We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Mental

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Biopsychosocial Model?

By Donn Saylor
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 81,154
Share

The biopsychosocial model is a method of understanding health and illness through biological, psychological, and social factors. The principle of the biopsychosocial model states that all issues relating to health are products of a complex interplay of these three factors. The model has been both revered and criticized in medical circles. In layman's terms, the biospychosocial model is known as the mind-body connection.

In 1977, an American psychiatrist named George Engel developed the first biopsychosocial model. Engel aimed to understand all of the aspects that led to the development of specific medical conditions in order to provide a top level of care. In explaining the biopsychosocial model, Engel emphasized the distinct aspects of care: the patient; the patient's social context; and the means in place for dealing with illness, namely doctors and the larger system of health care.

Biological influence plays a key role in the biopsychosocial, or BPS, model. In this aspect of the model, the physiological causes of an illness are identified and studied. The theories behind the BPS model, however, view biological factors as only one part of illness and that no illness manifests itself based solely on physiological grounds. It must work in conjunction with other deciding features.

Psychological influence is another of these chief features. Under this aspect of the model, a healthcare provider will look for underlying psychological issues that contributed to the development of the patient's condition. There are a variety of psychological influences that can contribute to an illness, including depression, negative thought patterns, and a lack of self-control.

The social influence aspect of the BPS model examines the illness from a sociological perspective. Engel deduced that considerations such as economic standing, religion, and even technology can play pivotal roles in the creation of disease. Personal belief systems are also thought to be of significant importance in the development of illness.

The BPS model has been met with both acclaim and criticism. Supports embrace the concept of a mind-body connection, and this idea has surged in popularity and formed the basis for everything from exercise programs to self-help books. Opponents, however, find the BPS model lacking and inherently defective. They cite the model as a way to dis-empower patients and make them feel they have no say over their illness or its treatment. Opponents also assert that the BPS model makes unscientific distinctions between biological and psychological factors.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon966193 — On Aug 18, 2014

The biopsychosocial model is quite actively used to disempower patients; just look at how it is used to justify welfare reform in the UK. Allowing people to claim expertise and authority over the psychosocial aspects of people's lives just because they suffer from ill health will always lead to abuses of power.

The notion that people's cognitions and behaviors should be 'managed' in order to promote particular outcomes keeps leaving patients feeling manipulated and mistreated.

In addition to that, many of the claims for the efficacy of biopsychosocial interventions rely on the non-blinded trials and subjective outcomes that have been used to promote quackery like homeopathy. Time to leave it alone.

By Glasis — On Dec 30, 2013
I disagree with critics who say using a biopsychosocial approach would make a patient feel like they have no say over their own treatment.

With so many factors considered in this type of model, it seems like it would be the most comprehensive approach to treatment and produce the most individualized care possible.

Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-is-the-biopsychosocial-model.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.