Contemporary Health Psychology from a Critical Perspective
Contemporary Health Psychology from a Critical Perspective

Summary/Abstract: Although there is a diversity of scientific trends and tendencies within health psychology, it could be said that this discipline of psychology consists of two main and clearly different approaches: the dominant approach of traditional (“mainstream”) health psychology and the recently developed but growing approach of “critical” health psychology. In line with this contention, in the focus of attention of this article are the current state and the newer critical trends in theory, research and practice of contemporary health psychology. The main aims of the article are the following: (1) to present the key points of difference between these two distinct approaches to health psychology, emphasizing the central conceptual and methodological developments within critical health psychology; (2) to indicate the reasons for critical rethinking existing health psychology; and (3) to suggest that critical alternative approaches are an important contribution to the further development of contemporary health psychology as an academic discipline.

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