The purpose of this assignment is to explore the bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework with someone living with a PHYSICAL health condition. You will engage in a discussion with a friend, family member, or personal acquaintance who experiences a physical health challenge. Examples can include a person living with a
chronic illness (such as diabetes, or crohns disease) or a physical limitation (such as a broken arm, or spinal cord injury). You should NOT interview a person with a terminal illness, nor someone with a cognitive condition/concern (ex. alzheimers). In this assignment, your role is to engage with this person about how they manage their physical health challenge, and this physical health challenge connects to psycho-social-spiritual changes. *If you need more information on the biopsychosocial spiritual model, read the attached file.*
PART A: Conduct an Interview
1. Identify someone who has a physical health condition and who is willing to discuss how the condition impacts their life. You should not interview a person with a terminal illness, nor someone with a cognitive condition/concern. The primary concern must be a PHYSICAL health condition.
2. Conduct an interview to better understand the condition and how it impacts the persons life. Possible questions to explore could include:
o What physical condition/concern do you experience/have you been diagnosed with?
o How does it impact your day to day life?
o How have you adjusted/adapted to living with this condition?
o What do you find most difficult?
o What are the coping strategies you have in place? What do you find most helpful?
o How do you think the condition impacts your relationships with friends/family/colleagues/others?
o What do you wish other people understood more about you or your health condition?
*Note: You are not required to record the interview in any way
PART B: Learning from the Interview
In 2-3 pages, write comprehensive responses to each of the following questions (NO SUBTITLES):
1. What is the physical health condition the interviewee is living with? How did the person identify the condition as impacting their:
a. psychological wellbeing?
b. social well-being?
c. spiritual well-being?
2. What did they identify as most helpful in managing their condition?
3. What were you surprised to hear/learn about, and why?
4. With the bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework in mind, what might you prioritize if developing a care plan for this person?
PART D: Written Reflection about the Interview Experience
Write a 1 page reflection on the interview process, and respond to the following questions below. Be specific in your response, including examples/descriptions from the interview itself.
1. How did you find the interview process overall?
o What do you feel went well? What contributed to the parts that went well (why did they go well?)
o What felt difficult to navigate? What contributed to the difficulties (why were they more difficult?)
2. In reflecting on this interview (what went well, and what was difficult), what skills would you like to further develop for your future work in the field of Mental Health and Addictions?
