The Biopsychosocial Welfare State: A Theoretical Framework

Abstract

Medicalization and psychologization have developed as two separate concepts. In this chapter, Reibling and Bleckmann introduce the reader to both bodies of literature and provide a basic introduction to the processes behind the concepts. The authors argue that medicine and psychology should not be subsumed under a therapeutization framework and that instead, comparing the two processes highlights the relevance of the specifics of both disciplines. Central to this discussion are questions regarding the causes of the medicalization and psychologization of social problems as well as regarding the consequences of these processes. Reibling and Bleckmann provide extensive answers to these questions based on the literature and additionally offer their own take on medicalization and psychologization.