Module 7 - Bio-psycho-social models of Psychopathology

Question 1

What is the World Health Organisation’s definition of health?

Answer 1

Health is a state of complete physical and mental well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 2

What does psychosomatic medicine propose?

Answer 2

illnesses can have psychological causes as well as consequences.

Question 3

Describe the difference (if any) between the biomedical model and the biopsychosocial model with reference to who is responsible for illness?

Answer 3

The biomedical model proposes that individuals have no responsibility for their illness, whilst the biopsychosocial model proposes that individuals have some responsibility for their illness.

Question 4

A farmer exposed to organophosphate poisoning develops neurological brain damage which subsequently leads to problems with memory and information processing. What is this an example of?

Answer 4

An environmental factor influencing a biological factor which in turn influences a psychological factor

Question 5

Explain the biomedical model.

Answer 5

only biological, physical aspects of an illness are considered. Psychological and social factors are largely ignored.

Question 6

What is psychosomatic medicine?

Answer 6

Developed by Franz Alexander, suggested illnesses could have psychological causes as well as consequences. Also claimed emotions could be physically expressed.

Question 7

Explain behavioural health

Answer 7

health and prevention of illness can be maintained through education. Used behavioural therapy and modification in the treatment and prevention of some problems. Challenged traditional separation of mind and body.

Question 8

Explain how the treatment of an individual varies between psychosomatic medicine and the biomedical model.

Answer 8

biomedical module uses interventions intended to change the physical state of the body. Psychosomatic Medicine aims to treat the whole person, not just physical changes.

Question 9

Who uses the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 9

Most professionals in contemporary psychiatry. As the medical model has little support.

Question 10

Define Eclecticism.

Answer 10

the ability to individualise treatment to the patient.

Question 11

What primary historical issue exists with the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 11

The “psycho” in biopsychosocial referred to psychoanalysis, and so psychoanalytic theory has been overrepresented.

Question 12

What is a key practical issue with the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 12

Designing and carrying out experiments which look at biological, psychological, and social factors is extremely problematic, maybe even impossible.

Question 13

What is the Diathesis-Stress model of psychopathology?

Answer 13

Suggests that some people have a predisposition to a mental illness, and that the occurrence of a stressor will cause the disorder to manifest.

Question 14

Explain the biological hypothesises for schizophrenia.

Answer 14

Dopamine hypothesis: symptoms of schizophrenia caused by excess of dopamine. Post mortems of Schizophrenics show higher than normal levels of dopamine in the limbic system of the brain.

Glutamine hypothesis: Glutamate performs a role in regulating dopamine in the brain and research suggest that either excess or insufficient glutamate activity may cause schizophrenic symptoms. Blocking the NMDA, glutamate receptor, with drugs such as PCP produces the same disturbances of dopamine functioning as found in schizophrenia.

Question 15

What are the three aspects of family interaction important in determining schizophrenic relapse following discharge from hospital?

Answer 15

1. number of critical remarks made by family members.
2. number of expressions of hostility towards individual
3. number of comments indicating emotional over-involvement with individual.

Question 16

What are the three culture-specific factors related to the social approach to Schizophrenia?

Answer 16

1. the form that symptoms will take, e.g. when schizophrenics believe their minds are being invaded by external forces, the forces keep up to date with technology, from radio in the 20s to microwaves in the 70s.
2. The precipitatory factor involved in the onset of the illness: Stressful life events can be associated with acute Schizophrenic attacks.
3. The prognosis: better in non-industrialised societies as they are more structured, stable, predictable, and socially supportive.

Question 17

Explain psychological approaches to schizophrenia.

Answer 17

Cognitive approach: schizophrenia as cognitive processes that go wrong.
dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs about their own mental processes lead to hallucinating schizophrenics making self-defeating efforts to control their thoughts, and poor perception in cause and effect.
Breakdown in ability to monitor intentional states, unable to dampen auditory perception areas of the brain during talking and inner speech.

Question 18

Define childhood trauma

Answer 18

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