Critical Health Psychology: Developing and Refining the Approach

Narrative Review and Analysis of the Use of "Lifestyle" in Health Psychology

Lifestyle is a complex and often generic concept that has been used and defined in different ways in scientific research. Currently, there is no single definition of lifestyle, and various fields of knowledge have developed theories and research variables that are also distant from each other. This paper is a narrative review of the literature and an analysis of the concept of lifestyle and its relationship to health. This contribution aims to shed light on the lifestyle construct in health psychology. In particular, the first part of this manuscript reexamines the main definitions of lifestyle in the psychological and sociological fields through three perspectives: internal, external, and temporal. The main components that characterise lifestyle are highlighted. The second part of this paper explores the main concepts of lifestyle in health, underlining their strengths and weaknesses, and proposes an alternative definition of a healthy lifestyle, which integrates the individual dimensions with the social and cycle dimensions of life. In conclusion, a brief indication of a research agenda is presented.

The role of theories in interventions targeting preteens with Type 1 diabetes: A critical literature review

BACKGROUND

Theory-based interventions have been recommended to target relevant issues and improve outcomes in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, the timing of interventions has been recognized as key to improving outcomes, suggesting a need to focus on preteens (9-12 years old) with Type 1 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to identify the theories that inform interventions targeting preteens with Type 1 diabetes and to analyse the studies for their understandings of theory.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review of intervention studies targeting preteens with Type 1 diabetes to identify the theoretical frameworks applied. Seven databases across different scientific disciplines were searched for papers published between 1995 and 2018.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies were included in the review. Of these, 14 were categorized as theory-inspired and 10 as theory-related studies. Social cognitive theory appeared most frequently. Most studies did not provide a rationale for their choice and application of theory to inform interventions. The studies were characterized by use of adult-centric theories and a focus on the relationships between children and their parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The present review shows variations and limitations in the description and application of theories across interventions targeting preteens with Type 1 diabetes. This emphasizes the need for future studies to address for what reason and how a certain theory or method is applied. We suggest that interventions might benefit from using theories that are centred on the needs and experiences of children, target family dynamics that include all important family members, and address the mutually constitutive relationship between interventions and the social context in which they are implemented.

Learning critical feminist research: A brief introduction to feminist epistemologies and methodologies

This article serves as a welcoming introduction to feminist epistemologies and methodologies, written to accompany (and intended to be read prior to) the Virtual Special Issue on ‘Doing Critical Feminist Research’. In recalling our own respective journeys into the exciting field of feminist research, we invite new readers in appreciating the steep learning curve out of conventional science. This article begins by sketching out the emergence of feminist scholarship – focusing particularly on the discipline of psychology – to show readers how and why feminist scholars sought to depart from conventional science. In doing so, we explain the emergence of three main ways of doing and thinking about research (i.e. epistemologies): feminist empiricism, standpoint theory, and the various ‘turn to language’ movements (social constructionism, constructivism, postmodernism, poststructuralism). We then connect the dots between feminist epistemologies, methodologies and methods. We close by offering suggestions to guide the readers in using the Virtual Special Issue on their respective research journeys.

Doing critical feminist research: A Feminism & Psychology reader

As we approach Feminism & Psychology’s 30th anniversary, we reflect on and explore what makes the journal distinctive – its emphasis on critical feminist psychology. In this article and the accompanying Virtual Special Issue, we outline five methodological considerations that we believe are at the heart of critical feminist scholarship: 1) the politics of asking questions; 2) attention to language/discourse; 3) reflexivity; 4) representation and intersectionality; and 5) mobilizing research for social change. We then draw across a set of 15 articles published in the archives of Feminism & Psychology that showcase one or more of these key features and demonstrate the ‘doing’ of critical feminist psychology. These articles are housed on the journal’s website, as is an additional paper developed for students or those in a position of learning, which explores central ideas and debates that have culminated in critical feminist psychology.

Gay Men's Health and Identity: Social Change and the Life Course

Due to significant historical change in the late 20th and early 21st century related to both health and cultural attitudes toward homosexuality, gay men of distinct birth cohorts may diverge considerably in their health and identity development. We argue that research on gay men's health has not adequately considered the significance of membership in distinct generation-cohorts, and we present a life course paradigm to address this problem. Focusing on the U.S. as an exemplar that can be adapted to other cultural contexts, we identify five generations of gay men alive today and review unique issues related to health and identity development for each. Implications for research, practice, and advocacy on gay men's health and development are discussed.

Postpartum depression in refugee and asylum-seeking women in Canada: A critical health psychology perspective

Canada has one of the world's largest refugee resettlement programs in the world. Just over 48 percent of Canadian refugees are women, with many of them of childbearing age and pregnant. Refugee and asylum-seeking women in Canada face a five times greater risk of developing postpartum depression than Canadian-born women. Mainstream psychological approaches to postpartum depression emphasize individual-level risk factors (e.g. hormones, thoughts, emotions) and individualized treatments (e.g. psychotherapy, medication). This conceptualization is problematic when applied to refugee and asylum-seeking women because it fails to acknowledge the migrant experience and the unique set of circumstances from which these women have come. The present theoretical article explores some of the consequences of applying this psychiatric label to the distress experienced by refugee and asylum-seeking women and presents an alternative way of conceptualizing and alleviating this distress.

A socially situated approach to inform ways to improve health and wellbeing

Mainstream health psychology supports neoliberal notions of health promotion in which self-management is central. The emphasis is on models that explain behaviour as individually driven and cognitively motivated, with health beliefs framed as the favoured mechanisms to target in order to bring about change to improve health. Utilising understandings exemplified in critical health psychology, we take a more socially situated approach, focusing on practicing health, the rhetoric of modernisation in UK health care and moves toward democratisation. While recognising that within these new ways of working there are opportunities for empowerment and user-led health care, there are other implications. How these changes link to simplistic cognitive behavioural ideologies of health promotion and rational decision-making is explored. Utilising two different empirical studies, this article highlights how self-management and expected compliance with governmental authority in relation to health practices position not only communities that experience multiple disadvantage but also more seemingly privileged social actors. The article presents a challenge to self-management and informed choice, in which the importance of navigational networks is evident. Because health care can become remote and inaccessible to certain sections of the community, yet pervasive and deterministic for others, we need multiple levels of analysis and different forms of action.

Psicologia da saúde crítica no contexto hospitalar

O texto apresenta uma discussão sobre a Psicologia da saúde no contexto hospitalar a partir de uma perspectiva histórica e ética, mostrando como o desenvolvimento desse campo foi caracterizado pelo surgimento de duas perspectivas: a Psicologia da saúde tradicional e a Psicologia da saúde crítica. O modelo de quatro abordagens à Psicologia da saúde é apresentado e reformulado com a inclusão do conceito de Psicologia sanitária, e a prática em Psicologia da saúde é discutida à luz do conceito de reflexividade. Por fim, alguns questionamentos derivados da Psicologia da saúde crítica são feitos à prática do psicólogo no contexto hospitalar.