2022/2023

2023/2024

DM270

M-PSI/08 (CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

PSYCHOLOGY

PERCORSO COMUNE

2°

(20/09/2023 - 12/01/2024)

6

36 lesson hours

Italian

WRITTEN AND ORAL TEST

DI LORENZO MAURO - 6 ECTS

There are no specific prerequisites.
Basic clinical psychology competence is recommended to better
understand the clinical vignettes discussed. The Test and measurement methods course is a useful introduction to this course.

The Testing and psychodiagnosis course is designed to provide skills
related to the principles of psychological diagnosis and the
implementation of the psychodiagnostic process in clinical practice.
Upon completion of the course, students will be expected to
demonstrate:
- knowledge and understanding of different approaches to psychological
diagnosis;
- knowledge, critical understanding of the principles underlying case
formulation (in adulthood and developmental age);
- practical ability to integrate their understanding of testing and
diagnostic assessment within the clinical setting;
- ability to communicate the topics covered in the course using the
vocabulary of the discipline.

The course explores the diagnostic process in clinical psychology,
providing an overview of the main theoretical and practical issues related
to case formulation. In particular, we will study in-depth:
- the concept of psychological diagnosis and case formulation;
- differences between a descriptive and a dimensional approach;
- areas of functioning in clinical evaluation;
- diagnosis according to different theoretical approaches
(psychodynamic, cognitive, systemic);
- integration of tools in case formulation (tests, clinical reasoning,
subjectivity);
- writing of the psychological assessment report;
- case formulation: for whom, when, and how.
The course will also provide information about the specificities of case
formulation in the developmental age and forensic psychology.
Students will also work with the aid of clinical cases to encourage
discussion and reasoning.

Following the University Guidelines, the course for the academic year
2021/2022 can be attended in person, granted no other sanitary
restrictions are in place. All course materials will be available on KIRO.
Lectures, presentation of clinical cases, and in-depth work on specific
areas of investigation for small groups.
During the course extra materials will be provided as mandatory study
materials for the final exams (scientific articles, literature reviews).

The course bibliography is identical for attendees and non-attendees.
For the written and oral part of the exam:
• Abbate, Andraos (2019). Scrivere la relazione psicodiagnostica.
Raffaello Cortina, Milano
• Dazzi, Lingiardi, Gazzillo (2009). La diagnosi in psicologia clinica.
Raffaello Cortina, Milano (chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12)
• Materiali di approfondimento forniti a lezione (slides, scientific articles)
Only for the oral part of the exam, choose and read one of the following:
- Mc Williams (1999). La diagnosi psicoanalitica. Astrolabio, Roma.
- Finn, S. E. (2009). Nei panni dei nostri clienti: teoria e tecniche
dell'assessment terapeutico. Giunti Organizzazioni Speciali
- Westen, D. (2005). Diagnosi di personalità e formulazione del caso: due
processi o uno?” Barron, J.W. (a cura di) Dare un senso alla diagnosi.
Milano: Raffaello Cortina.

The examination will consist of open questions test and a subsequent oral
test