MTU Library Catalogue

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Rethinking health psychology / Michele L. Crossley.

By: Crossley, Michele L, 1969-.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookSeries: Health psychology.Publisher: Buckingham [England] ; Philadelphia : Open University Press, 2000Description: 198 p. ; 24 cm.ISBN: 0335204309 (pb); 9780335204304; 9780335204311.Subject(s): Medicine and psychology | Clinical health psychology | Health and Wellbeing | Clinical psychology | Social services & welfare, criminology | Health psychologyDDC classification: 616.0019 CRO Summary: Written for undergraduates, this text presents the main theories, methods and applications relevant to the study of health and illness from a psychological perspective. The author argues that modern health psychology needs to be rethought.
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Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Barcode
General lending MTU Kerry North Campus Library First Floor Main 616.0019 CRO (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 38888000414767
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

* What are the main theories, methods and applications relevant to the study of health and illness from a psychological perspective?
* In what ways can contemporary health psychology be critically 'rethought'?
* What are the implications of this 'rethinking' for the future of health psychology?

This introductory text presents a coherent overview of prevalent theories, methods and applications within contemporary health psychology. In particular, it provides a critical analysis of mainstream health psychology by drawing on newer approaches such as discourse, narrative, postmodernism and material discursive analysis. In this way, the largely decontextualized, individualist and cognitively-orientated field of health psychology is brought up to pace with critical developments in other areas such as social psychology. These theoretical ideas provide the basis of the book's main thesis: that contemporary health psychology needs to be rethought.

After presenting an overview of the different theories and methods associated with mainstream and newer approaches within health psychology, the application of these approaches is logically and critically pursued across a range of substantive areas. These include: 'risky' health-related behaviours such as eating, alcohol and drug use, exercise and sex; health promotion related to these 'risky' behaviours; living and coping with chronic illnesses; mental health and illness; communicating and relating with health professionals; and living with dying. Finally, this book locates the growing popularity of health psychology within the contemporary social and political context, particularly in relation to recent changes in the way health care is organized and the commodification and commercialization of health and lifestyles.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [176]-192) and index.

Written for undergraduates, this text presents the main theories, methods and applications relevant to the study of health and illness from a psychological perspective. The author argues that modern health psychology needs to be rethought.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • Acknowledgements (p. viii)
  • Series editors' foreword (p. ix)
  • Opening thoughts (p. x)
  • 1 Approaches to health psychology (p. 1)
  • 2 Health and illness in contemporary society (p. 15)
  • 3 Rethinking psychological approaches to health promotion (p. 36)
  • 4 Mainstream health psychology's study of pain and disease (p. 63)
  • 5 Critically reformulating the study of pain and disease (p. 76)
  • 6 Approaches to mental illness (p. 102)
  • 7 'Managing' illness: relationships between doctors and patients (p. 130)
  • 8 Living in the face of death (p. 158)
  • Concluding comments (p. 173)
  • References (p. 176)
  • Index (p. 193)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Dr Michele L. Crossley is Lecturer in Psychology at Manchester University Dental School