LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching of clinical psychology aims to provide a framework of clinical psychology, as regards the main theories and methods of intervention, with a specific focus on psychodynamic framework and attachment theory. Special attention will be given: to reflect on the role of clinical psychologist in different working contexts; to the demand analysis model; to the clinical relationships -from beginning to the end of treatment, to the psychodynamic assessment and to the attachment-based psychotherapies

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at providing students with theoretical and methodological knowledge on Clinical Psychology, its intervention methods and research field. The course will address the main issues of clinical psychology and it will be organized in three parts: 

Ø Part 1: Concepts, definitions and paradigms of Clinical Psychology.

Definition of Clinical Psychology – Theoretical models of motivation – Psychopathology – Intervention techniques – Diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative activities – Psychological intervention in different contexts

Ø Part 2: Assessment of clinical disorders and personality disorders.

Mental functioning - Psychopathological suffering - Affect Regulation - Relational patterns - Developmental issues - Defense mechanisms - Personality organizations – Psychodynamic diagnosis

Ø Part 3: Models and Methodologies of Clinical Intervention. 

Therapeutic relationship - Transference and countertransference – Therapeutic Alliance – Clinical Training -Attachment-based Psychotherapies- Ethical principles and professional ethics

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

1.     to define the clinical psychology and the role of the clinical psychologist in the different contexts of intervention (knowledge and understanding)

2.     understand and reflect on the model of demand analysis (applying knowledge and understanding)

3.     acquire adequate knowledge related to the construction of the clinical relationship, from sending it to its conclusion, to its processes and problems (knowledge and understanding)

4.     acquire adequate knowledge concerning the psychodynamic evaluation and its methodologies (knowledge and understanding)

5.     apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of clinical cases (applying knowledge and understanding)

6.     acquire adequate knowledge concerning attachment-based psychotherapies (knowledge and understanding)

7.     acquire the technical language typical of clinical psychology to communicate with specialists and non-specialists and to orientate oneself in future choices (learning skills)

PREREQUISITES

Required prerequisites: Dynamic Psychology exam. The student must adequately master the concepts of dynamic psychology and have good knowledge of the contributions of the most significant and influential psychoanalysts.

TEACHING METHODS

Combination of traditional lectures in the presence through slides and presentations, also with not academic expert clinical psychologists (if it will be possible), and classroom discussion of clinical cases both in small and large group. 

A critical and active participation of the students will be encouraged.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course program will include the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• The complex definition of clinical psychology
• Analysis of the demand as a model for clinical-psychological practice
• The unconscious in the clinical relationship
• Treat the question of clinical psychology: from sending to the consultation institution
• The "short" psychological-clinical intervention
• The clinical relationship: the therapeutic alliance
• The conclusion of the psychological intervention
• The supervision relationship
• Nosography-descriptive (DSM) and interpretative diagnosis (psychodynamic evaluation)
• Methodologies: the Structural Interview by Kernberg
• The evolutionary levels of personality organization
• Defence mechanisms
• Types of personality organization (psychopathic, narcissistic, schizoid, etc.)
• Attachment in clinical practice
• The trauma and the avoidant client
• Avoiding defences
• Activate the attachment system: challenge the client
• Emotional detachment: the mourning’s avoidance
• Build the therapeutic relationship with the avoidant client: the centrality of empathy
• The treatment of avoidant client

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography list: 

The following books can be also found in English: 

1.     McWilliams N. (1994). La diagnosi psicoanalitica. Tr. it. Astrolabio, 1999, Roma; 

2.     Gabbard G. O. (2005) Introduzione alla psicoterapia psicodinamica. Raffaello Cortina, Milano; 

3.     Muller R.T. (2010). Il trauma e il cliente evitante. Strategie di guarigione basate sull’attaccamento (Trauma and the avoidant client: attachment-based strategies for healing). Giovanni Fioriti, Roma. 

The book written by Italian scholar (Grasso M. (2010). La relazione terapeutica, Il Mulino, Bologna) can be replaced with other text agreed with the Professor.