What is the Biopsychosocial Model?

The biopsychosocial approach is based on the fact that biological, psychological and social structures cannot be considered separately from each other when dealing with health or diseases. 1,2
The biopsychosocial model takes a holistic view of health and disease states while evaluating them from biological, psychological and social perspectives. According to this model, it is essential to consider all factors rather than focusing on a single cause of the disease. In terms of clinical practice, the biopsychosocial approach can be considered as providing the necessary treatment and care to the person by considering the patient's or client's history, familial and socioeconomic status, living conditions, and educational status in an integrated manner, as well as taking into account many factors such as the individual's biological, psychological and social conditions. In short, it is necessary to consider the illness of the person as a condition in which social and psychological factors may have an effect, as well as being related to physiological variables. 3
If we consider the biopsychosocial model on personality disorders in the field of mental health: Although biological variability alone can have an effect on personality, it does not necessarily lead to a personality disorder. The biological characteristics of the person can determine the characteristics of personality disorders. Psychological risk factors increase the probability of causing personality disorders; however, they do not lead to a personality disorder on their own, just like biological factors. If the person does not have other risk factors, they can enter the process of adaptation with psychological flexibility. Social factors, on the other hand, can act as a buffer that affects the effects of biological and psychological factors in a good or bad way. Social factors can act as a protective factor against the development of personality disorder as well as a risk factor. 4
1) AKTÜRK, H. (2019) Kısa Başlık: RUH SAĞLIĞI.
2) Oral, M. ve Tuncay, T. (2012). Ruh sağlığı alanında sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının rol ve sorumlulukları. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 23(2), 93-114.
3) KORUCU, K. S., SÖYLEMEZ, Ş. Ç., & OKSAY, A. (2021). Biyopsikososyal Yaklaşım ve Gelişim Süreci. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Vizyoner Dergisi, 12(30), 689-700.
4) Paris, J. (1993). Personality disorders: A biopsychosocial model. Journal of personality disorders, 7(3), 255.