Biopsychosocial Perspectives

Question 1

What does the ‘psycho’ stand for?

Answer 1

= Psycho-analysis

Question 2

What is diathesis?

Answer 2

= predisposition towards a disorder

Question 3

What is a phenotype?

Answer 3

= symptom of a disorder

Question 4

What did Franz Alexander suggest?

Answer 4

= illness can have psychological CAUSES, not just consequences

Question 5

Who formulated the bio psychosocial model?

Answer 5

George Engel

Question 6

Why is the Biopsychosocial model used?

Answer 6

= Bcs it suggests disorders are caused by a combination of explanations, not just one. Mean in it is more holistic approach

Question 7

According to the biomedical model, are individuals responsible for their disorders?

Answer 7

= NO, this model suggests it is not the fault of the individual

Question 8

according to the biopsychosocial model, are individuals responsible for their disorders?

Answer 8

= PARTLY- this model suggests that individuals have some responsibility for their disorder, and that they are active agents

Question 9

According to to the biomedical model, who is responsible for treatment?

Answer 9

= ONLY the medical professionals

Question 10

According to to the biopsychosocial model, who is responsible for treatment?

Answer 10

= BOTH the patient & the medical professionals
- belief that for the treatment to be effective, individual HAS to engage with their treatment

Question 11

According to to the biomedical model, how should illness be treated?

Answer 11

= change ONLY physical state of body

Question 12

According to to the biopsychosocial model, how should illness be treated?

Answer 12

= The WHOLE person should be treated- not just the physical components

Question 13

According to to the biomedical model, what is the relationship between health & illness?

Answer 13

There isn’t one- they are distinct from one another

Question 14

According to to the biopsychosocial model, what is the relationship between health & illness?

Answer 14

= health&illness exist on a continuum
- some have minor symptoms, others have full blown diagnosis

Question 15

What is eclecticism ??

Answer 15

= ability to individualise treatment to the patient

Question 16

Advantage of eclecticism?

Answer 16

= tailor treatment to the exact patient, target personal issues

Question 17

Disadvantage of eclecticism?

Answer 17

= freedom of the professional doing whatever they wish to, can be too vague/ineffective

Question 18

What is the “More is better” fallacy??

Answer 18

= this is the idea that truth ONLY comes about with more & more perspectives being added to the picture
- But sometimes, reductionism isn’t all bad

Question 19

Why is reductionism sometimes not all bad??

Answer 19

= It allows. us to eliminate factors & focus on one main subject

Question 20

2 problems with the biopsychosocial model are??

Answer 20

That it is partially historical & partially practical

Question 21

Historical limitation=

Answer 21

= psycho stands for psychoanalysis, and so the psychoanalytic theory has been over represented

Question 22

Practical limitation=

Answer 22

= therapists can pick/choose whichever therapy they want to based on personal opinion, rather than empirical evidence

Question 23

What are the 3 practical difficulties??

Answer 23

1. sample size
2. cost
3. difficulty in recruiting

Question 24

Outline diathesis-stress model:

Answer 24

= the idea that those who have a predisposition to a mental illness, only need the occurrence of an environmental stressor to cause a disorder to manifest

Question 25

Someone with a strong predisposition will only require a ____ stressor to cause the disorder to manifest??

Answer 25

Small stressor

Question 26

Biopsychosocial example- Explain childhood trauma:

Answer 26

= trauma may be a result of motor vehicle accidents, bullying, exposure to domestic/community violence
- therefore it has mainly social and environmental causes

Question 27

Trauma can be defined as??

Answer 27

= exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury and/or sexual violence.

Question 28

Example outcomes of childhood trauma=

Answer 28

PTSD
Depression
Anxiety disorders
Increased risk of alcoholism/substance abuse
Development of psychosis in later life

Question 29

Evidence for childhood trauma link to later life psychosis =

Answer 29

= Arsenault (2011)
- children who experience physical mistreatment by a parent have higher risk of developing psychotic symptoms by age 12

Question 30

Psychological explanation for the link to psychosis=

Answer 30

= exposure to threatening environment leads to hostile attributions towards others, becoming more suspicious of others behaviours, which leads to paranoia

Question 31

Social explanation for the link to psychosis=

Answer 31

= as a way to deal/suppress childhood trauma, many resort to alcoholism/substance abuse which are both known risk factors of psychosis

Question 32

Biological explanation for the link to psychosis=

Answer 32

=
1. direct consequence of childhood maltreatment e.g. severe head injuries
2. childhood trauma associated with reduced grey matter in limbic system, which is linked to psychosis
3. increased stress response following trauma, if trauma is repeated, will eventually lead to psychotic symptoms