OVERVIEW

The course aims to facilitate the acquisition of the main theoretical models and methods of developmental clinical psychology by the future teachers, with reference to educational and school contexts and highlighting the specificities for kindergarten and primary schools.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide a framework of developmental clinical psychology. Particular attention will be devoted to the theoretical conceptualizations, clinical methods and the definition of their areas of application, emphasizing especially the school context. The course will focus: on the psychological characteristics of child-teacher relationship and its formative and transformative potential, on the work team in the educational field, and on the analysis of the family both as a risk and protection factor for the children’s welfare. As for the specific objectives related to kindergarten program, the course will aim at developing knowledge and skills related to the multiple symptomatic expressions of suffering in preschoolers and their observation methods. As for the specific objectives related to the primary school program, the course will aim at developing knowledge and skills related to emotional-behavioral problems in school-age children, with particular reference to social and cognitive outcomes.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of Clinical Psychology teaching is to address the main issues of clinical psychology in the developmental field, with particular reference to the following topics:

1. Definition, theoretical models and methods of clinical psychology. The initial part of the course will be dedicated to the definition of clinical psychology as a theoretical-applicative branch of psychology and to the deepening of the main theoretical paradigms of the discipline, with a special focus on their developmental aspects, as well as to the main methods, e.g., observation and interview.
2. Work as a team both in training and educational field. Particular attention will be paid to understanding the psychological dynamics experienced in working teams in organizational frameworks, highlighting both the strengths and weakness of the work team.
3. The models and the analysis methodologies of the family contexts. The course will address both the understanding of the emotional climate experienced in the family as a risk and protection factor for the welfare of children psychological, and the meaning of belonging to different family contexts (eg. migrant families, adoptive families, broken families, etc.) attributed by the children.
4. The assessment of the main symptoms displayed by children at preschool and school age. The initial part of the course will be devoted to the analysis and understanding of the signs of emotional discomfort experienced by children in school contexts and the connections with their limitations of cognitive and socialization skills and performances.

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

1. define clinical psychology in developmental field (knowledge and understanding)
2. acquire adequate knowledge of the main models of clinical psychology in a developmental perspective (knowledge and understanding)
3. recognize the importance of team work and acquire understanding of group dynamics (knowledge and understanding)
4. understand the characteristics of family systems in a developmental perspective, acquire adequate knowledge on typical and atypical family organizations, recognize functional and dysfunctional communication processes in the family (knowledge and understanding)
5. acquire basic knowledge of the main developmental psychopathologies and reflect on the support that the school context can offer in the presence of children with vulnerabilities (making judgements)
6. acquire a basic vocabulary of clinical psychology in order to be facilitated in mutual communication with specialist interlocutors in interdisciplinary contexts (learning skills)
7. examine scientific articles in journals and books and produce a written and oral presentation in team (communication skills)
8. ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form, adaptation of one's communication to the context, use of sources and aids of various kinds (functional alphabetic competence - basic level)
9. ability to manage own social interactions, collaborative attitude, constructive communication in different environments (social competence - basic level)

PREREQUISITES

Required prerequisites: Developmental Psychology exam

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching will be divided into:

1. Lectures with slide presentation
2. Group teaching: the students will be divided into small groups and, after the lessons, will carry out in-depth studies on specific topics of the course using sources and aids of various kinds (e.g., national, and international literature, videos, etc.) and prepare a brief presentation on the work done. On the scheduled dates, each group during the lesson will be asked to give back to the plenary what emerged during the activity in small groups. The teacher, in the position of facilitator, will favor the exchange and the problematization of what emerged with questions and relaunches. Critical and active student participation will be encouraged.
3. Role Playing: simulation activity of teacher-parent interviews, in which a context, roles and tasks of each participant are defined. At the end of the activity there is a sharing phase on how the simulation developed, which has the function of feedback and reflection.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

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

• The complex definition of clinical psychology
• Theoretical paradigms of clinical psychology by developmental perspective
• Knowledge of psychopathology in the educational process
• Team work and the relevance of working in a team group
• The origins of family psychology
• The identity of the family
• Interactive and relational processes in the family
• Family, life cycle and development tasks
• The formation of the couple and the family with young children
• Atypical families: separated/divorced, adoptive, single-parent, same-sex parents, etc.
• Eating disorders in childhood
• Emotional adjustment and attachment disorders
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias in children
• Disorders of mood in children
• Disruptive disorders, impulse control and conduct disorders
• Stress-related disorders and developmental trauma in children

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Study bibliography list for attending students:

1. Zennaro A. (2011). Lo sviluppo della psicopatologia. Fattori biologici, ambientali e relazionali. Il Mulino. For exam: chapters: II, from IV to X, XII and XIV. Read only: I, III, XI, XIII e XV.
2. Pani R., Biolcati R., Sagliaschi S. (2009). Psicologia clinica e psicopatologia per l'educazione e la formazione. Il Mulino. For exam: chapters from I to IV, from VIII to X. Read only: V, VI e VII.
3. Gambini P. (2007). Psicologia della famiglia. La prospettiva sistemico-relazionale. Franco Angeli For exam: Parte I, Part II (only chap. 4, 5 e 6), Part III. Read only: cap. 7, 8 e 9
4. Lecture notes.

Study bibliography list for not attending students:

1. Zennaro A. (2011). Lo sviluppo della psicopatologia. Fattori biologici, ambientali e relazionali. Il Mulino. For exam: chapters: II, from IV to X, XII and XIV. Read only: I, III, XI, XIII e XV.
2. Pani R., Biolcati R., Sagliaschi S. (2009). Psicologia clinica e psicopatologia per l'educazione e la formazione. Il Mulino. For exam: chapters from I to IV, from VIII to X. Read only: V, VI e VII
3. Gambini P. (2007). Psicologia della famiglia. La prospettiva sistemico-relazionale. Franco Angeli For exam: Parte I, Part II (only chap. 4, 5 e 6), Part III. Read only: cap. 7, 8 e 9
4. Siegel D.J & Payne Bryson T. (2011). The Whole Brain Child. 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your’s Child Developing Mind, Survive Everyday Struggles, and Hepl Your Family Thrive. Mind Your Brain and Bryson Creative Productions.

Recommended Reading:

1. Aucouturier B. (2015). Il bambino terribile e la scuola. Raffaello Cortina
2. Granatella V. (2011). Reciproci sguardi. Sistemi migranti e costruzione intersoggettiva di pratiche e saperi. Franco Angeli.
3. Chistolini M. (2006). Scuola e adozione. Linee guida e strumenti per operatori, insegnanti, genitori. Franco Angeli.
4. Salerno A. e Tosto M. (a cura di) (2019). Gli scenari della paternità nella psicologia contemporanea. Franco Angeli

Although most of the course’s books are in Italian, they can be replaced with other texts agreed with the Professor.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CECILIA SERENA PACE (President)

GUYONNE ROGIER

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Tuesday, September 19, 2023, 12 a.m.-2 p.m. in person (first semester).

Lessons will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 12 a.m.-2 p.m., in the presence, unless otherwise indicated by the University.

Class schedule

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam procedure will be in written form with open questions, followed by electronic registration, usually within the next session. The exam will be held in person, unless otherwise indicated by the University in the event of a resurgence of the health emergency.

The evaluation will be expressed out of 30. For passing the exam, the lowest grade will be 18/30 and the highest will be 30/30. In the event of "failure / withdrawal / refusal of grade" in an exam session, students are allowed to repeat the exam in the next session.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam includes open-ended questions regarding the bibliographic material and, only for attending students, topics presented and discussed in classes.

Only for attending students a work in group is scheduled, with an oral presentation in plenary, for which an individual score will be awarded (max 2 points) which will be added to the vote received at the exam.

The professor will consider, with the attending students, the possibility of adding a pre-session exam in the last lesson of the teaching. In this case, the pre-session exam will take place in written form and in person.

The students must be able to demonstrate that they have acquired the contents of teaching, they are able to appropriately managing them, connecting and comparing different clinical constructs in a developmental perspective, as well as they have learned how to communicate them using scientific language and technical terms.

Extraordinary sessions will not be granted outside the periods indicated in the Study Program Regulations.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

TEACHING ASSISTANTS:

The following PhD collaborate in the teaching of Clinical Psychology: Stefania Muzi (email address: stefania.muzi@edu.unige.it).

STUDENTS WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES (SLD), DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN):

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), disability or other Special Educational Needs (SEN) are recommended to contact the professor at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and exam methods which, according to the course’s objectives, take into account the modalities individual learning and provide suitable compensatory tools.

Students must NOT send certifications to the Professor.