Health Psychology

Question 1

What is biopsychosocial model?

Answer 1

• Expansion of the biomedical model
• Biological, psychological, social factors taken into consideration – 3 factors are all important determinants
• Recognises the interaction of the various factors > impact health, illness, treatment
• Looks at the totality of a person
• Health and illness caused by multiple factors and produce multiple effects
• Mind and body cannot be distinguished in health and illness

Question 2

Why is the field of health psychology needed?

Answer 2

Changing Patterns of Illness

• Until 20th century: major causes of death were acute disorders
• Now: chronic illnesses are main contributors to disability and death

Chronic Illnesses

• Are slow developing diseases and require lifetime management
• People live for a long time; cannot be cured but managed by patients and healthcare providers

Acute disease are short-term illnesses, often the result of a viral or bacterial invader

Question 3

What is the role of health psychology? How does it help people?

Answer 3

Illness caused by psychological and social factors
- explore causes and develop ways to modify them (personal health habits)

People live with illnesses for many years: improve quality of life
- help them adjust psychologically and socially to changing health state (eg. follow treatment regime, self-care)

Question 4

What is the definition of stress?

Answer 4

A negative emotional experience
accompanied by predictable
biochemical, physiological, cognitive and behavioural changes directed towards:

• altering the stressful event (stressor), or
• accommodating to its effects

Question 5

Is stress a biopsychosocial event?

Answer 5

Yes. Stress is a biopsychosocial event

• Everyone experience stress differently
• management of stress also has to be multidisciplinary

Question 6

What are the two major coping method of stress?

Answer 6

Problem-Focused:
Attempts to do something constructive about the stressful conditions

Emotion-Focused Coping:
Attempts to regulate emotions experienced because of the stressful event

Both are useful in helping to cope with stress.

Question 7

In what situations do we use the method for stress respectively?

Answer 7

Nature of Event:

• constructive action required: problem-focused
• situations need to be accepted: emotion-focused

Question 8

What are some examples of biological factors in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 8

• Sex
• Age
• Genetics
• Viruses/Bacteria
  => viruses/bacteria/lesions/structural defects

Question 9

What are some examples of psychological factors in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 9

• Cognitions (eg. expectations of health)
• Emotions (eg. fear of treatment)
• Motivations (eg. discipline to exercise)
• Behaviours (eg. habits such as smoking)
  => behaviour/beliefs/coping/stress/pain

Question 10

What are some examples of social factors in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 10

• Physical environment/family environment
• External stressors
• Social norms of behaviour/Social values on health
• Social class and ethnicity
• Social support
  => class/employment/ethnicity/social values

Question 11

What are types of diagnosis and treatment in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 11

• interdisciplinary

- individualised