| Abstract: | The development of effective interventions that focus on the manipulation and utilization of behavioral and psychological variables to influence health outcomes is an important component of health psychology. Investigators in clinical health psychology make important contributions to our basic understanding of the role of behavioral and psychological factors in disease and contribute to improved patient care in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs. The purpose of the present series of Health Psychology articles is to provide readers who may not be familiar with research in clinical health psychology with a sample of research in this area and to emphasize that the journal is an outlet for research in clinical health psychology. This series of articles represents some of the diversity and strengths of research in clinical health psychology. The investigations range from controlled laboratory investigations to worksite field interventions. The scope of outcome and process measures encompasses behavioral, subjective, and physiological changes. The studies utilize both hypothetico-deductive and inductive theoretical models to generate hypotheses. Finally, several of the studies provide outcomes that clinically benefit the study participants. It is hoped that identification of Health Psychology as a resource for clinical health psychology research will stimulate the submission of more high-quality articles in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
