HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY - A NEW UNDERSTANDING O F HEALTH AND ILLNESS

This article aims to present health psychology, a new discipline which recently appeared in the U.S.A., then in Europe and finally in France . It is defined as the study of interactions between psychological, so ciological and biological factors which are influencial in the onset, course and prognosis of somatic diseases. Health psychology insists on the moderating role of processual variables in the understanding of s tress-distress relationship : perceived stress, coping, perceived cont rol, social support. The most valid assessment methods of these constr ucts are also presented. Its application aims to promote healthy life- styles, prevention of diseases and the improvement of the management a nd care of patients.