The article shows psychobiography as a useful guide to historical research. Psychobiography helps in understanding the process of personality development and the way motivation influences our behaviour and our ability to accomplish goals. The analysis of human health, the diseases that affect people, allows us to examine their impact on mentality and changes in human personality. Psychobiography broadens our knowledge of reasons for making certain decisions. The analysis of the state of health of Maria Koszutska, an outstanding socialist and communist activist, makes it possible to create her psychological portrait. The examination of her personality helps us to understand her ideological evolution, therefore, as a direction in research, psychobiography should be more often used by historians.Waldemar Barszczewski, mgr, Uniwersytet w Białymstoku. Zainteresowania badawcze: społeczne dzieje kobiet oraz historia medycyny.Uniwersytet w Białymstoku9310
