Health Psychology

1. Revathi Mohan
Final Year Masters in Counselling Psychology

2. Health
 According to WHO “ Health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity”

3. Health Psychology
 It is a special area that focus on how biology,
psychology, behaviour and social factors influence
heal and illness.

4. Health Psychology
 Clinical
 Community
 Occupational
 Public Health Psychology

5. Health Psychology
What make s
sick
Why different
people respond
differently
How responses
and coping
styles affect the
course of illness
Why and how
people develop
certain health
habits
What factors
determine
specific
intervention

6. Field of Health Psychology
 Mind
 Illness- Cognitive and emotional phenomena
 Eg : Schizophrenia

7. Role of health psychologist
 Understanding the higher level of illness
 Professional help
 Adapting to illness
 Preventive measures
 Interaction

8. Role of health psychologist
Examine
Previous
behaviour
• Physically
• Socially
• Active
Look into
• Personal
Preferences
• Personality
characteristics
To Provide
• Positive
Reinforcement
• Reward

9. RoHP
 Not only to free of disease but also to maintain a state
of mental and psychological health and ability to live
their life meaningful

10. Early Research Literature
 Choosing and changing doctors
 Not only medicine

11. • Only few journals
1’st
• Research was not programmatic
2’nd
• Fully clinical based
3’rd

12. Contd
• Time Bound
• Failed to examine general principles4’th
• Work was unsophisicated5’th
• FlourshingCurrently

13. Individual Perspective
Action
Cognition
Emotion
Motivation

14. The Mind and Body Connection
 Ancient Period
 Middle Age
 Recent Days

15. Ancient Period
 Animism
 Gravity
 Humors

16. Animism
Good
Bad
Spirits

17. Gravity
 In-animate object  Spirits

18. Humoral Thory
 Phlegm Apathy
 Blood  Cheerfulness
 Yellowbile Anger
 Blackbile Depression

19. Middle Age
 Religious Leaders
 Dual Role

20. 1600- Rene Descartes
 Mind and body were separate
 Interact with fluid

21. contd
 Pasteurs Discovery- Germ Thory
 Sigmund Freud- Conversion Hysteria
Mental Problem – Physical Problem

22. Recent Days
 Mind and body are interconnected- Monistic

23. Psychological Factors in illness and
disease
 Difference between Illness and disease

24. Illness
and
Disease
Physical –
Psychologocal
Eg: Cancer 
Depression
Psychological –
Physical Health
Behaviours
Eg : ALcohol
Psychological –
Physical
Phobia
Eg : Seeing the
World as threat
Psychological –
Physical
Interlink
Eg :Heart
attactPsych
affect