The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Illness
Chapter 1 of Taylor's in your textbook provides the material needed for this lesson. Taylor succinctly describes what health psychology is, the history of health psychology, why it is necessary, and what health psychologists do. She also provides a brief introduction to research methods in health psychology, which we will expand on throughout the semester. One of the major influences on the development and growth of health psychology is the biopsychosocial model of health and illness. This model is the keystone of health psychology. Below is a chart and figure from other sources that will help you to better understand the model as it compares to the biomedical model.
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Biomedical Model |
Biopsychosocial Model |
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What causes illness? |
Diseases come from outside the body, invade the body and cause physical changes in the body. They are a result of chemical imbalances, bacteria, viruses or genetic predispositions. |
Illness is caused by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. |
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Who is responsible for illness? |
Not the individual, who has no control over the external causes of disease. |
Individual may be at least partly responsible for illness through behaviors. |
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How should illness be treated? |
Vaccinations, medication, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy |
Changes in behaviors, thoughts and beliefs are part of overall treatment. |
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Who is responsible for treatment? |
The medical profession. |
Patient partly responsible for treatment. |
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What is the relationship between health and illness? |
Health and illness are qualitatively different states. |
Health and illness lie on a continuum that varies by degree. |
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What is the relationship between the mind and the body? |
Mind and body are separate entities, unable to influence each other – as in the traditional dualistic model of mind/body. |
The mind (brain) and body interact, each influencing the other. |
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What is the role of psychology in health and illness? |
Illness may result in psychological problems but cannot be a result of psychological factors. |
Direct psychological factors, such as stress, and indirect psychological factors, such as behaviors, can contribute to illness. |
Ogden, J. (2007). Biomedical Model vs. Biopsychosocial Model of Health Psychology. Health Psychology, a text book. New York; McGraw Hill
figure 1.4 from Brannon and Fiest. Health Psychology, an Introduction to Behavior and Health
From BRANNON/FEIST. Health Psychology, 6E. © 2007 Wadsworth, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduced by permission