In behavioral medicine, professionals base their interventions on a few models that attempt to explain people’s health-related behavior: the health belief model, reasoned and planned behavior theory, learning theories/classical conditioning, and social cognitive theory. These models are termed continuum theories, for they aim to recognize variables that influence people’s behavior, and using the sum of variables, how likely the person will engage in a particular behavior (Weinstein, Rothman, & Sutton, 1998). They are often criticized on their narrow focus on outcome behavior of interest (e.g. smoking cession) and its non-inclusion of race, gender, and socioeconomic status — all features known to have a somewhat strong influence on health behavior. Nonetheless, the model dynamics are useful to describe particular types of behavior. Read more →

Psychology as a profession has rapidly changed since a half-century ago. Psychologists and other medical professionals are increasingly adopting the biopsychosocial model that states biological, psychological, and social processes are inherently, integrally, and interactively involved in physical health and illness. In 1976, the APA developed a Health Psychology division to serve as a professional organization and promoting association for new branch of psychology. As new breed of psychologists, health psychologists were charged to conduct basic and applied research attempting to uncover how psychosocial factors influence the etiology and progression of disease. Health psychologists have since demonstrated the positive therapeutic benefits of employing behavioral and stress coping strategies, patient and family health education, and co-managed care for medical conditions. Read more →