Embracing the Biopsychosocial Model of Disability

 When taking a look at the medical model of disability, it tends to view disability as a problem inherent in the individual where they focus on the impairment or health condition of itself. When taking a further dive into this perspective, it tends to emphasize medical interventions aimed towards "fixing" or managing the impairment one may have in order to help individuals be able to do regular tasks. But when taking a look at the biopsychosocial side of things, it goes ahead and recognizes that disability is not exactly solely determined by a person's medical state but rather so that it is influenced by societal and environmental factors. On top of these, there is also the psychological and social side of it as well. With the biopsychosocial model, it goes ahead and acknowledges that disabilities are a result from the interaction between an individual's impairment and the barriers present in todays society. These barriers can include the following being physical obstacles, discriminatory attitudes from others, lack of accessibility, and even limited opportunities for full participation in different aspects of life. These can include sports, work, school, or even vehicular transportation. From this perspective, disability is not exactly solely an individual issue but rather so is shaped by broader social, cultural, and economic factors.

With introducing these types of topics into education, it can help eliminate a lot of problems in todays society. Just by educating others about the limitations of the medical model and promoting understanding of the biopsychosocial model can ultimately help shift societal perceptions of disability. But how exactly can these topics be addressed? What would be the best way to exactly approach this topic? In an article written by Wendy Lu, she goes ahead and mentions "there’s a common assumption that people with disabilities all have a desire to or need to be cured, according to Stephanie Woodward, the director of advocacy at the Center of Disability Rights" (Lu, 2019). When looking at disability it realistically is a complex identity. Doctors, photo editors, and even kids are always asking disabled individuals if they want to get rid of their disability, but in most cases, many individuals with these disabilities are proud to be who they are. Ways we can start better educating people on these topics is simply raising awareness of the methods through schools, online programs, or even workshops. Advocating for inclusivity could also have a great impact, where when we advocate for policies and practices that promote inclusivity and accessibility in all areas of society, these including education, work, transportation, and even recreation, when we encourage the removal of physical, social, and attitudinal barriers , it can ultimately take away the limitations those with disabilities may face. Even providing training and education for healthcare professionals, teachers, employers, and the general public can help equip these individuals with knowledge and skills needed to support inclusivity in their respective roles and environments.

The societal limitations that were placed onto individuals with a disability is more so than not often greater than the physical or intellectual impairments that these individuals are actually impacted by. Cases of stereotyping, stigma, and even discrimination are in reality the real challenges that those with disability face on a day to day basis. Because of this, many of those in the disabled community tend to face exclusion from parts of society that other people may take for granted. the social model of disability states how there are six different types of barriers people with disability face. When looking into barrier removal, this requires expertise, collaboration, advocacy, and even legal backing. Back to the topic of educating those who are not aware of the issue at hand, if people were to be educated on these issues, we could learn how to create new pathways to ensure our society is as accessible and inclusive as possible. Another issue that is overlooked in many cases is systemic barriers, those of which include laws, policies, practices, or strategies that were designed by the government or organizations which discriminate against those with disabilities. These barriers tend to stop people from living their day-to-day life, where an individual in a wheelchair may struggle with getting to their destination due to a lack of ramps. In other cases, someone with sensory processing issues may tend to struggle to complete work if they aren't allowed a reasonable adjustment to let them use noise-cancelling headphones. From the article Overcoming Social Barriers for Persons with Disabilities, it touches on "Disability inclusion is about removing unnecessary barriers for persons with disabilities to help them integrate fully into society. It’s about learning from them — the barriers they have overcome and the lessons they have learned — and learning how to help them participate in society more fully and freely" (UDS, 2022). This short quote would ultimately positively impact everyone and overall, would meet the requirements that those with disabilities would appreciate to have while teaching those who aren't very fond of the issue at hand from the individuals their selves and that is what I feel would be one of the most impactful ways to go about this issue.