The course aims to provide the fundamental elements of clinical psychology, as an applicative discipline: a) which takes into consideration the subjectivity of the individual case (idiographic approach); b) which refers to a specific method (the clinical method); c) which contemplates a heterogeneous set of techniques (diagnostic and therapeutic). In the evaluation of clinical disorders, starting from descriptive diagnostics, the course will adopt - as a main theoretical reference - the psychoanalytic model, flanked by the contribution of phenomenological psychopathology especially in reference to the area of severe (borderline and psychotic) pathology.

The program is divided into three parts (2h+3h/week):

Part I. The background frame. Definition, method, classification:

• History and definition of clinical psychology (Lectures 1-2)
• The clinical method: diagnosis and language (Lectures 3-4)
• Nosographic classification systems and overview of clinical disorders (Lectures 5-6)

Part II. The clinical core. Description of the main areas of the contemporary clinic (with focus on severe pathologies of borderline and psychotic areas):

• Conflict and anxious-obsessive area (Lectures 7-8-9)
• Trauma and borderline area + focus on self-harm and suicide (Lectures 10-11-12)
• Mood and depressive area (Lectures 13-14-15)
• Consciusness and psychotic area + French perspectives on psychosis (bouffées délirantes and chronic delusional psychoses)  (Lectures 16-17-18)

Part III. Hints of care. Treatment models:

• Overview on different psychotherapeutic treatments for clinical disorders (Lecture 19)
• Once there were asylums: the treatment after Basaglia's law (Lecture 20)

None.

The student will have to demonstrate the acquisition of:

• Knowledge and understanding: mastery of the basic knowledge of clinical psychology and clinical method with particular reference to the specificity of the method in relation to related disciplines.
• Applying knowledge and understanding: the ability to recognize and distinguish which psychopathological elements characterize the different clinical disorders.
• Making judgments: the ability to use knowledge and concepts to initiate clinical reasoning with reference to original material consisting of reports of clinical cases or clinical vignettes.
• Communication skills: the ability to use the specific language for the description of psychopathological and basic clinical phenomena.
• Learning skills: Upon completion of the course, the students will have acquired a good autonomy in the reading of clinical material and in the critical understanding of the complex psychopathological phenomena that can occur in contemporary clinical situations.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

There are no teaching supporting activities.

Teaching

Lectures, seminars, discussions of clinical cases.

Attendance

The frequency of lessons is not mandatory but it is strongly recommended due to the applicative content of the subject, also for the purpose of the exam.

Course books

Gabbard, G.O. (2015). Psichiatria psicodinamica, quinta edizione basata sul DSM-5. Milano: Cortina (chapters to exclude: 4, 5, 6). pp. 495  

Kernberg, O.F & Caligor, E. (2006). “Teoria psicoanalitica dei disturbi di personalità”, in M.F. Lenzenweger, J.F. Clarkin (eds.), I disturbi di personalità. Le principali teorie, seconda edizione (pp. 113-151). Milano: Cortina. pp. 38

Ballerini, A. (2005). Caduto da una stella. Figure della identità nella psicosi. Roma: Fioriti. pp. 110

Borgna, E. (2019). La follia che è anche in noi. Torino: Einaudi. pp. 122   

NB: It is highly recommended to study the Gabbard's manual in parallel with the Mini DSM-5. Diagnostic criteria (APA, Cortina, 2014).

Assessment

Oral exam. 

The evaluation criteria are as follows: 1) relevance and effectiveness of the responses in relation to the contents of the program; 2) degree of articulation of the response; 3) adequacy of the language used.

The final evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (range of scores from a minimum of 18 to a maximum of 30 cum laude).

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

There are no differences with respect to the requirements for attending students.

Attendance

There are no differences with respect to the requirements for attending students.

Course books

There are no differences with respect to the requirements for attending students.

Assessment

There are no differences with respect to the requirements for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

None.