H A P T E R 1 4
Psychoneuroimmunology and Immune-Related Disorders 284
Psychoneuroimmunology 285 The Immune System 285 Assessing Immune Functioning 285 Stress and Immune Functioning 285 B O X 14.1 Autoimmune Disorders 287
P A R T 6
TOWARD THE FUTURE 311
C H A P T E R 1 5
Health Psychology: Challenges for the Future 312
Health Promotion 314 A Focus on Those at Risk 314 Prevention 314 A Focus on Older Adults 314 Refocusing Health Promotion Efforts 315 Promoting Resilience 315 Health Promotion and Medical Practice 316 Health Disparities 316
Stress and Its Management 318 Where Is Stress Research Headed? 318
Health Services 319 Building Better Consumers 319
Management of Serious Illness 320 Quality-of-Life Assessment 320 The Aging of the Population 320
Trends in Health and Health Psychology 321 The Research of the Future 321 The Changing Nature of Medical Practice 321
xiv Contents
GLOSSARY 328
REFERENCES 338
NAME INDEX 412
SUBJECT INDEX 438
Systematic Documentation of Cost Effectiveness and Treatment Effectiveness 322
International Health 324 Becoming a Health Psychologist 325
Undergraduate Experience 325 Graduate Experience 325 Postgraduate Work 326 Employment 326
xv
P R E F A C E
When I wrote the first edition of Health Psychology over 30 years ago, the task was much simpler than it is now. Health psychology was a new field and was relatively small. In recent decades, the field has grown steadily, and great research advances have been made. Chief among these developments has been the use and refinement of the biopsychosocial model: the study of health issues from the stand- point of biological, psychological, and social factors acting together. Increasingly, research has attempted to identify the biological pathways by which psychosocial factors such as stress may adversely affect health and potentially protective factors such as social support may buffer the impact of stress. My goal in the tenth edition of this text is to convey this increasing sophistication of the field in a manner that makes it accessible, comprehensible, and exciting to undergraduates. Like any science, health psychology is cumulative, building on past research advances to develop new ones. Accordingly, I have tried to present not only the fundamental contributions to the field but also the current research on these issues. Because health psychology is developing and changing so rapidly, it is essential that a text be up to date. Therefore, I have not only reviewed the recent research in health psychology but also obtained information about research proj- ects that will not be available in the research literature for several years. In so doing, I am presenting a text that is both current and pointed toward the future. A second goal is to portray health psychology appropriately as being inti- mately involved with the problems of our times. The aging of the population and the shift in numbers toward the later years has created unprecedented health needs to which health psychology must respond. Such efforts include the need for health promotion with this aging cohort and an understanding of the psychosocial issues that arise in response to aging and its associated chronic disorders. Because AIDS is a leading cause of death worldwide, the need for health measures such as con- dom use is readily apparent if we are to halt the spread of this disease. Obesity is now one of the world’s leading health problems, nowhere more so than in the United States. Reversing this dire trend that threatens to shorten life expectancy worldwide is an important current goal of health psychology. Increasingly, health psychology is an international undertaking, with researchers from around the world providing insights into the problems that affect both developing and devel- oped countries. The tenth edition includes current research that reflects the inter- national focus of both health problems and the health research community. Health habits lie at the origin of our most prevalent disorders, and this fact underscores more than ever the importance of modifying problematic health behav- iors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Increasingly, research documents the importance of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight control among other positive health habits for maintaining good health. The at-risk role has taken on more importance in prevention, as breakthroughs in genetic research have made it possible to identify genetic risks for diseases long before disease is evident. How people cope with being at risk and what interventions are appropriate for them represent important tasks for health psychology research to address. Health psychology is both an applied field and a basic research field. Accord- ingly, in highlighting the accomplishments of the field, I present both the scientific
xvi Preface
progress and its important applications. Chief among these are efforts by clinical psychologists to intervene with people to treat biopsychosocial disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder; to help people manage health habits that have become life threatening, such as eating disorders; and to develop clinical interven- tions that help people better manage their chronic illnesses. Finding the right methods and venues for modifying health continues to be a critical issue. The chapters on health promotion put particular emphasis on the most promising methods for changing health behaviors. The chapters on chronic diseases highlight how knowledge of the psychosocial causes and consequences of these disorders may be used to intervene with people at risk—first, to reduce the likelihood that such disorders will develop, and second, to deal effectively with the psychosocial issues that arise following diagnosis. The success of any text depends ultimately on its ability to communicate the content clearly to student readers and spark interest in the field. In this tenth edition, I strive to make the material interesting and relevant to the lives of student readers. Many chapters highlight news stories related to health. In addition, the presentation of material has been tied to the needs and interests of young adults. For example, the topic of stress management is tied directly to how students might manage the stresses associated with college life. The topic of problem drinking includes sections on college students’ alcohol consumption and its modification. Health habits relevant to this age group—tanning, exercise, and condom use, among others—are highlighted for their relevance to the student population. By providing students with anecdotes, case histories, and specific research examples that are relevant to their own lives, they learn how important this body of knowl- edge is to their lives as young adults. Health psychology is a science, and consequently, it is important to commu- nicate not only the research itself but also some understanding of how studies were designed and why they were designed that way. The explanations of par- ticular research methods and the theories that have guided research appear throughout the book. Important studies are described in depth so that students have a sense of the methods researchers use to make decisions about how to gather the best data on a problem or how to intervene most effectively. Throughout the book, I have made an effort to balance general coverage of psychological concepts with coverage of specific health issues. One method of doing so is by presenting groups of chapters, with the initial chapter offering general concepts and subsequent chapters applying those concepts to specific health issues. Thus, Chapter 3 discusses general strategies of health promotion, and Chapters 4 and 5 discuss those issues with specific reference to particular health habits such as exercise, smoking, accident prevention, and weight control. Chapters 11 and 12 discuss broad issues that arise in the context of managing chronic health disorders and terminal illness. In Chapters 13 and 14, these issues are addressed concretely, with reference to specific disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and AIDS. Rather than adopt a particular theoretical emphasis throughout the book, I have attempted to maintain a flexible orientation. Because health psychology is taught within all areas of psychology (for example, clinical, social, cognitive, physiological, learning, and developmental), material from each of these areas is included in the text so that it can be accommodated to the orientation of each instructor. Consequently, not all material in the book is relevant for all courses. Successive chapters of the book build on each other but do not depend on each
Preface xvii
other. Chapter 2, for example, can be used as assigned reading, or it can act as a resource for students wishing to clarify their understanding of biological concepts or learn more about a particular biological system or illness. Thus, each instruc- tor can accommodate the use of the text to his or her needs, giving some chapters more attention than others and omitting some chapters altogether, without under- mining the integrity of the presentation.
■ NEW TO THIS EDITION
∙ Coverage of qualitative methods, such as how interviews and personal narra- tives can enrich our understanding of health experiences (Chapter 1)
∙ Discussion of Alzheimer’s disease, its toll, and its increasing importance as a disease of an aging population (Chapter 2)
∙ New section on the self-regulation of health behaviors, including the impact of self affirmation on health behavior change (Chapter 3)
∙ Coverage of perceived barriers to health behavior change, one of the most important reasons why people do not practice better health habits (Chapter 3)
∙ Coverage of the post childbirth period as a teachable moment (Chapter 3) ∙ Discussion of the health risks of being sedentary and sitting for long periods
of time (Chapters 4, 13) ∙ Expanded coverage of vaccinations and ways to overcome resistance to getting
children vaccinated for major diseases (Chapter 4) ∙ Coverage of new research on sleep and health (Chapter 4) ∙ Enhanced coverage of eating disorders, including binge eating diso
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