Rethinking health psychology΄s approach to the study of pain and disease
Part of : Hellenic journal of psychology ; Vol.2, No.2, 2005, pages 183-197
Issue:
Pages:
183-197
Author:
Abstract:
This paper sets out the rationale for a more critical approach within health psychologyto the study of pain and disease. It characterises 'mainstream' health psychology'sapproach to such subject matter as deficient because of its reliance on the increasingly popular'biopsychosociaP model of health care and practice. Because of the need to provide data consistentwith 'biomedical' data and amenable to statistical analysis and modelling, commitmentto the biopsychosocial model routinely involves the quantification of subjective experiencesof health and illness. This approach, however, comes at the cost of failing to appreciatethe experiential nature of people's experiences of pain and disease. In this paper it is arguedthat a characteristic feature of people's subjective orientation to such issues involves reflexiveconsideration of ethical, moral and emotional issues. Mainstream health psychology largelybypasses such issues in its pursuit of a goal-oriented 'technical' programme akin to that ofmedical science and practice. Not only does this represent a relinquishing of the unique subjectmatter of human (health) psychology, it may also be unethical, potentially perpetuatingthe objectification and depersonalisation experienced by so many people in health care.
Subject:
Keywords:
biopsychosocial model, health psychology, values
Notes:
Περιέχει βιβλιογραφία, Current issues in health psychology
