How can health psychologists help people to improve their health - Essay Example

How can health psychologists help people to improve their health? Discuss with reference to psychological models. Introduction It has been increasingly recognised that psychological issues play an important and irreplaceable role in most of the disease and disorder conditions. The health psychologists contribute significant positivity to many of the specialties of the health sector including cancer, heart disease, dermatology, trauma, mental disorders. The present essay brings to knowledge the crucial work performed by the health psychologists for the improvement of health, prevention of disease and disorder and education of physicians, nurses and the community men and women. The essay presents the contribution of health psychologists with reference to the pscyhological models. It discusses in brief the important roles and contributing responsibilities of the health psychologist for the health of the patients in the health sector. Though, it was not possible to include all the areas benefited by the support of the health psychologist, we have tried to summarise the important roles and the importance of these roles in some important disease conditions of significant importance. Introduction to Psychology and Psychological Models The word psychology is derived from the Greek psych, which means soul or mind, prefixed to logos/-ology meaning study of. Thus, psychology refers to the application of the study involving the mind and behavior to different spheres of human activity, including diagnosis and treatment of various diseases and disorders. Applied psychology, a field of psychology makes use of the various fields of basic psychology to improve the quality of life of people in various settings. A very successful and speedily developing important branch of applied psychology is Health psychology. Health psychology can be considered as “…use of psychological principles to promote health and to prevent illness (Taylor, 1990).” Human health behavior is affected by the psychological features therefore identification, study and positive control of these psychological features can promote mental and physical well-being. As we know, for example, in diabetes the psychological features may influence metabolic control either directly (neurohormonal mechanisms) or indirectly (motivation, self-care practices). The psychologists play an important role in the prevention, management and treatment of many of the disease and disorder conditions including, Chronic Mental Illness (CMI), diabetes, cardiovascular diseases. Health psychologists also aim at educating health professionals like doctors and nurses in communicating with patients in a way that highlights the biopsychosocial factors contributing to disease and therefore helps them develop an appropriate treatment (Ogden, 7). Recent years have seen the development of many theoretical psychological models which are used to analyse health behavior. While playing their delineated roles in the psychological models, health psychologists make an important contribution in the improvement of the health of the patients. Psychological Models for Chronic Mental Illness (CMI) The important psychological models that contribute to the addition of health and deletion of psychiatric symptoms in the patients of Chronic Mental Illness (CMI) include: 1. The Biological Model 2. The Vulnerability Model 3. The Cognitive Model 4. The Case Management Model 5. The Rehabilitation Model 6. The Psychoeducational Model 1. The Biological Model The biological model (the dominant model of CMI) is based on an assumption that mental illnesses are actually diseases with biological causes. The dominance of biological model resulted in some important consequences, including primary responsibility for treatment to the psychiatrist, provision of a better stand to somatic therapy than the psychological treatment. The health psychologists perform the following important roles in the biological model: a) To perform research on the diagnostic categories so as to improve their reliability, validity and applicability. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the efficacy of therapeutics in the treatment and management of CMI (Bellack, 1986). c) To intervene in an attempt to increase medication compliance. This can be achieved by making use of behavioral management techniques. 2. The Vulnerability Model The vulnerability model adds to the biological model by assuming that mental illness is caused due to the interaction between the stress and biological factors. The health psychologists perform the following important roles in the vulnerability model: a) To think and research on the new ways that can help in the management of stress. He is also required to study and bring to knowledge the effects of stress. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the stress faced by the patient and the available internal and external resources that can fight stress c) To intervene so as to decrease stress in the lives of CMI patients and those vulnerable to it. Psychologists can help in both the prevention and treatment CMI patients. They can educate the mind that thinks negative by means of teaching stress management skills, environmental management skills and social skills. Research has revealed the benefit of social support in lowering vulnerability to both mental and physical illness (Cohen, 1985). 3. The Cognitive Model The cognitive model puts forth the idea that for effective understanding of the CMI it is essential to thereby identify information-processing deficits and use cognitive interventions to correct them and reduce the occurrence and severity of psychiatric symptoms (Jacobs, 1980). Cognitive models attribute the main deficit in CMI as a set of systematic cognitive distortions. The health psychologists perform the following important roles in the cognitive model: a) To identify the core cognitive deficits present in CMI patients’ by means of cognitive processes research. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the cognitive deficits in CMI patients. This helps tailor interventions as per the needs of the individual patient. c) To intervene with cognitive techniques so as to directly treat cognitive and behavioral abnormalities or deficiencies ( Erickson, 1989). As an example we may state that psychologists help schizophrenic patients’ function better in the society by making use of self-instructional training (Meyers, Mercatoris, & Sirota, 1976 ). 4. Case management model The focus of the case management model helps the CMI patients’ by linking him/her with internal and external resources. The functions of case management model include: i. To assess the needs and resources of the patient i. To develop a plan for the treatment of the patient ii. To link the patient with the resources iii. To monitor the patient and evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. iv. To advocate for the patient (Intagliata, 1982). Many times a team is developed to offer the best to the patient’s health. The health psychologists perform the following important roles in the case management model: a) To perform research on intervention models and conduct program evaluations and approaches for treatment and services provided to CMI patients. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the needs of the CMI patients know the best possible resources for helping them in their daily living. c) The health psychologist intervenes as a part of the case management team and also serves as resource for treatment for the CMI patients. 5. The Rehabilitation Model The aim of the rehabilitation model is to provide training to the CMI patients in the skills that are essential to reduce their impairment, and dependence on others (Anthony, & Liberman, 1986). The health psychologists perform the following important roles in the biological model: a) The psychologists are responsible to find out by means of research the effectiveness of the rehabilitative programs. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the specific behavioral skills and deficits of individuals in functional terms. Many efficient techniques of functional assessment find there application here. c) To intervene so as to set right the deficits brought to knowledge through functional assessment. The patients role functioning can be improved by training (behavioral and skills), and this can help the patients develop systems for support. d) Advocacy holds its position in the model of rehabilitation. The stigma associated with mental illnesses has made its presence even in the psychiatrists and nurses. It is therefore crucial to present postivity of attitude towards psychiatric patients. This can achieve its presence in the community by means of involvement of the health psychologist in education at community and professional level. 6. The Psychoeducational Model The psychoeducational model is an attempt to support the family members of the CMI patient by decreasing stress and increasing efficiency to support the patient (Falloon, 1985). The health psychologist perform the following important roles in the psychoeducational model: a) The health psychologists bring to knowledge the effectiveness of educational programs by means of sound research. b) To develop and apply measures that help assess the family members’ quantity and quality of knowledge about CMI, the burdens faced by them, their attitude towards the patient in the family. c) Psychologist intervenes to provide the members of the family with important information about the nature, cause, prevention, management and treatment of the mental illness. d) Skills that enhance the positive ability to deal with the patient are also taught and explained by the psychologist For example, the usage of words and expressions with the patients should be such that he gains comfort from them and is not further tensed up. It is considered that a reduction in the expression of emotions in the family can be beneficial in the CMI treatment. Regardless of the model in use for the patient, psychologists play an important role in the prevention of mental illness. The first and one of the most important steps in the prevention of mental illness is to develop a good base for the understandings of the conditions affecting the onset, nature and duration of CMI. The psychologists play a crucial role in the primary prevention of CMI by helping people have a confident, positive and stress-free stand in the daily living. This is difficult to achieve, and requires resources to reduce stress and also decrease the effect of stress. Thus, in an attempt to succeed in the attempt of preventing CMI, the psychologists might need to fight the external viruses like poverty responsible for the onset and growth of CMI. It is really a very competent job. In an attempt to better understand the primary prevention, we may take an example of case management model. In this model, the patient is linked with resources and attempts are made to identify and treat the cause of mental diseases and disorders. Thus, to achieve prevention, the role of psychologist shall be to assure sufficiency of resources, availability at the time of need and no fear of loss of the most crucial things. In an attempt to achieve secondary prevention in patients or people vulnerable to CMI, the psychologists make use of education, treatment and support. For example, in the case of case management model, the psychologists may connect the patients vulnerable to stressful conditions, in advance to the resources of their chief necessity. This prevents the onset of CMI that could be caused due to the deficiency of that resource in future. In tertiary prevention of CMI, the psychologists usually make use of the same means and ways that are used in the treatment. However, the objective of use of psychological knowledge and techniques in the case of tertiary prevention is for prevention rather than treatment. Other important psychological model -Biopsychosocial Model The biopsychosocial model adds to the science and art of psychology by interlinking of the biological, psychological and social issues of the human body. There are many different types of biopsychosocial models for various diseases and disorders. The psychologists play an important role in each of these models. Some of the models with the role played by the health psychologists are as under: In the biopsychosocial model (Van Houdenhove & Vasquez, 1993) of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), a type of chronic pain disorder the health psychologist has a unique role to play. At the time of the medical intervention, it is the role of the psychologist to instill positivity and hope in the patient by teaching stress management skills. He is also required to support and encourage the patient. This is because lack of motivation result in poor treatment compliance. The myths pertaining to the disorder can be successfully overcome by the teachings of the health psychologist. Biopsychosocial models have also been developed for a number of other diseases and disorders including but not limited to, heart diseases, diabetes, mental illnesses. In each of the biopsychosocial models, the health psychologist is required to motivate the patient towards treatment compliance, educate the patient and his/her family members, reduce the stress experienced by the patient and his/her family members. To perform research, so as know means to early detect the presence of disease and disorder and to study and perform research for the benefit of the health society. Health psychologists hold the winning edge of the research aiming on the development of biopsychosocial model for diseases and disorders including HIV, cancer, mental disorders, compliance with medication, health promotion, and the effect of psychological and other factors on many different diseases ( diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic pain, and sleep disorders). Controversies – Unhealthy for the Health Psychologists Science is considered as a field of knowledge that investigates and studies the nature through observation and reasoning and has its focus set for the search of truth. The term science also encompasses the organized form of knowledge gained by such research. Many laymen and even professionals think that psychology is a soft science. They are of the opinion that psychology is not an absolute science and therefore should not hold the present position in the health profession. It should be noted that for the development of psychological theories and concepts research is put to practice. It is the organized research that helps study, learn and implement the knowledge gained about the thoughts, feelings and actions of the human beings. It is by means of research that we understand the different mental disorders and the preventive and curative psychological means for the patients suffering from mental illnesses. The effect of stigma associated with a disease or disorder and its effect on the patient and his/her family members has always been a topic of psychological research. Psychologists form hypotheses, research and perform statistical validity and reliability of the new concepts and ideas. But the thought that psychology may or may not work…is still persistent, in the mind of even the educated one. One reason for this can be that psychology was derived from philosophy, which is more a subject of art and thought. But the time has changed psychology to a very scientific means of testing the mind, knowing the mind and predicting about the mind. Today, psychiatrists counsel their patients; the positive effect of psychological treatment has helped millions round the globe. There is no reason to doubt the psychology that works and benefits the patients in health care system. As we know, that science never claims absolute knowledge. Unlike the mathematical model, even a proven scientific theory is open to doubt and research. Even the most fundamental laws of science when meet inconsistencies, they are open to revision, addition and deletion. Now, if we focus on psychology we find that this is what is true with it too. When no scientific theory is absolute, how can the theories of psychology as a science be perfect? Open to doubt and research is the stand of every new research, then how can psychology be an exception. The need for further research is not the necessity of psychology alone, but of every scientific field. Even in medical science, there are various assumptions, untested theories and ideas that form a concrete base of its presence in the health study. There are hundreds of therapeutic drugs whose mode of action in unknown, whose benefit is thought to be so (untested, because of unavailability of means to test), but this does not disqualify medical science as a science. Then why psychology standing on the same stand as medical science with respect to preference for observation, study, research and statistics be considered as a “soft” science? References Anthony, W. A. & Liberman, R. P. (1986). The practice of psychiatric rehabilitation: Historical, conceptual and research base. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 12, 542-449. Bellack, A. S. (1986). Schizophrenia: Behavior therapys forgotten child. Behavior Therapy, 17, 199-214. Cohen, S. & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 310-357. Erickson, R. C. (1989). Application of cognitive testing to group therapies with the chronically mentally ill. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 39, 223-235 Falloon, I. R. H. (1985). Family management of schizophrenia: A study of clinical, social, family and economic benefits. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Intagliata, J. (1982). Improving the quality of community care for the chronically mentally disabled: The role of case management. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 8, 655-674. Jacobs, L. (1980). A cognitive approach to persistent delusions. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 34, 556-563. Meyers, A., Mercatoris, M. & Sirota, A. (1976). Use of covert self-instruction for the elimination of psychotic speech. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 480-483. Ogden, Jane. (2004). Health Psychology: A textbook third edition. Open University Press: Berkshire, England. Taylor, S. E. (1990). Health psychology. American Psychologist, 45(1), 40-50. Van Houdenhove, B., Vasquez, G., Onghena, P., Stans, L., Vandeput, C., Vermaui, G., Vervacke, G., Igodt, P., & Vertommen, H. (1992). Etiopathogenesis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy: a review and biopsychosocial hypothesis. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 8, 300-306. Read More