Learning objectives
1. Knowledge and understanding
Functioning of cognitive (perception, attention, learning, memory, thought) and motivational (emotion, frustration and stress) processes as base of the dentistry patients behavior. Sleep. Verbal and non-verbal communication. Emotions. Pain representation and modulation. Stress and burnout in health settings.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
Students will be able to apply the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired in dealing with psychological issues within the practice of dentistry. Students will be able to interact with patients, their families, and health care personnel in a courteous, professional, and respectful manner.
3. Independence of judgment. Students will develop critical thinking skills and independent judgment. They will be able to pick up the signals and attitudes, assessing the compliance of patients and knowing how to orient the attitudes and motivations.
4. Communication skills. Students will be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with patients, their families, and members of the health care team. They will be able to obtain a medical history in a culturally competent manner, interpret non-verbal aspects of communication, establishing therapeutic relationships involving cognitive and emotional processes associated with reactions to stress and pain in dentistry patients.
5. Learning ability. Students will be able to contribute to collaborative learning environments, accepting constructive feedback from others and taking personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes. Students will be able to organize the work of a professional team, enhancing the motivation and skills of employees and to adjourn from reliable sources.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
Course of General Psychology 2 CFU
Full programme
Methods of investigation.
The representation of the body
Knowledge of pain. Cortical representation of pain
Anticipation and empathy in the perception of pain
Stress and pain modulation. Pain syndromes.
Sleep and psychological processes
Learning. The paradigms of respondent conditioning and operant conditioning. Systematic desensitization.
Systems and forms of memory.
Non-verbal communication: facial expressions, eye contact, posture. Prosodic and paralinguistic signals.
Understanding and communication of emotions.
Decisions making and human error.
Psychological impact of the disease the medical professional.
Mechanisms and stress responses.
Burnout.
Bibliography
Text book:
Cacciari - Papagno, Psicologia generale e neuroscienze cognitive. Manuale per le professioni medico-sanitarie. Il Mulino (Cap. I, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, XI, XII, XIII).
Teaching methods
The course takes place mainly by means of lectures that will cover the main contents, theoretical models and applied aspects of the discipline. Video tutorial may accompany the lessons. Lectures will be supported from practice for active involvement of students.
Assessment methods and criteria
A mid-term test will be conducted in mid- course. It consist of 3 open-ended questions on the contents to be carried out in 15 lines. The outcome will contribute to the oral examination which will ascertain the attainment of all the objectives of the course. Questions regarding the contents tend to check whether the student has attained a solid foundation of knowledge and a deep understanding of what was discussed. The final evaluation will be derived from the accuracy levels achieved for each training goal corresponding to 6 classes of evaluation (A to F).
Other information
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