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01-04-2011 | Original Article

Heart Disease Occurs in a Biological, Psychological, and Social Matrix: Cardiac Risk Factors, Symptom Presentation, and Recovery as Illustrative Examples

Authors: Jerry Suls, Ph.D., René Martin, Ph.D., R.N.

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 2/2011

Abstract

Despite the basic premise of behavioral medicine that understanding and treatment of physical well-being require a full appreciation of the confluence of micro-, molar-, and macro-variables, the field tends to focus on linear, causal relationships. In this paper, we argue that more attention be given to a dynamic matrix approach, which assumes that biological, psychological, and social elements are interconnected and continually influence each other (consistent with the biopsychosocial model). To illustrate, the authors draw from their independent and collaborative research programs on overlapping cardiac risk factors, symptom interpretation, and treatment delay for cardiac care and recovery from heart disease. “Cabling” across biological, psychological, and social variables is considered as a transformative strategy for medicine and the other health-related disciplines.

Factors related bidirectionally influence each other. Variable A influences B and B influences A. An example from physics is: For a fixed volume, an increase in temperature will cause an increase in pressure; likewise, increased pressure will cause an increase in temperature.

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Title: Heart Disease Occurs in a Biological, Psychological, and Social Matrix: Cardiac Risk Factors, Symptom Presentation, and Recovery as Illustrative Examples
Authors: Jerry Suls, Ph.D.
René Martin, Ph.D., R.N.
Publication date: 01-04-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 2/2011
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9244-y

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Heart Disease Occurs in a Biological, Psychological, and Social Matrix: Cardiac Risk Factors, Symptom Presentation, and Recovery as Illustrative Examples

Abstract

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