ASSESSMENT BRIEF

Module title: Health Psychology

Assessment task: Essay

Word count limit: 2500 words +/- 10% (excluding references and appendices)

General Guidance

Using Times New Roman size 12 font, double spaced, with numbered

pages. The word limits

stated for this assignment excludes the reference list at the end of the assignment but

includes all text in the main body of the assignment (including direct quotations, in-text

citations, tables). Tables and figures should not be included within your text but

separately as an Appendix.

The majority of references should come from primary sources (e.g., journal articles,

conference papers, reports, etc.) although you can also utilise area specific textbooks.

You must ensure that you use the APA style of referencing. Please indicate the word

count length at the end of your assignment.

Marking and assessment

Should be able to:

1. Delineate the major features of current theories and approaches in health

psychology with reference to related disciplines.

2. Critically discuss the role of biological, psychological, social and economic factors

in the enhancement of health and/or the development and maintenance of illness.

3. Critically evaluate a variety of research methodologies utilized in the field of health

psychology

4. Critically evaluate the literature in the area of applied health psychology

Essay title: Health Psychology challenges the assumptions underlying the

biomedical model.

Discuss

Additional guidelines:

Introduction

 Try to set the aim of your essay-early in the beginning

 Provide a brief introduction around the area e.g. biomedical and

biopsychosocial model. Briefly describe both models.

The most dominant model in explaining the disease, was the biomedical model,

emergences of new approaches like Biopsychosocial provided a framework for

understanding causes of diseases through a Health Psychology perspective.

Discussion

 Discuss how biopsychosocial model challenges the biomedical model.

 For example: challenges of initiation of illness, progression of illness, coping

with illness, understanding of the illness, causes of illness etc.

 Provide evidence from one or different chronic health conditions

Conclusion

 Summarise all the key points of your discussion – biomedical and

biopsychosocial model.

Additional Reading

Ogden, J. (2009). Health Psychology: A textbook (4th edition). Open University Press:

London, McGraw-Hill Companies.

SOLUTION

Essay Guide: Health Psychology Challenges the Assumptions Underlying the Biomedical Model

1. Introduction (≈300–350 words)

Set the aim: State clearly that the essay will critically evaluate how health psychology, through the biopsychosocial model, challenges the assumptions of the biomedical model in explaining health and illness.
Brief context:
- Biomedical model = dominant in Western medicine (focus on biological pathology, reductionist, disease-centered).
- Biopsychosocial model = introduced by Engel (1977), integrates biological, psychological, and social influences.
Rationale: Explain why the shift matters (rise of chronic conditions, importance of patient-centered care).

2. Discussion (≈1,700–1,900 words)

A. Biomedical Model Overview (≈300–400 words)

Define the biomedical model: linear cause-effect, focus on physical symptoms, illness ≠ health, no role for patient’s psychology or social context.
Strengths: Effective for infectious diseases, surgery, drug development.
Limitations:
- Ignores chronic illness complexity.
- Neglects patient beliefs, behavior, and socio-economic determinants.
- Over-reliance on pharmacological interventions.

B. Biopsychosocial Model Overview (≈300–400 words)

Origin: Engel (1977).
Key features: holistic view, considers patient’s psychological state, social support, culture, and environment.
Allows for prevention, patient adherence, coping strategies.
Links to health psychology’s interdisciplinary nature.

C. How the Biopsychosocial Model Challenges the Biomedical Model (≈800–1,000 words)

Use evidence/examples from chronic illnesses to demonstrate:

Initiation of Illness
- Biomedical: Illness caused by pathogens/biological malfunction.
- Biopsychosocial: Adds role of stress (e.g., cardiovascular disease), health behaviors (diet, smoking), SES disparities.
Progression of Illness
- Example: Cancer progression linked not only to tumor biology but also to psychological factors (stress, depression) and social support.
Coping with Illness
- Biomedical: Focus on medical treatment only.
- Biopsychosocial: Incorporates coping strategies, CBT, social support groups (e.g., diabetes self-management programs).
Understanding the Illness Experience
- Patient beliefs about illness influence adherence (Leventhal’s Self-Regulation Model).
- Cultural beliefs can affect illness narratives (e.g., stigma in mental health).
Causes of Illness
- Obesity example: Biomedical = genetic/biological.
- Biopsychosocial = combines eating behavior, psychological triggers, environment, poverty.

D. Critical Evaluation of Research Methodologies (≈300 words)

Biomedical focus: clinical trials, lab studies (strength: objectivity, weakness: ignores context).
Biopsychosocial: longitudinal studies, qualitative research, mixed-methods.
Health psychology advantage: explores patient experiences and behavior change interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing trials).

3. Conclusion (≈300–350 words)

Summarize:
- Biomedical model = useful but limited.
- Biopsychosocial model = more comprehensive, aligns with modern health challenges.
Reflect:
- Health psychology provides critical tools to bridge medicine and patient-centered care.
- The challenge is integrating both models for effective practice.

4. References (APA 7th)

You’ll need ~20 sources (as per brief). Suggested starting points:

Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136.
Ogden, J. (2012). Health Psychology: A textbook (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Wade, D. T., & Halligan, P. W. (2017). The biopsychosocial model of illness: A model whose time has come. Clinical Rehabilitation, 31(8), 995–1004.
Lehman, B. J., David, D. M., & Gruber, J. A. (2017). Rethinking the biopsychosocial model of health: Understanding health as a dynamic system. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 11(8), e12328.
Sarafino, E. P., & Smith, T. W. (2020). Health psychology: Biopsychosocial interactions (10th ed.). Wiley.

The post Essay Guide: Health Psychology Challenges the Assumptions Underlying the Biomedical Model appeared first on Skilled Papers.