Health psychology is the branch of applied psychology that is interested in examining psychological influences on physical health (Gruman et al., 2017). Health psychology is interesting in promoting better health habits and helping to prevent illnesses (Gruman et al., 2017). Health psychologists want to know the probability of individuals becoming ill (Gruman et al., 2017). They are also interested in applying knowledge from psychology to help individuals who suffer from certain illnesses (Gruman et al., 2017). Health psychology has gained its importance and credibility due to the fact that chronic illnesses are influenced by lifestyle factors (Gruman et al., 2017). Psychological factors play a strong role in preventing and managing chronic illness (Gruman et al., 2017).
Health psychologists and many other medical and psychological practitioners utilize the biopsychosocial model of health and illness (Gruman et al., 2017). The concept of the biopsychosocial model is that health and illness is determined and examined by biological, psychological, and social factors (Engel, 1977 as cited in Gruman et al., 2017). This model developed because the traditional biomedical model of health and illness did not lead to a complete understanding of health and illness because it only focused on biological factors and did not put any importance to psychological and social factors of health and illness (Gruman et al., 2017).
(Rice Social Sciences, 2022)
https://psychology.rice.edu/what-health-psychology
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that is associated with traumatic events (Zhao et al., 2022). PTSD is characterized by a series of mental and psychological symptoms: invasive thinking related to traumatic events; negative mood; increased responsiveness related to traumatic events; and recurring feeling and memories related to traumatic events ( Friedman et al., 2011; Brewin et al., 2017 as cited in Zhao et al., 2022). PTSD can be accurately examined and treated by utilizing the biopsychosocial model of health and illness. A research study conducted by Mingyue Zhao, Zemeng Zhu, Haonan Li, Wei Wan, Shuyue Cheng, Xiaqing Qin, Huiran Wu, Dexiang Liu, and Fang Pan (2022) highlights different biological factors associated with PTSD. “Traumatic stress in adolescence triggers changes in the expression of the epigenetic marker H3K9me2 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of adolescent and adult rats, which suppresses transcription of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene that promotes dendrite development and synaptic growth” (Zhao et al., 2022). In other words, individuals who are exposed to traumatic events may evolve changes within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the brain, which result in the development of PTSD. These are the biological factors of PTSD.
According to the biopsychosocial model of health and illness, there are also psychological and social factors that contribute to PTSD. In a Centre for Clinical Psychology blog, author Jon Finch (2021) highlights psychological and social factors of PTSD. Psychological factors that contribute to PTSD include but are not limited to: trauma severity; other previous trauma, childhood abuse; life stress; family history of psychopathology; perceive life threat during the trauma; peritraumatic emotional responses (fear, helplessness, horror, guilt, and shame); peritraumatic dissociation; psychopathology; cognitive abilities; coping and response styles; and personality factors (Brewin et al., 2000; Ozer et al., 2003; Digangi et al., 2013 as cited in Finch, 2021) And social factors that contribute to PTSD include but are not limited to: lack of social support; low intelligence; gender; age; lack of education; posttrauma social support; and social ecological factors (Brewin et al., 2000; Ozer et al., 2003; Digangi et al., 2013 as cited in Finch, 2021) As you can see, the list is much longer for psychological and social factors than for biological factors. This is just one example of how the biopsychosocial model is superior to the biomedical model of health and illness.
To conclude, health psychology is an important branch of applied social psychology because it helps us better understand and treat illnesses (Gruman et al., 2017). Because of health psychology, many medical experts have stepped away from the “traditional” biomedical model of health and illness and stepped toward the biopsychosocial model of health and illness (Gruman et al., 2017). The biopsychosocial model of psychology recognized three factors that contribute to the health of an individual: biological, psychological, and social (Gruman et al., 2017) PTSD is one of many mental health disorders that can be thoroughly examined through the biopsychosocial model.
References
Finch, J., & Clinicians PTSD blog is written by Dr Jon Finch a Clinical Psychologist. (2021, June 24). Risk factors for PTSD: Knowing the risk factors can help with. Psychpd. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://psychpd.com.au/risk-factors-ptsd/
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE.
Rice Social Sciences. (2022)What is Health Psychology? Department of Psychological Sciences | Rice University. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://psychology.rice.edu/what-health-psychology
Zhao, M., Zhu, Z., Li, H., Wang, W., Cheng, S., Qin, X., . . . Pan, F. (2022). Effects of traumatic stress in adolescence on PTSD-like behaviors, dendrite development, and H3K9me2/BDNF expression in the amygdala of male rats. Journal of Affective Disorders, 296, 388-399. doi:0.1016/j.jad.2021.09.101