adjective

psychosocial

sy-koh-SOH-shuhl

Psychosocial (adjective) means relating to the way a person's mind and their social circumstances affect each other, taking in things like relationships, work, money, isolation and culture alongside psychological state. Example: “The clinic offers psychosocial support as well as medication.”

adjective

Relating to the way a person's mind and their social circumstances affect each other, taking in things like relationships, work, money, isolation and culture alongside psychological state.

"The clinic offers psychosocial support as well as medication."

"Loneliness is a psychosocial risk factor for poor recovery."

In workplace health and safety, describing hazards that arise from how work is designed and managed rather than from physical dangers.

"Employers must now assess psychosocial hazards such as excessive workload and bullying."

How to Use Psychosocial

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo do with how someone's mind and their life circumstances affect each other.

When to use it

Formal; standard in healthcare, social work, psychology and occupational health.

Memory tip

If a description covers both what is going on inside someone's head and what is going on around them, psychosocial is the right word.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

psychosocial vs psychological psychosocial vs biopsychosocial

Common pairings

psychosocial support psychosocial factors psychosocial development psychosocial hazards psychosocial intervention

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The clinic offers _____ support as well as medication.

Etymology

From psycho-, from Greek psukhe "mind, soul", combined with social, from Latin socialis "of companionship".

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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psychological and social biopsychosocial socio-emotional

Rhymes for psychosocial

dial trial aerial serial filial denial medial racial social burial facial menial

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between psychological and psychosocial?

Psychological refers to what happens within a person's mind: thoughts, emotions, cognition. Psychosocial covers that plus the social context feeding into it, such as family, work, housing and community. A therapy targeting anxious thinking is psychological; a programme that also arranges housing and peer support is psychosocial.

What is psychosocial support?

It is help that addresses someone's emotional wellbeing together with their social situation, typically combining counselling or peer support with practical assistance around family, money, work or community connection. It is common in humanitarian relief, cancer care and mental health services.

What are psychosocial hazards at work?

They are aspects of how work is organised that can harm mental health, including excessive workload, low control over tasks, poor support, unclear roles, bullying, harassment and job insecurity. Several countries now require employers to assess and manage them as they would physical risks.