ABSTRACT
This article presents an historical review of the development of the field of health psychology and traces its progress from its conceptual beginnings until the present. Events are chronicled in most regions of the world and the status of the field is given for these regions with a summary of the current activities taking place.
Three hypotheses are posited regarding the future development of the field with respect to its status in the country:
The identification of health psychology as a specific field has led to its expansion and development.
The history and status of psychology itself plays a major role in determining a country or region’s receptivity to health psychology.
Where psychology is strong and autonomous and where health research and service is not dominated by medicine and psychiatry, health psychology will flourish.
