Models in clinical psychology: conception of human being, theoretical and epistemological underpinnings, definition criteria of psychological maladjustment and change, management of client-psychologist relationship, research in clinical psychology. Review of the main psychopathological syndromes. Main features of the clinical interventions and therapeutic relationship. The multiple activities of the clinical psychologist: prevention, diagnosis, counseling, therapy and research.
Castonguay, LG & Oltmanns, TF (2016). Psychopathology. From Science to Clinical practice. Raffello Cortina.
Lingiardi, V., & Gazzillo, F. (2014). Personality and personality disorders. Raffaello Cortina. (until p. 671)
Sica, C. et al. (2011). Q-PAD. Questionnaire for evaluation of adolescent psychopathology. Trento: Erickson
RECOMMENDED BUT NOT COMPULSORY TEXTS
Prati, M. (2011). How becoming mental ill. Roma: Alpes Italia
Learning Objectives
To provide a general framework of clinical psychology. To illustrate basic assessment instruments and procedures to efficaciously manage different clinical cases. To describe: 1) the application of experimental or quasi-experimental research to clinical intervention; 2) the diagnostic process in clinical psychology; 3) features and use of clinical assessment instruments; 4) verbal and nonverbal communication, way to manage the first interview and basic elements of therapeutic relationship; 5) the complexity of clinical work through the analysis of management of personality disorders.
Prerequisites
no
Teaching Methods
oral lectures with interventions of experts
Further information
A few professional writers and other experts will be invited to illustrate the nature of psychology as human discipline
Type of Assessment
written exam with open-ended questions on all textbooks
Course program
Aim of the course is to illustrate the essential of clinical psychology and its complexity. It will be stressed to adopt a phenomenological as well hermeneutic perspective in the clinical work. The cocept of “demand analysis” will be discussed in length. The unifying element throughout the course will be an integrative perspective, to avoid to get caught by “fashionable” last minute models which cyclically pop up inside this discipline. In the applied part of the course, the most common mental disorders will be described and analyzed. An important part of the course will deal with personality disorders and with assessment instrument to demonstrate the different phases of clinical intervention.