Health ministry of republic of moldova the university of medicine and pharmacy nicolae testemiţanu

Normality criteria: 
–
Statistical criteria (the norm, the media, the way of thinking, 
acting in a certain situation etc.); 
–
Functional criteria (functioning according to his age and abilities); 
–
Adaptive criteria (the ability to adapt to his environment); 
–
Interpersonal criteria (ability to create good, stable relationship 
with other people); 
–
Cultural criteria (functioning according to the cultural norms); 
–
Moral criteria. 
Normality
implies a dynamic adaptation to the changing environ-
mental conditions, but also the variations from a media considered nor-
mal in the social, cultural milieu. 
Abnormality criteria: 
–
The abnormality is a deviation from the normality. This deviati-
on can be positive as in gifted, genius person, or negative as in dishar-
monic, sick people. 
–
It can be also considered as a deviation from the statistical norm 
and implies a dysfunction, a sufferance at the psychological and social 
level. 
When defining abnormality there are 
4D criteria
to be considered: 
1. 
D
eviation from norm; 
2. 
D
ysfunction (transgression of interpersonal norm); 
3. 
D
istress (state of internal tension and anxiety); 
4. 
D
anger/Aggressiveness. 
2. Elements of health psychology.
The field of
 clinical
health psychology 
is defined as: the aggregate 
(collection) of the specific educational, scientific, and professional con-
tributions of the discipline of psychology to the promotion and mainte-
nance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, the identificati-
on of etiologic and diagnostic correlates of health, illness, and related 
dysfunction, and to the analysis and improvement of the health care sys-
tem and health policy formation (Matarazzo, 1982). 
Since its beginnings in the early 1980s, health psychology has be-
come one of the fastest growing areas of clinical psychology and the 
most popular area of research in graduate training programs. It has been 

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estimated that 50% of all deaths are caused by lifestyle factors such as 
smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, eating high fat food, not 
exercising, and refusing to wear seat belts (National Center for Health 
Statistics, S.Taylor, 2003).
Health psychologists work to help healthy people stay healthy and 
assist people with various illnesses or risk factors to cope more effecti-
vely with their symptoms.
Health psychologists work toward helping 
others develop health enhancing lifestyles, which can be a surprisingly 
difficult task. For example, about 95% of those who lose weight tend to 
regain all their lost weight within five years. Over 50% of those who 
start an exercise program drop it within six months, while 75% drop it 
within nine months (Dishman, 1982). They also help in the treatment of 
chronic pain, panic disorders, migraine headaches, and other physical 
conditions with prominent biopsychosocial features. Health psycholo-
gists are often trained in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, 
social psychology or child clinical psychology but specialize in health-
related problems and interventions.
Health psychologists typically work in hospital settings, however, 
many also work in academic, business, and outpatient clinic settings. 
Health psychologists often utilize specialized techniques such as bio-
feedback, hypnosis, relaxation training, and self-management strategies 
in addition to general psychotherapy in the course of the overall treat-
ment process.