The psychosocial interactionist model gives us an account in a systematic way of differences in individuals as perceived in functional dyspeptic severity. There are main effects of emotional support, monitoring, and flexibility on perceived dyspeptic severity. Monitoring as one of the great risk factors is related to the severity of perceived symptoms to a great extent as opposed to coping flexibility and support that is emotional which to a low extent is related to perceived symptom severity. Emotional support only has a beneficial role in those having higher coping flexibility but not those having low coping flexibility. (Nadler, 1989 pp30-34).
Functional dyspepsia is a common illness that deals with functions. Such patients can seek medical attention even when they do not have biochemical or even physical causes. One of the common problems in clinical practice is disorders arising from functional gastro intestines. The multivariate interactionist model explains the mechanisms behind differences in individuals in perceived functional dyspepsia symptom severity. The model also provides an account of the relationship between perceived functional dyspepsia symptom severity and psychosocial variables. The psychosocial interactionst model explains the relationship of factors at behavioral, social, and cognitive levels. For example, a person can be sensitive to his body and this person may suffer from a lower threshold for discomfort arising from his body. This suggests a relationship between the experience of the symptoms and the perceptual style. (Willis, 2007 pp54-55).
In this model, monitoring is related to differences in an individual in perceived symptoms severity in those people suffering from functional dyspepsia. People suffering from monitoring tendency look for information related to their health threats. On the other hand, those with a blunting tendency always avoid such information. Persons suffering from functional dyspepsia who seek medical treatment tend to monitor any danger cue as opposed to their counterparts who are not willing to seek medical attention. Because Symptom perception has a role in the making of decision while a person is seeking healthcare, then a person with a higher monitoring score perceive his functional dyspeptic symptoms to be more severe. This increases his motivation to seek medical consultations regarding his illness. For this reason, monitoring is part of the interactionist model as a risk factor to perceived symptom severity.
Perception of one’s health is to a large extent formed in relation to the relationship of that person with others and the social well-being between them. This implies that social support is relevant to symptom perception among people having functional dyspepsia. People who are in the same social set-up can provide instrumental support thus reducing stress by way of solving problems that are at hand. They can also provide emotional support which can reduce stress when they fulfill a strong need or boosting positive moods. This is the reason why a patient who receives social support are more often in better health than those who are not given enough social support. A conclusion can therefore be made that, social support is a resource factor that is linked with lower perceived symptom severity.
The coping process is another mechanism that modifies the link between perceived functional dyspepsia symptom severity and social support. Coping flexibility enhances coping effectiveness which is shown through adjustments to transitions in life. For example, a person with the lowest anxiety is likely to use the action-oriented method when the situation is controllable but when uncontrollable he is likely to employ more passive strategies. (Willis, 2007 pp50-53).
References
Nadler S. (1989): causation in early modern philosophy: Pennsylvania State University Press, pp30-34.
Willis J. (2007): Interactionist model: Sage Publications, pp50-55.