Health Psychology for clinical and medical contexts

CRISTINA ZUCCHERMAGLIO
FRANCESCA ALBY

The course aims to promote the acquisition of the tools necessary for an aware management of the communicative-relational aspects in the relationship between health professionals and between them and the patient. The acquisition of advanced knowledge about the mechanisms underlying individual and social behavior will be promoted as well as a critical reflection on the emotional and ethical implications of the communication of some diagnoses (e.g. diagnosis of chronic or terminal diseases). Finally, the course also aims to promote knowledge and critical reflection about the relational and communicative methods that favor adherence to treatment

Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding).
Knowing the main theories, interpretative frameworks and main constructs for the analysis of communication and groups in healthcare contexts

Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding).
Analyzing communication events in their 'macro' and 'micro' dimensions; analyzing the functioning of groups in healthcare settings; empirically analyzing social, discursive and material interactions in groups and communicative events; knowing how to use qualitative research methods and tools (ethnographic observation, conversation and discourse analysis) to understand communication phenomena

Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements).
Acquiring the judgment skills through the realization of exercises in which it is necessary to know how to critically evaluate and reinterpret what has been studied and in which it is necessary to use the methodologies learned in a reflective and responsible way

Abilità comunicative (communication skills).
Effectively illustrating what has been learned through small group collaborative activities and by writing reports; knowing how to use different communication media in relation to different activities

Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills).
Knowing how to proceed independently in the acquisition of theoretical, methodological and application knowledge, thanks to the critical discussion of the literature, of the methods and of the group devices illustrated

Prerequisites for the course are a basic knowledge of social psychology of groups and communication. Ability to understand articles in English.

The course deals with the theoretical and methodological foundations of social psychology of groups and communication, deepening the link with different intervention strategies in medical-health contexts. The course is divided into three in-depth modules:
1) Social psychology of groups and communication: theoretical foundations of social psychology of groups and communication; community of practice, social interaction and conversation in healthcare settings and the relevance of organizational and institutional dimensions.
2) The Group as a device for intervention: training / intervention strategies and models for the definition and construction of interventions in the medical-health field.
3) Communication analysis methodologies: socialization in the use of methods and tools (such as ethnographic observation, conversation and speech analysis) for qualitative analysis of communication practices and group interactions in medical-health contexts (e.g. communication doctor-patient; interactions in medical and inter-professional teams).

1) Mantovani, G. (2008) Analisi del discorso e del contest sociale [Anlysis of discourse and social context.] Bologna: Il mulino
2) articles will be made available during the course

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Lectures, data sessions, analysis and discussion of video materials and transcriptions of communicative interactions.

Attendance is strongly recommended given the emphasis placed on classroom analysis and discussion of video materials, interactions, and examples of interventions conducted in health care settings.

For attending students there are two ongoing assessment tests (a written test with open questions and a methodological exercise).
The final grade will be the average of the scores in the two different intermediate tests. In case of failure of one of the tests (or absence), this can be carried out and recovered during the oral exam in the sessions scheduled during the academic year.
For non-attending students, the exam is oral on the texts indicated in the program

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