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Principles and Concepts of Behavioral Medicine pp 181–214Cite as

Theory in Behavioral Medicine

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Abstract

Scientific theory has two main functions. First, theory gives direction to the development of research questions (the heuristic function). Second, theory facilitates the interpretation and integration of research findings (the integrative function).

Theory may contribute strongly to the development of the science of behavioral medicine, provided that the theory meets the requirements of a scientific theory. We discuss six requirements for a scientific theory. We introduce an important distinction between general and focused theories.

We illustrate the role of theory in behavioral medicine by providing an overview of several general theories in behavioral medicine, specifically psychophysiological stress theories and social cognitive theories on health behavior change. We also describe focused theories, specifically theories on occupational stress and a theory on functional decline. We maintain that theoretical analysis is vital for the development of behavioral medicine as a scientific discipline.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This example provides another illustration of the heuristic role of theory as well: the logical next step would be a 2 × 2 study comparing the outcome of cognitive behavior therapy and exercise in patients whose pain is perpetuated by cognitive factors and patients whose pain is perpetuated by behavioral factors.

  2. 2.

    These comments do not imply that the authors of this theory are not aware of the need for theoretical rigor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Joost Dekker

  2. Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Jos F. Brosschot

  3. Department of Psychology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Ralf Schwarzer

  4. Department of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan

    Akizumi Tsutsumi

Authors
  1. Joost Dekker
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  2. Jos F. Brosschot
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  3. Ralf Schwarzer
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  4. Akizumi Tsutsumi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joost Dekker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Edwin B. Fisher

  2. Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA

    Linda D. Cameron

  3. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Alan J. Christensen

  4. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Ulrike Ehlert

  5. School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China

    Yan Guo

  6. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Brian Oldenburg

  7. Departments of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center (AMC) and VU University Medical Center (VUMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Frank J. Snoek

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Dekker, J., Brosschot, J.F., Schwarzer, R., Tsutsumi, A. (2018). Theory in Behavioral Medicine. In: Fisher, E., et al. Principles and Concepts of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-93826-4_7

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