The triangle of biopsychosocial approach of the adolescent
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0220e.43658Keywords:
adolescent; models biopsychosocial; primary health care; pediatrics; triangleAbstract
Introduction: The family doctor plays a privileged role in the biopsychosocial approach to adolescents, promoting health and preventing risk in this age group.
Objective: Describe the Duty-Pleasure-Family Triangle model, based on the acronym HEEADSSS.
Development: The triangle is based on a simple graphic representation: an equilateral triangle whose vertices correspond to three fundamental dimensions of the adolescent's life — Duty, Pleasure, and Family. At the center of the figure is the Self, symbolizing the young person themselves, their perception of well-being, and the balance between these areas. It's a valuable tool for better understanding the balance between responsibilities, leisure time, and family support, ensuring a simpler, more humane intervention tailored to each adolescent's individual needs.
Conclusion: The consistent use of the DPF triangle model in primary healthcare and paediatrics has been shown to promote self-reflection and emotional expression in adolescents, thereby strengthening the therapeutic alliance.
Downloads
References
Ambresin, A.-E., Bennett, K., Patton, G. C., Sanci, L. A., & Sawyer, S. M. (2013). Assessment of youth-friendly health care: A systematic review of indicators drawn from young people's perspectives. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(6), 670-681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.12.014
Bica, I., Condeço, L., Cordeiro, M., Ferrão, A., Santos, I., & Ruas, F. (2024). Atendimento ao adolescente: Instrumento de avaliação HEEADSSSSS: Manual pedagógico (1.ª ed.). Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu. https://www.essv.ipv.pt/wp-content/uploads/livros/atendimento_adolescente.pdf
Comissão Regional da Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente. (s.d.). Consulta dos 12-13 anos: Um guia prático para a consulta [Folheto não publicado]. Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro.
Direção-Geral da Saúde. (2013). Programa Nacional de Saúde Infantil e Juvenil. https://encurtador.com.br/hgMN
Doukrou, M., & Segal, T. Y. (2018). Fifteen-minute consultation: Communicating with young people—how to use HEEADSSS, a psychosocial interview for adolescents. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Education and Practice Edition, 103(1), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2016-311553
Goldenring, J. M., & Rosen, D. S. (2004). Getting into adolescent heads: An essential update. Modern Medicine. https://encurtador.com.br/FbsC
Klein, D. A., Goldenring, J. M., & Adelman, W. P. (2014). HEEADSSS 3.0: The psychosocial interview for adolescents updated for a new century fueled by media. Contemporary Pediatrics, 16-28. https://encurtador.com.br/agtP
Sawyer, S. M., Afifi, R. A., Bearinger, L. H., Blakemore, S.-J., Dick, B., Ezeh, A. C., & Patton, G. C. (2012). Adolescence: A foundation for future health. The Lancet, 379(9826), 1630–1640. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60072-5
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Millenium - Journal of Education, Technologies, and Health

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who submit proposals for this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Articles are published under the Licença Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), in full open-access, without any cost or fees of any kind to the author or the reader;
b) The authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication, allowing the free sharing of work, provided it is correctly attributed the authorship and initial publication in this journal;
c) The authors are permitted to take on additional contracts separately for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg, post it to an institutional repository or as a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal;
d) Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg, in institutional repositories or on their website) as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as increase the impact and citation of published work
Documents required for submission
Article template (Editable format)

