Evaluate the biopsychosocial model of health and well-being.

Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

The command term “evaluate” requires candidates to make an appraisal by weighing up strengths and limitations of the biopsychosocial model of health and well-being. Although a discussion of both strengths and limitations should be addressed, it does not have to be evenly balanced to gain high marks.

Relevant research may include, but is not limited to:

• Engel’s (1977) biopsychosocial model of health
• Buckner, Heimberg, Ecker, and Vinci’s (2012) study in the use of the biopsychosocial model to treat addiction
• Wallace’s (1990) biopsychosocial disease model of alcoholism
• Nguyen et al.’s (2016) review of biopsychosocial treatment for obesity
• Jack’s (2013) biopsychosocial factors affecting female metabolism in type 1 diabetes
• Cohen et al.’s (2003) treatment of nicotine dependence: biopsychosocial perspective.

Evaluation may include, but is not limited to:

• the importance of considering a holistic approach to health
• advantages and disadvantages of the model
• methodological considerations related to the research into the biopsychosocial model of health and well-being
• cultural factors and gender considerations
• supporting and/or contradictory empirical evidence
• alternative explanations
• accuracy and clarity of the concepts
• practical applications.

If the candidate addresses only strengths or only limitations, the response should be awarded up to a maximum of [3] for criterion D: critical thinking. All remaining criteria should be awarded marks according to the best fit approach.

This was the most popular question for the Health Psychology option. Answers ranged from rudimentary to quite good, where knowledge and understanding were presented with clarity and studies were used to draw out salient critical points.

Strengths for this question included candidates choosing mostly appropriate health problems and studies. Weaknesses appeared as a lack of critical thinking when responding to this question or overly focusing the critical thinking on research methods of studies investigating the topic but not linking this to the biopsychosocial model. Some responses gained fewer marks for criterion D as they only offered strengths of the model and ignored limitations.