Formalization of the Field within Psychology 457APA for...a distinct interest group that is likely to grow
and has need for the basic organizational supports afforded
by our major scientific and professional society” (APA, 1976,
p. 272). A direct outcome of the Task Force on Health Re-
search was the 1975 organization of the Section on Health
Research in the APA’s Division of Psychologists in Public
Service. Concomitantly, David Clayman and John Linton
were facilitating communication among clinical psycholo-
gists working in medical settings by developing the Medical
Psychologist’s Network and a related newsletter, using the
term medical psychology to describe their work.
The years 1977–1978 were a high point for the formaliza-
tion of health psychology within the discipline. Given the
growth in the field and the need to find an organization to
integrate those with both research and practice interests, in
1977 members successfully petitioned for a new division
within the APA. At the annual meeting in August, the Divi-
sion of Health Psychology (Division 38) was formally
installed by the APA Council of Representatives with Joseph
D. Matarazzo as its first president. In his charter presidential
address one year later, Matarazzo provided the foundation for
the first definition of the field to be adopted by the division.
In recognition of health psychology’s need to function
within an interdisciplinary context, two other societies were
also formed in 1978, with psychologists playing a major
role in their foundation. The Academy of Behavioral Medi-
cine was established in April with Neal E. Miller as its first
president, and on November 16, the first organizational
meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine was held in
Chicago. (The International Society of Behavioral Medicine
was founded in 1990.) Also in 1978, theJournal of Behav-
ioral Medicinewas established, with W. Doyle Gentry as its
editor.
One might question why psychologists promoted societies
and publications with a focus on behavioral medicine versus
psychosomatic medicine, the term previously more common.
As noted previously, a group of disaffected biomedical and
behavioral scientists had met in 1977 at Yale to formally
establish the field of behavioral medicine, having been frus-
trated by the inadequacies of traditional conceptualizations of
psychosomatic medicine.
The first issue of the Division of Health Psychology’s
scientific journal, Health Psychology,was quickly organized
and published in 1982 under the editorship of George C.
Stone. Given the burgeoning of research, it quickly moved
from a quarterly publication to a bimonthly one in 1984. By
2000,Health Psychologyhad more individual subscriptions
than any APA journal other than American Psychologistand
Monitor,publications that are provided as part of member-
ship in the APA. In 2000, the Division of Health Psychology
had over 2,800 members and a number of formal interest
groups, including those on women’s health, minority health,
education and training, and international affairs.International Organizational EffortsHealth psychology was also becoming more organized in
Europe during the same period of time. Six years after APA
Division 38 was founded, Professor Stan Maes organized an
international conference on health psychology in Tilburg (the
Netherlands), which then initiated the formation in 1986 of the
European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) (Schwarzer &
Johnston, 1994). At this meeting were also Marie Johnston
(UK), John Weinman (UK), Ralf Schwarzer (Germany), Ad
Kaptein (the Netherlands), Lothar Schmidt and Peter
Schwenkmezger (Germany), and Jan Vinck (Belgium), who
became key people in the development of health psychology
in Europe and in their own countries. It is interesting to note
that among the 60 participants was a large contingent from
the United States, including Charles Spielberger and Irwin
Sarason, who supported the development of a European asso-
ciation. At that conference, it also became apparent that a
substantial amount of research was being conducted in
various European countries on topics relevant to health
psychology (Maes, 1990; Maes, Spielberger, Defares, &
Sarason, 1988).
The creation of the EHPS in 1986 represents an important
landmark for the development of health psychology in Europe.
The purpose of the EHPS is “the promotion and development
within Europe of empirical and theoretical research and appli-
cations of health psychology and the interchange of informa-
tion relating to this subject between European members
and other associations throughout the world” (Schwarzer &
Johnston, 1994, p. 4). Since then, the EHPS annual confer-
ences have offered an important setting for exchange among
the major European scholars in the field. They also provide a
forum for the discussion of issues facing health psychology in
Europe, both as a science and a profession. The growing num-
ber of participants in the EHPS conferences from 1988 to 1996
illustrates the development of the field. There were 60 partici-
pants in 1986, 100 in 1989 (Utrecht, the Netherlands), and 500
in 1996 (Dublin, Ireland).
Another important landmark in the definition of health
psychology in Europe was a document written by the
European Federation of Professional Psychologist’s Associa-
tions (EFPPA) and published by the WHO Regional Office
for Europe in 1984; this document clarifies the contribution
of psychology to the health field. The EFPPA has played an
important role in the development of professional health
psychology, as will be detailed later.