HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY IN THE UNITED-STATES - A CRITIQUE AND SELECTIVE REVIEW

This review examines current developments in American research in heal th psychology. Although the mission and objectives of the Division df Health Psychology in the American Psychological Association are broad, the majority of research in the US has been reductionistic in theory, clinical in focus, and directed at studying the individual with minim al attention to context. Research on health promotion programmes at th e worksite is reviewed in detail. This literature, which takes a broad er perspective than most health psychology research, may provide a mod el for future studies. The paper concludes by stating that health psyc hology in the US is at a critical stage. There is the opportunity to d evelop a comprehensive health psychology that is inclusive of health a nd illness, of single-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and of intra-individual and multiple levels of analysis. There also is a chance that in the future we will see two distinct fields of health ps ychology; one that looks inside the individual and one that looks outs ide.