Introduction to Clinical Psychology Bridging Science and Practice

In this chapter, we describe how clinical psychologists work with medical professionals to treat disorders, help patients to cope with the stress of medical conditions, and to increase patients’ adherence to medical treatment recommendations. We also describe how psychological factors contribute to disease, focusing on relationships between psychosocial factors (such as stress, patterns of thinking) and physical factors (such as nervous system activity, circulation, immune system functioning). Next we describe psychological risk factors and treatment interventions for illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and cancer.