Behavioral medicine can be defined as the interdisciplinary field concerned with the development and integration of psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical knowledge relevant to health and illness and the application of this knowledge to prevention, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The scope of "behavioral medicine" extends from research efforts to understand fundamental biobehavioral mechanisms; to clinical diagnosis and intervention; to disease prevention and health promotion. The International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM) is intended to serve the needs of all health‑related disciplines concerned with the integration of psychosocial behavioral and biomedical sciences.

The goals of the ISBM shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

• To encourage formation of national or regional organizations of behavioral medicine, and to develop and maintain liaison with related professional organizations.

• To encourage and co‑ordinate communication and interaction among various health professionals including biomedical and behavioral science researchers and clinicians, without regard to specific discipline loyalties.

• To stimulate research, clinical, preventive and training activities through formal meetings, collaborative undertakings and awards for meritorious effort.

• To develop guidelines for implementation of behavioral medicine training and research activities at various levels in the health sciences.

• To serve as an information resource for behavioral medicine by facilitating access to scientific and professional journals computer‑based information systems, and organization of scientific meetings/conferences.