BioPsychoSocial Health | By March 20, 2006 | By Shaheen E Lakhan, MS, MEd, PhDcloseShaheen E Lakhan, MS, MEd, PhD Name: Shaheen Lakhan
Site: http://slakhan.gnif.org
See All Articles by Author (106)
About: Dr. Lakhan is the Executive Director of the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation (GNIF). He administers a host of projects in bioethics, biotechnology, emergency management, global philanthropy, proteomics, and psychiatry -- to name a few disciplines. | 2 Comments

Personality Influences Health

Ancient Asian medicine has long linked emotions and intention to health, however, Western medicine has been less receptive to devising a relationship. Recent lines of psychological studies demonstrate that the way people think, act, and feel about certain situations, events, and ideas greatly influence health behaviors and are represented in the biopsychosocial model of health and illness.

The latest trend in personality psychology has been “positive” psychology. In general, certain personality factors are known to lead to good and bad health (see table below). Optimism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and an internal locus of control have lead to healthy behaviors. Read more →