Learning objectives
To provide a basic knowledge of investigation methodologies in clinical psychology.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the biological basis of human behaviour and a good background in general and developmental psychology. <br />
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Aims: <br />
- to provide the basics of the main techniques in psychological testing evaluation in clinical psychology and psychopathology from a multi-dimensional point of view and with special emphasis on clinical diagnoses in psychopathology, neuropsychology and psychophysiology <br />
- to provide the historical and cultural basis of categorical diagnoses according to the most widespread international classification systems in psychopathology (DSM) <br />
- to examine patient evaluation strategies from a multimodal diagnosis viewpoint. Methods and techniques for the analysis of behavioural, emotional, cognitive, physiological and relational disorders in people will be proposed. Instruments for a full understanding of human behaviour, also from a differential diagnosis point of view, will be supplied as well as instruments for the planning and evaluation of treatment <br />
- the main concepts in psychophysical evaluation of stress-related disorders will be provided. <br />
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Course unit content
The course will offer an understanding of the theory and knowledge of procedures and the main tools in psychological evaluation in the clinical/medical fields. A reference model of theoretical approaches to psychological evaluation will be illustrated first hand and its key concepts will be outlined: <br />
multidisciplinary, multimodality and multidimensional. Particular attention will be paid to the main areas of psychological investigation: the seriousness of the problem, the level of suffering and motivation, the complexity of the problem, the capacity to collaborate or oppose and the coping strategy. In relation to the above, the course will provide information on the psychodiagnostic procedures which are useful for in-depth examinations, i.e. psychological interviews, psychophysical evaluation and psychological testing. In relation to psychological testing, the most important instruments and psychometric aspects, i.e. standardization, reliability and validity, will be considered. <br />
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Bibliography
Hansell J e Damour L., Abnormal Psychology, Wiley , NY, 2005 <br />
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Pruneti C., Psicopatologia del comportamento alimentare, S. Croce, Parma, 2005. <br />
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Pruneti C., Disturbi dell'integrazione mente-corpo e loro valutazione, Ed. E TS, Pisa, 2° ed., Pisa.1999. <br />
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Carlson, Fisiologia del Comportamento, Piccin, Padova. <br />
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Mangiaracina e coll., I Disturbi alimentari e ponderali i medicina, chirurgia e psicologia, CLUEB Bologna, 2006 <br />
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Pruneti C., Baracchini Muratorio G., Stati depressivi nel bambino e nell'adolescente e loro valutazione, Ed. ETS, Pisa.1996. <br />
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Sanavio E., Cornoldi C. (2001).'Psicologia clinica' Mulino, Bologna. <br />
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Ekkehard O., L’intervista clinica con il DSM-IV-TR, Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2004. <br />
