The course guides students to understand and to deepen their knowledge into psychological trauma and its consequences according to the Trauma-Informed-Care paradigm. More specifically, the course facilitates a learning experience based to gain insights into the complexity of trauma, from prevention to treatment. Theories serve to stimulate critical thinking, a vision on different approaches and methods towards a trauma-informed-care perspective. Students will also learn how to address the effect of trauma on organisational culture and functioning, both in the health and social care system and in companies with a multidisciplinary vision integrating policy, Developmental Psychology, Management Sciences and Forensic Psychology. 

The module is articulated as follows:  

Week 1: Origins and development of Psychotraumatology and Emergency Psychology - Lectures introduce students to the history and development of both Psychotraumatology and Emergency Psychology highlighting similarities and differences; 

Week 2: Trauma-Informed- Care and Health and Social Care policies  -  Lectures present the principles of Trauma-Informed-Care stemming from a public health vision of psychological trauma. 

Weeks 3 and 4: Definition of psychological trauma and its impact -  Activities explores the definition of psychological trauma and the applicability into the services.  

Week 5: Traumatic processes  - Lectures focus on traumatic processes, like emotion regulation, dissociation and traumatic memory functioning.  

Weeks 6,7 and 8: Assessment, Intervention and Treatment - Activities focus on diagnostic criteria of trauma-related syndromes according to the major diagnostic classification systems. Furthermore, intervention and treatment principles will be presented along with screening and assessment of trauma.

Students are not requested to compulsorly attend other courses prior to enrolling into this course. 

- knowledge and understanding: theories and models that relevant to the detection, assessment and treatment of psychological trauma and its consequences; familiarity with trauma-informed policies .

- applying knowledge and understanding: ability to use knowledge and ideas to reason on the critical issues in psychotraumatology .

- independent judgement: being able to use knowledge to demonstrate a professional understanding of the scientific material 

- communication skills: ability to communicate with a proper scientific language

- learning skills: ability to read and understand scientific material and to apply correctly to the presented issues .

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

Activities guided by teaching assistants

Teaching

Frontal lectures, case discussion, interactive lab activities

Innovative teaching methods

The classroom as a learning environment to explore how trauma-informed organizations work and function

Attendance

Attendance is not compulsory; however, it is highly recommended.

Course books

1.  SLIDE DELLE LEZIONI;

2.  VOLUMI

a.  Psicotraumatologia

Titolo: Montano, A., & Borzì, R. (2019). Manuale di intervento sul trauma. Comprendere, Valutare e Curare il PTSD Semplice e Complesso. Erikson Edizioni

Capitoli: Capitolo 1: Il trauma come ferita; Capitolo 2: I disturbi dello spettro post-traumatico; Capitolo 3: La neurobiologia del disturbo post-traumatico; Cap 5: La valutazione del paziente traumatizzato; Cap. 6: Oltre lo spettro post-traumatico; Cap 7: L’impatto sulla personalità; Cap 10: La clinica del trauma semplice e complesso

b.  Psicologia dell’emergenza

Titolo: Iacolino, C. (2022). Dall’emergenza alla normalità.Strategie e modelli di intervento nella psicologia dell'emergenza. Milan: Franco Angeli. Capitoli

Capitoli: Capitolo 2: Il primo colloquio in emergenza; Capitolo 3: Il triage psicologico; Capitolo 11: Comunicazione nella crisi; Capitolo 12: Comunicazione nel decesso.

3.  ARTICOLI

1. Acquarini, E., Ardino, V., & Rombaldoni, R. (2022). Developmental Trauma through a Public Health Lens: The Economic Case for the Developmental Trauma Disorder Diagnosis and a Trauma-informed Vision. In Child Abuse and Neglect. IntechOpen.

2.  Ardino, V. (2022). La Stabilizzazione Narrativa Integrata (NASTI): un protocollo basato sulla Terapia dell’Esposizione Narrativa. In Elena Acquarini (a cura di). Stress lavoro-correlato: traiettorie di rischio, resilienza e contesti. Franco Angeli Editore

3. Bargeman, M., Abelson, J., Mulvale, G., Niec, A., Theuer, A., & Moll, S. (2022). Understanding the conceptualization and operationalization of trauma‐Informed care within and across systems: a critical interpretive synthesis. The Milbank Quarterly, 100(3), 785-853.

4. Crocq, M. A., & Crocq, L. (2000). From shell shock and war neurosis to posttraumatic stress disorder: a history of psychotraumatology. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 2(1), 47-55.

5.  Carpiniello, B. (2023). The mental health costs of armed conflicts—a review of systematic reviews conducted on refugees, asylum-seekers and people living in war zones. International journal of environmental research and public health,20(4), 2840.

6.  Siehl, S., Robjant, K., & Crombach, A. (2021). Systematic review and meta-analyses of the long-term efficacy of narrative exposure therapy for adults, children and perpetrators. Psychotherapy Research, 31(6), 695-710.

4.  LETTURE OPZIONALI

1. Beeghly, M. (2024). Toward a multi-level approach to the study of the intergenerational transmission of trauma: Current findings and future directions. Development and Psychopathology, 36(5), 2433-2438.

2.  Dann, P. Preventing and healing developmental trauma.

3. Kearney, B. E., & Lanius, R. A. (2022). The brain-body disconnect: A somatic sensory basis for trauma-related disorders. Frontiers in neuroscience, 16, 1015749.

4.  Kimberg, L., & Wheeler, M. (2019). Trauma and trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed healthcare approaches: A guide for primary care, 25-56.

5. Frosch, C. A., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & O’Banion, D. D. (2021). Parenting and child development: A relational health perspective. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 15(1), 45-59.

6. Olff, M., Amstadter, A., Armour, C., Birkeland, M. S., Bui, E., Cloitre, M., ... & Thoresen, S. (2019). A decennial review of psychotraumatology: what did we learn and where are we going? European journal of psychotraumatology, 10(1), 1672948.

7. Perry, B. D., & Hambrick, E. P. (2008). The neurosequential model of therapeutics. Reclaiming children and youth, 17(3), 38-43 Per gli anni precedenti, gli studenti possono prepararsi sulla bibliografia indicata per il loro anno di corso. 

Per gli anni precedenti, gli studenti possono prepararsi sulla bibliografia indicata per il loro anno di corso. 

Assessment

Written exam: 21 closed questions and 3 open ended questions. 

Students have the possibility of integrating their written exam with a viva discussion if they have obtained a minimum of  21/30 during their written examination)

The final evaluation will be expressed in thirdy/30.

The evaluation criteria will be consistent with the learning objectives and expected outcomes descrbed above for the Course (Dublin Descriptors)

The scores are pointed according to slots listed below:

0-17: insufficient competence level

18-20: sufficient competence level 

21-23: fully sufficient competence level

24-26: good competence level

27-29: very good competence level

30-30 cum laude: excellent competence level

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

Frontal lectures, case discussion, lab activities

Attendance

Attendance is not compulsory; however, it is highly recommended.

Course books

1. Ardino, V. (2024). Il Trauma Psicologico: ricerca, clinica e policy. Carocci Editore. 

2. Ardino, V. (2024). L'approccio trauma-informed. Unicopli Editore

Students who are not attending classes are encouraged to read all additional material - uploaded on Blended Learning Material (video, mock exams, readings) so that they will be able to integrate topics covered during classes. 

Assessment

Written exam: 21 closed questions and 3 open ended questions. 

Students have the possibility of integrating their written exam with a viva discussion if they have obtained a minimum of  21/30 during their written examination)

The final evaluation will be expressed in thirdy/30.

The evaluation criteria will be consistent with the learning objectives and expected outcomes descrbed above for the Course (Dublin Descriptors)

The scores are pointed according to slots listed below:

0-17: insufficient competence level

18-20: sufficient competence level 

21-23: fully sufficient competence level

24-26: good competence level

27-29: very good competence level

30-30 cum laude: excellent competence level

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.

Students may request to write their exam in English