Psychology of Health and Illness

Leslie D. Frazier is the principal investigator and leader of the Health & Development Lab (HDL) in the Department of Psychology at Florida International University. She works with scholarly collaborators from around the world, community partners, graduate students, and undergraduate students. A developmental health psychologist, Dr. Frazier is interested in the intersections among psychosocial factors and identity/sense of self within the contexts of health and chronic illness in emerging adulthood and later life. Her research, funded by the Mental Research Institute, focuses on how psychosocial, sociocultural, and interpersonal factors impact our perceptions of ourselves, our health, and our well-being. Dr. Frazier and her team are currently investigating the factors that promote identity in people with disability, and the risk and resilience factors related to eating disorders in midlife menopausal women.

• Chapter 1. An Introduction to Health Psychology. Chapter 2. Gathering Information on Health and Illness. Chapter 3. Health Beliefs and Behaviors. Chapter 4. Health-Enhancing Behaviors. Chapter 5. Health-Compromising Behaviors. Chapter 6. Understanding Stress. Chapter 7. Coping with Stress. Chapter 8. Symptoms and Pain. Chapter 9. Weight and Eating Disorders. Chapter 10. Cardiovascular Disorders and Diabetes. Chapter 11. Psychoneuroimmunology and Related Disorders. Chapter 12. Chronic and Terminal Illness. Chapter 13. Health Care Systems and Alternatives. Chapter 14. Achieving Emotional Health and Well-Being and Future Directions in Health Psychology.

"This is an outstanding, engaging text that does an excellent job in describing contemporary developments in the field (e.g., COVID-19, opioid crisis, gut microbiome) as well as providing rigorous coverage of classic studies. It is scholarly but fresh and provides many helpful tips for improving public health. The international and multicultural focus will especially appeal to today’s students."Eric Benotsch, Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University