Clinical psychology
Class: LM-51 - Psychology
A course that deals with the study of theory and methodology related to psychopathology, psychodiagnostics, counselling, health psychology, neuropsychology, psychosomatics, rehabilitation, and psychotherapy. Thanks to practical exercises in well-equipped laboratories and internship activities, students will be able to study the risk factors and pathogenic mechanisms of mental and psychosomatic disease. Students will study models for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and the evaluation of effective interventions. The objective for students will be the promotion and maintenance for well-being which cannot merely be dismissed as an absence of disease. Students can pursue careers in both private and public domains where interventions are aimed at preventing or recovering both mental and physical well-being, as well as in rehabilitation centres the help patients adapt to new living conditions due to disease or trauma.
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Characteristics and objectives
Pursuant to Law no. 163 of 8 November 2021 and subsequent implementation decrees, the holders of a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology are qualified to work as professional psychologists in Italy.Master graduated in Clincal psychology are licensed to practice psychology (after the subscription to the board of psychologists). The training offered in the second cycle degree course of Clinical Psychology is grounded on application and extension of the principles of evidence based psychology to the clinical psychology domains. This ranges from the study of risk factors for the development of psychological, psychiatric and psychosomatics disorders, to the development of preventive, diagnostic, consultation and treatment models (including the evaluation of treatments efficacy). This educational framework is based on the necessity for Clinical Psychologists to operate in agreement to evidence-based paradigms. This framework also includes health psychology, psychophysiology, emotional regulation. Particular attention is devoted to wellbeing promotion, which cannot be considered the mere absence of illness. The Course is based on a strong theoretical preparation involving the fields of experimental psychology, methodology, cognitive and behavioral psychology, neuroscience and clinical psychophysiology, psychopathology, psychodiagnostic, counseling, health psychology and psychological interventions (including both psychotherapy and psychological rehab). The training program also includes practical exercises and labs (with clinical research facilities) and internship. The internship can be done within the University facilities and in qualified public or private institutions active in the Clinical Psychology field according to the rules for the professionalizing internship embedded in the master programs. A particular spotlight is dedicated to the Clinical Psychology facilities belonging to the National Health Care System. The aim of the internship is aimed to prepare the student to apply clinical psychology protocols in a 'real- world' working context.
Occupational opportunities
After the psychology board qualification, the straightforward career opportunity for the Master graduated student is working in clinical psychology field. Typically, Clinical Psychologist works in public and private clinical facilities and performs (alone or in a multi- disciplinary equipe) specific interventions aimed to protect or restore mental and physical health. The clinical psychologist is involved in structured multi- disciplinary clinical protocols aimed at counceling, clinical evaluation, rehabilitation and treatment of patients with psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders. Such protocols are typically performed in public facilities although similar approaches can be pursued in private institutions as well. Clinical psychologist also works to promote psychological readjustment after major life events and changes in life conditions (e.g., trauma, diseases etc.). In this context the clinical psychologist fosters compliance and resilience and promotes coping strategies to increase healthy behaviors and to reduce the risk of mental and somatic disorders. Clinical psychologists when working in clinical or research facilities may also develop research programs typically aimed at validating new diagnostic and therapeutic protocols or at highlighting the affective, cognitive, behavioral, biological and social mechanisms involved in the genesis of mental and psychosomatic disorders. Finally, after a residency school, clinical psychologist can practice psychotherapy both in public institutions and within a private practice.
