The course aims to explore interpersonal, family, and intercultural relations through a psycho-social perspective. In particular, the aim is to provide the basic elements for understanding the reality related to different relational contexts (couple and family), taking into account the aspects that are specific to different cultural realities.

The course will address aspects related to family identity and its transformations over time, examining the contribution and evolution of different theoretical approaches to the study of the family. Relational dynamics in the main critical transitions of the family will be examined in depth: the construction of the couple realtionship, the birth and evolution of the parental bond, peculiar forms of parenting, the detachment of children, the transition to adulthood and the transition of the last age of life. In dealing with the study of these transitions, special attention will be paid to intercultural aspects. Essential aspects concerning the methodology of research on the family and interpersonal processes and dynamics will also be explored. Finally, some possible operational implications of these issues will be discussed.

Specifically, the programme will be structured as follows:

TOPIC 1. Introduction to the social psychology of the family

•     Representations of the family
•     The scientific study of the family
•     Changes in the family over time

TOPIC 2. Family identity and change

•     Family as a group/Family as a system
•     Stress and Coping Theory /Family Developmental Theory
•     Models of family functioning

TOPIC 3. Relational-symbolic model

•     Key points of the model
•     Transitions, critical events, development tasks

TOPIC 4. Family transitions

•     Transition to the couple covenant: goal, developmental tasks
•     Parental bonding and its transitions: goals, developmental tasks
•     Peculiar transitions: separated/ recomposed/ adoptive/ foster/ immigrant families
•     Recent transitions (child separation, old age)

TOPIC 5. Applied aspects of the social psychology of the family

•     Emerging themes in the social psychology of the family
•     Family research methodology and family interventions

No propaedeuticity.

To pass the exam, students must:

(a) Knowledge and understanding: Know and critically describe the main theories on the family and the main family dynamics that accompany different normative and non-normative transitions (with particular attention to the cultural context).

b) Applied knowledge and understanding: Demonstrate the ability to use knowledge and concepts to reason according to the logic of the psychological discipline.

c) Autonomy of judgement (making judgements): Demonstrate the ability to independently integrate one's own knowledge and develop a critical spirit.

d) Communication skills: To be able to explain theoretical concepts effectively and clearly. Acquire the technical language of the discipline.

e) Learning skills: To be able to identify the main objectives of family transitions and the developmental tasks associated with them (with particular attention to the cultural context), developing basic competences for research and intervention with families going through such transitions.

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

• Classroom exercises.
• Viewing of films.
• Integrated digital teaching (uploading of materials on the Moodle > Blended Learning platform).

Teaching

• Frontal lectures.   
• Classroom exercises.
• Viewing of films.
• Integrated digital teaching (uploading of materials on the Moodle > Blended Learning platform).

Innovative teaching methods

• Use of the Wooclap interactive platform to stimulate active participation;
• Use of the practice of debate, problem-based learning, and learning by doing to address certain course topics and facilitate the development of critical thinking.

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.

Course books

• Scabini, E., & Iafrate, R. (2019). Psicologia dei legami familiari. il Mulino.
• Fruggeri, L. (2018). Famiglie d’oggi. Quotidianità, dinamiche e processi psicosociali. Carocci Editore
• Accordini, M., Giuliani. C., & Gennari, M. (2018). Migration as a challenge to couple relationships: The point of view of Muslim women. Societies. 8(4),120. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8040120 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Brooks, J. E., & Lynch, J. (2019). Partnering across race. In R. N. Roy & A. Rollins (Eds.), Biracial families: Crossing boundaries, blending cultures, and challenging racial ideologies (pp. 61–79). Springer [the PDF of this chapter can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Cerchiaro, F. (2022). ‘When I told my parents I was going to marry a Muslim…’: Social perception and attitudes towards intermarriage in Italy, France and Belgium. Social Compass, 69(3), 329-346. https://doi.org/10.1177/00377686221084681 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Crippen, C., & Brew, L. (2007). Intercultural parenting and the transcultural family: A literature review. The Family Journal, 15(2), 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480706297783 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Roy, R. N. (2019). Transition to parenthood. In R. N. Roy & A. Rollins (Eds.), Biracial families: Crossing boundaries, blending cultures, and challenging racial ideologies (pp. 105-127). Springer [the PDF of this chapter can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Roy, R. N., James, A., Brown, T. L., Craft, A., & Mitchell, Y. (2020). Relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood among interracial couples: An integrative model. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 12(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12365 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• The course slides, made available on the Moodle > Blended Learning platform, are an integral part of the examination material.

Assessment

The examination consists of a 45-minute written test comprising three open questions. The open questions are designed to specifically ascertain the student's preparation in specific areas relating to interpersonal, family, and intercultural relations. Furthermore, they will allow to assess the ability to critically reason about the acquired knowledge.

The final mark is expressed in thirtieths and is determined by the following scale:

•     less than 18: insufficient level of competence.
•     18-20: sufficient level of competence.
•     21-23: fully sufficient level of competence.
•     24-26: good level of competence.
•     27-30: very good level of competence.
•     30 cum laude: excellent level of competence.

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

Individual study.

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.

Course books

• Scabini, E., & Iafrate, R. (2019). Psicologia dei legami familiari. il Mulino.
• Fruggeri, L. (2018). Famiglie d’oggi. Quotidianità, dinamiche e processi psicosociali. Carocci Editore
• Accordini, M., Giuliani. C., & Gennari, M. (2018). Migration as a challenge to couple relationships: The point of view of Muslim women. Societies. 8(4),120. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8040120 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Brooks, J. E., & Lynch, J. (2019). Partnering across race. In R. N. Roy & A. Rollins (Eds.), Biracial families: Crossing boundaries, blending cultures, and challenging racial ideologies (pp. 61–79). Springer [the PDF of this chapter can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Cerchiaro, F. (2022). ‘When I told my parents I was going to marry a Muslim…’: Social perception and attitudes towards intermarriage in Italy, France and Belgium. Social Compass, 69(3), 329-346. https://doi.org/10.1177/00377686221084681 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Crippen, C., & Brew, L. (2007). Intercultural parenting and the transcultural family: A literature review. The Family Journal, 15(2), 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480706297783 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Roy, R. N. (2019). Transition to parenthood. In R. N. Roy & A. Rollins (Eds.), Biracial families: Crossing boundaries, blending cultures, and challenging racial ideologies (pp. 105-127). Springer [the PDF of this chapter can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].
• Roy, R. N., James, A., Brown, T. L., Craft, A., & Mitchell, Y. (2020). Relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood among interracial couples: An integrative model. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 12(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12365 [the PDF of this article can be downloaded from Moodle > Blended Learning].

To allow non-attending students to compensate for what is done during the lectures by self-study, it is recommended that they make use of all the materials posted on the Moodle > Blended Learning platform (slides, tutorials, supplementary material) as they are beneficial for fully understanding the content of the program.

Assessment

The examination consists of a 45-minute written test comprising three open questions. The open questions are designed to specifically ascertain the student's preparation in specific areas relating to interpersonal, family, and intercultural relations. Furthermore, they will allow to assess the ability to critically reason about the acquired knowledge.

The final mark is expressed in thirtieths and is determined by the following scale:

•     less than 18: insufficient level of competence.
•     18-20: sufficient level of competence.
•     21-23: fully sufficient level of competence.
•     24-26: good level of competence.
•     27-30: very good level of competence.
•     30 cum laude: excellent level of competence.

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.