The second edition of this textbook has been extensively revised. Much new material has been added based on research which has been done in the last five years, in particular drawing on the author's own research into obesity and sexual risk behaviour. Many of the epidemiological examples and more than a third of the references have been updated. It is essentially a new book which make an important contribution to the literature. It addresses two major factors detrimental to health and well-being, namely health-impairing behaviours and stressful life events, and argues for an integrative approach that combines psychological, economic and environmental interventions to reduce behavioural risk factors. This is a key textbook for second and third year undergraduate courses and for postgraduate courses in social and health psychology. It should be of interest to students of health and social welfare and it should provide an essential reference for health professionals.

Author Biography

Wolfgang Stroebe is Professor of Social, Organizational and Health Psychology at the University of Utrecht. He is scientific director of the Research Institute for Psychology and Health, incorporating the leading health researchers from five Dutch universities. He has previously held academic positions in the United States, England, and Germany. He has been President of the European Association of Experimental Social Psychology and is a Fellow of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. He is co-editor of the European Review of Social Psychology and has written many scholarly books, chapters and articles on topics in social and health psychology.