Scribd
Upload
57 views2 pages

Historical Background of Health Psychology - Only

Health psychology has evolved from ancient practices integrating body, mind, and spirit to a formalized field addressing the interplay of psychological factors and physical health. Key milestones include the establishment of the biopsychosocial model, the founding of professional organizations, and the launch of dedicated journals in the 1980s. The discipline has grown internationally, emphasizing the importance of psychological aspects in health treatment and research.

Uploaded by

backupdocs1134
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
57 views2 pages

Historical Background of Health Psychology - Only

Health psychology has evolved from ancient practices integrating body, mind, and spirit to a formalized field addressing the interplay of psychological factors and physical health. Key milestones include the establishment of the biopsychosocial model, the founding of professional organizations, and the launch of dedicated journals in the 1980s. The discipline has grown internationally, emphasizing the importance of psychological aspects in health treatment and research.

Uploaded by

backupdocs1134
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Historical background of health psychology - only

key points
Health psychology, a field focusing on the interplay between psychological factors and physical
health, has evolved through several key historical milestones:
Ancient Roots and Early Concepts: The integration of body, mind, and spirit in health can
be traced back to around 10,000 BC, with shamanistic healing practices reflecting early
human fascination with spiritual and physical well-being [1] .
Early 20th Century Foundations: Psychological factors in health were studied through
disciplines like psychosomatic medicine and behavioral medicine, initially as branches of
medicine rather than psychology [2] [3] . Adolph Meyer, often regarded as a pioneer,
emphasized the importance of addressing both biological and psychological aspects in
disease treatment during this period [3] .
1960s-1970s Emergence in the United States: The field gained momentum in the U.S. with
William Schofield’s 1969 report for the American Psychological Association (APA),
highlighting the need for psychology to address physical health [4] [2] . This led to the APA
establishing a Task Force on Health Research in 1973, and by 1978, Division 38 (Society for
Health Psychology) was founded with Joseph Matarazzo playing a key role in defining the
discipline [4] [2] .
1980s Global Development: The field expanded internationally with the establishment of
the European Health Psychology Society in 1986, initiated by Stan Maes, and the Health
Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society (BPS) in the UK in the same year,
which later gained divisional status in 1997 [5] [2] .
Biopsychosocial Model: A pivotal shift occurred with the adoption of the biopsychosocial
model over the traditional biomedical model, recognizing health and illness as outcomes of
biological, psychological, and social factors [6] [1] .
Institutional Growth and Recognition: Key milestones include the launch of the journal
Health Psychology in 1982 in the U.S., national conferences on training and research, and
the regulation of professional standards in the UK by the Health Professions Council by
2010 [4] [2] .
These points highlight the transition of health psychology from ancient integrative concepts to a
formalized, interdisciplinary field addressing modern health challenges.
⁂

1. https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-assets/9550_book_item_9550.pdf
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_psychology
3. https://www.mentesabiertaspsicologia.com/blog-psicologia/health-psychology-history-definition-and-a
reas-of-application
4. https://societyforhealthpsychology.org/about/our-history/
5. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003318026-2/history-health-psychology-an
gel-marie-chater-francis-quinn-val-morrison
6. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/historical-background-health-psychology-lecture/250358697

You might also like