Advantages and Disadvantages of the Biopsychosocial Model (2024)

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Biopsychosocial Model (1)

The biopsychosocial model of health has gained quite a lot of popularity in health psychology today. However, it does have its share of disadvantages along with its many advantages. PsycholoGenie gives you the details in this article.

Did You Know?
The man who is believed to have suggested the biopsychosocial model before Engel, is Roy Grinker. He undertook training in psychoanalysis from Sigmund Freud himself.

The biopsychosocial model proposed by George Engel in the late 1970s claims that health, wellness, and disease are dependent upon the interaction between three factors: biological or physiological factors, psychological or mental factors, and social factors. According to this model, no disease or even good health can be the manifestation of a physiological condition alone. Psychological factors and the cultural environment surrounding an individual play an equally important role in either maintaining or deteriorating health.

Though George Engel is widely believed to have proposed this model first, some experts claim otherwise. According to them, it was Roy Grinker, a neurologist and psychiatrist, who proposed this model and even coined the term ‘biopsychosocial’ first. According to them, Grinker used the biopsychosocial approach in psychiatry in order to emphasize on the biological factors that were otherwise ignored, especially in mental illnesses. Critics of Engel’s biopsychosocial model of health and healthcare largely support Grinker’s approach.

Just like every other, the biopsychosocial model also has its advantages and disadvantages. Advocates highly praise the model’s efficiency to help faster recovery, while critics point out the many assumptions that are made when putting this model into use. Our next sections will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the biopsychosocial model.

Advantages and Advocacy

The biopsychosocial model claims that three factors influence health, healthcare, and disease, which are physiological, psychological, and social. This means that it takes into consideration the smaller picture of any biological problems at an individual level, as well as the bigger picture of psychological issues and the effect society has on that individual and on his/her situation. Hence, this model takes both the micro as well as macro viewpoints into consideration when analyzing a patient. This helps in administering better treatment, say advocates of the model.

The biopsychosocial model does not consider health to be a deviance from some constant physiological state. Instead, it emphasizes on health and illness being a result of social, psychological as well as biological factors interacting together. Hence, this medical approach does not treat health just from the physiological point of view, but concentrates on having healthy all-round development, cure, and maintenance of all three factors.

Another advantage of the biopsychosocial model is that cure, recovery, and good health are not completely in the hands of medical experts, but are in fact, partly in control of the patients themselves. Along with medical experts taking care of the biological treatment, patients and their families can maintain a demeanor that will result in quick psychological and social recovery, which will ultimately help better and faster physiological recovery. When using this medical approach, patients rarely feel helpless or out of control.

Since the biopsychosocial model does not believe that disease and illness is caused only because of viruses or bacteria, it promotes better psychological conditions and better social interaction. Similarly, it advocates social support, leading to a promotion of community-based living in society. This in turn affects the general well-being of society at large for the better.

The biomedical model does not contain any concrete explanation for diseases that are caused without any apparent physiological reason, i.e., psychosomatic disorders. However, the biopsychosocial model, analyzing the interaction between the three major factors in detail, can explain how and why psychological disorders, or social factors can sometimes result in physiological problems.

The biopsychosocial model advocates for good mental and emotional health in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Controlling our mental health as well as the effects society can have on us, is in our hands, and if successful, it can help in disease prevention. Thus, it is cost-effective, as prevention is definitely better than cure in many cases.

The treatment or therapy designed by the biopsychosocial model of healthcare is tailor-made in order to suit a particular patient’s physiological, psychological, and social needs and wants. Unlike the biomedical approach that does not take the person’s mind and emotions as well as social effects into consideration, this approach is used on an individual level.

Disadvantages and Criticism

The biopsychosocial model assumes that all mental illnesses are, in fact, biopsychosocial. Critics feel that assuming every mental disorder to be biopsychosocial actually increases the stigma that is attached to these disorders, instead of reducing it. Assuming that a physical injury, or effect of society results in every mental illness is not practical, and if assumed thus, can also lead to confused treatment which may have grave consequences. Some mental disorders can be explained with the biopsychosocial model; but it is wrongly assumed that the model is applicable to every disease.

Some critics feel that incorrect behavior (such as anti-social behavior, for instance) cannot be treated as a medical condition, as very rarely do biological factors have a role in inducing it. Critics feel that assuming such behavior to be a disease reduces the credibility of the field of psychiatry, as it seems irrational to classify schizophrenia (a real disease) on the same lines as anti-social behavior.

According to some critics, another disadvantage of this model is that despite intensive efforts, it is very difficult to teach this model to psychiatry students in an academic setting. Not all students are convinced by the three-fold approach of the model, and are not convinced about its credibility or usefulness. Critics feel that the vagueness of the model, and giving equal importance to all three factors in every situation, can discourage prospective psychiatry students from the very beginning, thus compromising on the number of students who wish to become psychiatrists.

One more disadvantage of the model as pointed out by critics is that, for a new user of this model, it can be confusing and misleading to use it correctly and appropriately. The model vaguely tends to suggest that biology and psychology are two separate fields in medicine. This leads to misunderstandings on the part of a new user, who may not understand what symptom of a patient is to be categorized in which factor.

The biopsychosocial model takes into consideration the effects of society on an individual, including his religious beliefs, primary and secondary relationships, work history, past incidents, etc. However, it can get very impractical to take so many social factors into consideration when trying to analyze a patient’s problem. For experts, it can also be difficult to decide which social factors should be considered along with the psychological and biological factors. Hence, critics feel that treatment can get delayed or confused because of the consideration of so many things.

As we mentioned before, like every theory, the biopsychosocial model too has its share of advantages and disadvantages. Whatever may be the reception of this model today, we can conclude that the biopsychosocial approach to health and healthcare is very beneficial in several situations, and not so useful in others.

Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only. The author does not promote or criticize this model in any way whatsoever.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of the Biopsychosocial Model (2024)

FAQs

What are the advantages of the biopsychosocial model? ›

Biopsychosocial model helps primary care doctors to understand interactions among biological and psychosocial components of illnesses to improve the dyadic relationship between clinicians and their patients and multidisciplinary approaches in patient care.

What are the disadvantages of biopsychosocial model? ›

One of the main problems of the biopsychosocial model is that an actual model that incorporates biological, psychological, and social elements is not currently available.

What is the advantage of using the biopsychosocial model to study psychology? ›

The biopsychosocial model has another advantage. As well as being able to explain mental health in terms beyond the purely biomedical, it shows us there is potential to positively influence a person's mental health in the workplace.

Is the biopsychosocial model a useful perspective? ›

One reason why the biopsychosocial perspective is so useful is because it explains how some people who are seemingly “healthy” can get mental illnesses and why some are more prone to mental illness than others.

What is the advantage of using the biopsychosocial model to study psychology quizlet? ›

What advantage do we gain by using the biopsychosocial approach in studying psychological events? By introducing different levels of analysis, its approaches can provide a more complete view that nay one perspective could offer.

Why is the biopsychosocial model important in mental health? ›

The biopsychosocial model encourages clinicians to explain phenomena such as depression by examining all relevant biological, psychological, and social factors that might be contributing to the development or maintenance of the disorder.

What are the weaknesses of the biological approach? ›

The weakness of this approach is that it often fails to account for other influences on behavior. Things such as emotions, social pressures, environmental factors, childhood experiences, and cultural variables can also play a role in the formation of psychological problems.

What are the 3 aspects of biopsychosocial model? ›

The biopsychosocial model of wellness and medicine examines how the three aspects – biological, psychological and social – occupy roles in relative health or disease. The BPS model stresses the interconnectedness of these factors.

How does the biopsychosocial model differ from the biomedical model? ›

While traditional biomedical models of clinical medicine focus on pathophysiology and other biological approaches to disease, the biopsychosocial approach in our training programs emphasize the importance of understanding human health and illness in their fullest contexts.

Why is using a biopsychosocial approach important in understanding human behavior? ›

It can specifically be applied to understanding overall health and health behaviors. It is a beneficial approach to us because it looks at all the possible biological, psychological, and social influences affecting overall health and health behaviors. Gurung, R. A.R. (2014). Health Psychology: A Cultural Approach.

What are biopsychosocial needs? ›

The biopsychosocial approach focuses on the biology or physiology underlying health; the psychology of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influencing health; and the ways that society and culture all influence health.

What best reflects an advantage of the biopsychosocial model of health? ›

What best reflects an advantage of the biopsychosocial model of health? ​It treats health as a positive state rather than a negative of illness.

What are social factors in biopsychosocial model? ›

The biopsychosocial model reflects the development of illness through the complex interaction of biological factors (genetic, biochemical, etc.), psychological factors (mood, personality, behaviour, etc.) and social factors (cultural, familial, socioeconomic, medical, etc.).

What is meant by the biopsychosocial model? ›

The biopsychosocial model is a general model positing that biological, psychological (which includes thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), and social (e.g., socioeconomical, socioenvironmental, and cultural) factors, all play a significant role in health and disease.

What are the 4 P's of biopsychosocial model? ›

The VCE Psychology Study Design requires students undertaking Unit 4 to use a 4P factor model (predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors) as a subset of a biopsychosocial approach to analyse mental health and the development and progression of mental health disorders.

Is the biopsychosocial model holistic? ›

The biopsychosocial model is a modern humanistic and holistic view of the human being in health sciences. Currently, many researchers think the biopsychosocial model should be expanded to include the spiritual dimension as well.

Why do we use the biopsychosocial model of pain? ›

The biopsychosocial model of pain dominates the scientific community's understanding of chronic pain. Indeed, the biopsychosocial approach describes pain and disability as a multidimensional, dynamic integration among physiological, psychological, and social factors that reciprocally influence one another.

What distinguishes the biopsychosocial model from the other major perspective within psychology? ›

What distinguishes the biopsychosocial model from the other major perspectives within psychology? It has a more integrative, unifying theme.

What is another name for biopsychosocial model? ›

Biopsychosocial synonyms

In this page you can discover 3 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for biopsychosocial, like: bio-psycho-social, cognitive-behavioural and salutogenic.

Which of the following are advantages of using theory to guide research in health psychology? ›

What are the advantages of using theory to guide research in health psychology? It provides guidelines in how to do research and interventions. It helps generate specific predictions, so they can be tested and modified as evidence comes in.

What is the purpose of biopsychosocial assessment? ›

A biopsychosocial assessment helps counselors, social workers, and other behavioral health professionals learn about their clients on multiple levels and better understand their subjective viewpoints. As a result, biopsychosocial assessments enable therapists to diagnose and effectively treat their clients.

What are psychological factors in the biopsychosocial model? ›

The psychological factors in the biopsychosocial model refer to our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions about our experiences, our environment, and ourselves. These cognitive patterns affect our perceived sense of control over our environment.

What are the key fields of a biopsychosocial assessment? ›

Contents
  • 1.1 P- Type of pain.
  • 1.2 S- Somatic and medical factors.
  • 1.3 C- Cognition / Perceptions.
  • 1.4 E- Emotional factors.
  • 1.5 B- Behavioral factors.
  • 1.6 S- Social factors.
  • 1.7 M- Motivation.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the behaviourist approach? ›

Terms in this set (5)
  • STRENGTH: Scientific credibility. ...
  • STRENGTH: Real-life application. ...
  • WEAKNESS: Mechanistic view of behaviour. ...
  • WEAKNESS: Environmental determinism. ...
  • WEAKNESS: Ethical and practical issues in animal experiments.

What is one strength of the biological approach? ›

One strength of the biological approach is that it is deterministic. This is a strength because it increases the likelihood of being able to treat people with abnormal behavior and provides explanations about the causes of behavior. This understanding can then be used to improve people's lives.

What are the main assumptions of the biological approach? ›

Assumptions (AO1)

The main assumption of the biological approach is that our thinking and behavior are strongly determined by biological factors: structure and functioning of the nervous system. This in turn is influenced by genetic and evolutionary factors.

What is a biopsychosocial summary? ›

The biopsychosocial theory is an acknowledgment that we don't live in a vacuum and that biological, social, and psychological influences interact in determining human behavior and emotions. For example, episodes of depression may not be driven by purely psychological factors.

Which of the following is emphasized by the biopsychosocial model? ›

The biopsychosocial model emphasizes both health and illness. Therefore, health becomes something that one achieves through attention to biological, psychological, and social needs rather than something that is taken for granted.

How do you reference the biopsychosocial model? ›

Your Bibliography: Engel, G., 1979. The biopsychosocial model and the education of health professionals. General Hospital Psychiatry, 1(2), pp. 156-165.

What are the criticisms of the biomedical model? ›

The limitation of the biomedical model has been highlighted by many, already since the 1950s. The main criticism is that illness is a condition of the whole person, and treating the patient's bodily parts in separation might alleviate some symptoms without solving the source of the problem.

How the biopsychosocial model challenges the biomedical model? ›

Biomedical model focuses on treatment and elimination of symptoms, while bio-psychosocial model focuses on individual's perception of their symptoms and how they and their families respond to symptoms they are experiencing [6].

What are current leading causes of death for biopsychosocial model? ›

Current Leading Causes of Death

Unintentional injuries may be social causes of death, which corresponds with the biopsychosocial model (Xu et al., 2020). As for psychological causes of death, they are suicide and substance abuse.

Why is biopsychosocial important in social work? ›

A biopsychosocial–spiritual perspective recognizes the importance of whole person care and takes into account a client's physical or medical condition; emotional or psychological state; socioeconomic, sociocultural, and sociopolitical status; and spiritual needs and concerns.

What is Biopsychological perspective? ›

The psychological school of thought based on the premise that physiological influences and factors are the most important factors in developing, determining, and causing behaviors and mental processes.

What is the central idea of the more current biopsychosocial viewpoint? ›

There are only slight changes to the model in recent years, especially in therapy. The model focuses more now on heading towards a relationship-centered therapy and regulating emotion, the use of intuition, and educating the client while building their moral foundation.

Who proposed biopsychosocial model? ›

George Engel proposed the biopsychosocial model in what soon became a landmark event for understanding medicine as a science.

Who can complete a biopsychosocial assessment? ›

The biopsychosocial interview, an assessment typically conducted by therapists and counselors at the beginning of therapy, assesses for biological, psychological and social factors that can be contributing to a problem or problems with a client.

What are the disadvantages of the biopsychosocial model? ›

Disadvantages and Criticism

✦ The biopsychosocial model assumes that all mental illnesses are, in fact, biopsychosocial. Critics feel that assuming every mental disorder to be biopsychosocial actually increases the stigma that is attached to these disorders, instead of reducing it.

What are the advantages of the biopsychosocial model? ›

Biopsychosocial model helps primary care doctors to understand interactions among biological and psychosocial components of illnesses to improve the dyadic relationship between clinicians and their patients and multidisciplinary approaches in patient care.

Is the biopsychosocial model a useful perspective? ›

One reason why the biopsychosocial perspective is so useful is because it explains how some people who are seemingly “healthy” can get mental illnesses and why some are more prone to mental illness than others.

Which factors influence health according to the biopsychosocial model quizlet? ›

The biopsychosocial model suggests that health and illness are determined by psychological, biological, and social factors.

What is the importance of a biopsychosocial assessment? ›

A biopsychosocial assessment helps counselors, social workers, and other behavioral health professionals learn about their clients on multiple levels and better understand their subjective viewpoints. As a result, biopsychosocial assessments enable therapists to diagnose and effectively treat their clients.

What is the biopsychosocial model Definition & Example? ›

The biopsychosocial model is a general model positing that biological, psychological (which includes thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), and social (e.g., socioeconomical, socioenvironmental, and cultural) factors, all play a significant role in health and disease.

What is the biopsychosocial approach to understanding human behavior? ›

The biopsychosocial approach is a concept used to understand human behavior by looking at the biological, psychological, and social factors. These three influences coinside with one another to analyze and describe a behavior, disorder, or anything. This approach could be used to explain a student excelling in college.

What are biological factors in biopsychosocial model? ›

The biopsychosocial model reflects the development of illness through the complex interaction of biological factors (genetic, biochemical, etc.), psychological factors (mood, personality, behaviour, etc.) and social factors (cultural, familial, socioeconomic, medical, etc.).

What does a biopsychosocial model assess? ›

A Biopsychosocial Assessment is an assessment typically conducted by therapists and counselors at the beginning of therapy, which assesses for biological, psychological, and social factors that can be contributing to a problem or problems with a client.

What are the key components of a biopsychosocial assessment? ›

The biopsychosocial model evaluates the integrated “whole person,” with both the mind and the body together as interconnected entities, recognizing biological, psychological, and social components of pain and illness.

How does biopsychosocial approach work? ›

While western medicine uses a biomedical approach to health, health psychologists prefer to evaluate health through a biopsychosocial lens. Quite simply, this approach includes the influences of biological factors, psychological factors, and social factors when looking at overall health.

What are the 4 P's of biopsychosocial model? ›

The VCE Psychology Study Design requires students undertaking Unit 4 to use a 4P factor model (predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors) as a subset of a biopsychosocial approach to analyse mental health and the development and progression of mental health disorders.

Why was the biopsychosocial model created? ›

The Biopsychosocial model was first conceptualised by George Engel in 1977, suggesting that to understand a person's medical condition it is not simply the biological factors to consider, but also the psychological and social factors.

Why do we use the biopsychosocial model of pain rather than biomedical model of pain? ›

While traditional biomedical models of clinical medicine focus on pathophysiology and other biological approaches to disease, the biopsychosocial approach in our training programs emphasize the importance of understanding human health and illness in their fullest contexts.

Why is biopsychosocial important in social work? ›

A biopsychosocial–spiritual perspective recognizes the importance of whole person care and takes into account a client's physical or medical condition; emotional or psychological state; socioeconomic, sociocultural, and sociopolitical status; and spiritual needs and concerns.

What is a biopsychosocial summary? ›

The biopsychosocial theory is an acknowledgment that we don't live in a vacuum and that biological, social, and psychological influences interact in determining human behavior and emotions. For example, episodes of depression may not be driven by purely psychological factors.

Is biopsychosocial theory nature or nurture? ›

Biopsychosocial is biological, psychological and social which all play a part in human development. Developmental psychology and biopsychosocial are areas of psychology used in the nature versus nurture debate because they study why things happen with the human body and mind.

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