A Guide for Psychologists, Counsellors, Nurses and Doctors

There is now a substantial body of psychological knowledge, based
on research and clinical experience, which supports and guides best
practice in dealing with health- and illness-related behaviour.
Peter Salmon offers a strong conceptual framework which unifies
this knowledge within clinical contexts and problems. Based on the
author's special interests in acute physical illness and surgery,
this text shows how the beliefs, emotions and behaviour of
individuals (both lay people and health professionals) can have a
profound effect on the processes of understanding, communication
and coping in the course of diagnosis and treatment. Peter Salmon,
a senior figure in clinical health psychology, has extensive
experience of training medical and health care professionals, and
of dealing with patients and families. His book offers

* A focus on acute illness and surgery, in contrast to the many
other books which deal with chronic illness and health
promotion

* An introduction to psychological concepts and models, situated
within the clinical reality of presentation, diagnosis,
communication, treatment, and the patient-professional
relationship

* Guidance on evaluation of research and clinical practice which
will help to inform a better understanding of behaviour and
relationships in acute illness and surgery and wider medical
contexts.

Students and professionals in clinical health psychology, health
care and medicine should read this book for an accessible,
authoritative account of how psychological knowledge can help them,
why people feel and behave as they do, and which medical situations
can be enlightened and facilitated by the integration of
psychological principles into therapeutic practice. This book
appears in The Wiley Series in Clinical Psychology Series Editor:
J. Mark G. Williams University of Wales, Bangor, UK