Select one of the following topics: (1) Understanding Smoking OR (2) Treating Substance Abuse. Explain how the biopsychosocial model offers a useful organizing framework for understanding different explanations for smoking or different approaches to treating substance abuse.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The biological, psychological, and sociocultural levels of the biopsychosocial model offer a useful framework to organize explanations of smoking or approaches to treating substance abuse. Different explanations and approaches target different levels.
Students should mention and describe explanations and approaches as follows:
Biological Level:
Explanations for Smoking--nicotine-regulation models; perhaps genetic susceptibility
Treatment for Substance Abuse--pharmacological approaches such as nicotine replacement
Psychological Level
Explanations for Smoking--tension-reduction and affect-regulation models; personality traits
Treatment for Substance Abuse--aversion and cognitive-behavioral approaches
Sociocultural Level:
Explanations for Alcohol Abuse--social modeling, mass media
Treatment for Substance Abuse--public health approaches; self-help programs, because they stress fellowship and “one addict helping another.”