Psychosocial

The term psychosocial refers to one in psychological development in and interaction with a social environment. The individual is not necessarily fully aware of this relationship with his or her environment. It was first commonly used by psychologist Erik Erikson in his stages of social development. Contrasted with social psychology, which attempts to explain social patterns of behavior in a general sense, the term "psychosocial" can be used to describe the unique internal processes that occur within the individual. It is usually used in the context of "psychosocial intervention," which is commonly used alongside psycho educational or psychopharmacological interventions and points toward solutions for individual challenges in interacting with an element of the social environment.