CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY M - Z
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: PASQUALE CAPONNETTOExpected Learning Outcomes
The objectives of the course are to acquire appropriate skills on basic constructs and methods of clinical psychology and their application in the field of prevention, psychodiagnostic process and psychological interventions in the clinical field. Knowledge of functional and dysfunctional adaptation mechanisms, the genesis of existential difficulties linked to critical or psychopathological conditions and bio-psycho-social factors that intervene in cognitive, affective and behavioral processes will be deepened. The course also includes the acquisition of the main methods and tools for psychological and neuropsychological clinical evaluation (interview or clinical interview, observation, questionnaires and tests) and intervention models in clinical psychology according to the objectives (health promotion, counselling, support, rehabilitation, therapy) in the different application contexts and related methods of empirical verification of the effectiveness of interventions, as well as the ethical and deontological dimension in the psychological-clinical field.
At the end of teaching, the student will acquire the knowledge and method necessary to work in the field of clinical psychology and skills related to specific assessments and interventions. Will have acquired knowledge of the different topics covered by the lectures and will understand the connection between theoretical approaches, research results, tools and treatment design. You will be able to compare different approaches, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical orientations. The student will acquire the skills to intervene with specific clinical-psychological tools at individual, interpersonal and group level in the fields of application of clinical psychology.
Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Textbook Information
M.C. Verrocchio (a cura di). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023
Casu, M., Triscari, S., Battiato, S., Guarnera, L., & Caponnetto, P. (2024). AI Chatbots for Mental Health: A Scoping Review of Effectiveness, Feasibility, and Applications. Applied Sciences, 14(13), 5889. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135889 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/13/5889Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theoretical models and constructs of clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 2 | Adaptation, risk factors and psychopathology in the life cycle | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 3 | Psycho-physiological and psycho-biological factors of vulnerability | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 4 | Neuroscience and clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 5 | Methodology and research designs in clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 6 | Diagnostic process | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 7 | Assessment methods and tools in clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 8 | Cognitive and neuropsychological evaluation in clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 9 | Diagnostic classification systems | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 10 | Elements of psychopathology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 11 | Process and trajectories of clinical psychological intervention | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 12 | Psychological counselling | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 13 | Telepsychology and artificial intelligence in clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 14 | Empirical verification of interventions | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 15 | Ethics and professional deontology in the field of clinical psychology | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 16 | Psychological intervention in health and third sector settings | M.C. Verrocchio (edited by). Manuale di Psicologia Clinica. Piccin, Padova, 2023 |
| 17 | AI Chatbots for Mental Health: A Scoping Review of Effectiveness, Feasibility, and Applications. | Casu, M., Triscari, S., Battiato, S., Guarnera, L., & Caponnetto, P. (2024). AI Chatbots for Mental Health: A Scoping Review of Effectiveness, Feasibility, and Applications. Applied Sciences, 14(13), 5889. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135889 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/13/5889 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The evaluation will consist of a written test. It will be a moment of verification of the route taken. It is required to master the discipline, to grasp the interdependencies between the different themes, to demonstrate the ability to organize technical knowledge according to specific objectives.
The evaluation criteria are based on:
- acquisition of the main models and theoretical approaches of clinical psychology of ageing;
- competence in the use of specialist vocabulary.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Theories and constructs (models: psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, systemic-family relational, humanistic-experiential)
Case formulation
The therapeutic relationship
Causality and risk factors and psychopathology across the life cycle (models: traits, environmental, diathesis-stress, biopsychosocial)
Psychophysiological and psychobiological vulnerability factors
Neuroscience and mind-brain connectivity
Quantitative and qualitative research methods and designs
Diagnostic process in clinical psychology
Assessment, cognitive evaluation, and clinical neuropsychological assessment
Validation of assessment instruments
Diagnostic classification systems (PDM-2, DSM-5-TR, ICD-11, HiTOP, RDoC)
Mood disorders
Anxiety disorders and OCD
Somatization disorders
Trauma and related disorders
Trauma-related disorders Addiction, Conduct, and Impulse Control
Psychopathy and Antisocial Behavior
Schizophrenia
Personality Disorders
Nutrition and Eating Disorders
Sexual Behavior Disorders
Chronic Illness and Mental Health
Phases of Clinical Intervention
Psychological Counseling
Internet and Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Psychology
Empirical Verification of Interventions
Ethics and Professional Deontology
Intervention in Healthcare and the Third Sector