Health Psychology for clinical and medical contexts

Activity type

Psicologia dinamica e clinica

SSD

M-PSI/08

Year

2nd year

Semester

2nd semester

CFU

3

Hours distribution

36 laboratory hours

Lecturers

CRISTINA OTTAVIANI

Activity type

Psicologia dinamica e clinica

SSD

M-PSI/08

Year

2nd year

Semester

2nd semester

CFU

3

Hours distribution

36 laboratory hours

Lecturers

FEDERICA MAZZUCA

Activity type

Attività formative affini o integrative

SSD

MED/11

Year

2nd year

Semester

2nd semester

CFU

2

Hours distribution

16 classroom hours

Lecturers

LEONARDA GALIUTO

Activity type

Attività formative affini o integrative

SSD

MED/06

Year

2nd year

Semester

2nd semester

CFU

2

Hours distribution

16 classroom hours

Lecturers

ANDREA CHIRICO

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
-Applying knowledge and understanding
-Making judgements
-Communication skills


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
Teaching objectives:
The logic of an integrated approach to clinical medicine in clinical oncology


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
Know the basics of the interaction between cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, and psychiatric illnesses.
Know how to approach to the cardiovascular patient according to his/her personality structure and his/her psychological functioning.
Know how to pay attention to possible cardiovascular symptoms in people with mental disorders and psychiatric illnesses.


Module: Oncologic diseases lab
Expected results for the course:

Knowledge and understanding: Students by the end of the course should have gained knowledge and understanding of the psychological aspects of cancer, including its impact on patients, families and healthcare professionals. They should also understand the various psychological interventions used in cancer treatment (e.g. mindfulness, virtual reality, DBT for cancer).

Cognitive skills and problem solving: at the end of the course students will have developed critical thinking skills in order to evaluate the need and the typologies of various psychological interventions used in oncology. They should also develop problem solving skills in order to understand adaptation and development of appropriate psychological interventions as appropriate.

Practical Skills: Upon completion of the course, students will develop skills related to conducting psychological assessments, designing and implementing psychological interventions, and will be able to provide psychological support to patients, families and healthcare professionals.

General transferable skills: The knowledge and practical skills provided throughout the course will enable students to develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and teamwork, which are applicable in many healthcare settings as well as oncology.

Autonomy and Accountability: Students will be expected to take responsibility for their own learning, develop independent research skills, and demonstrate initiative in the development and implementation of psychological interventions.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Upon completion of the course, which will see numerous practical applications, students are expected to develop communication skills with patients, families and healthcare professionals, as well as develop the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
The prerequisites concern the basic notions of psychophysiology (e.g., autonomic nervous system), critical understanding skills and a good level of motivation to learn and work in a team.


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
N/D
Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
None

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
The first part of the course will address the role played by individual differences concerning the patient (e.g., motivation, personality traits) and the characteristics of the physician (e.g., expectations, communication) in determining the placebo and nocebo effects; the psychophysiology of the cardiovascular system will also be studied in depth, in particular in response to stressful conditions.
In the second part of the course, the evidence-based techniques for the promotion of health in people with essential arterial hypertension will be examined, as well as the biofeedback protocols applied to cardiovascular disorders. The practical activities will consist of group exercises for the development of the following skills: ability to design programs for the prevention of cardiovascular disorders, develop evidence-based protocols for the promotion of health in individuals diagnosed with a cardiovascular disorder, write a psychophysiological report, implement a biofeedback intervention for essential hypertension.


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
Plan:
Clinical case Breast neoplasm. Role of radiotherapy in breast cancer. Diagnostic-therapeutic integration in breast medicine. Diagnostic cytopathology in breast Ca. Ca breast: medical therapy.
Tumors of the esophagus. Ca esophagus: medical therapy. Ca esophagus: radiotherapy.
Stomach tumors. Ca stomach: medical therapy. Ca stomach: radiotherapy. Role of Cytology in gastrointestinal tumors.
Simultaneous care in oncology.
Colorectal tumors. Ca rectum: medical therapy. Ca rectum: radiotherapy. Colorectal metastases. The interventional radiologist's point of view.
Liver failure. Tumors of the anal canal: radiotherapy
Exocrine pancreas tumors. Ca exocrine pancreas: medical therapy. Ca pancreas: radiotherapy
Lung tumors. Lung tumors: medical therapy. Lung tumors: radiotherapy


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
1. The relationship between mental health, cardiovascular health, and cardiovascular disease.

2. Cardiovascular risk factors associated with mental health in individuals with known cardiovascular disease. Anatomy and Physiology of the Heart. Electrocardiogram

3. Ischemic heart disease.

4. Valvulopathies. Congenital heart disease.

5. Depression and Heart.

6. Psychological intervention in cardiovascular rehabilitation.

7. Takotsubo Syndrome and Mind-Heart Relationships.

8. Gender Cardiology.

In-depth study of topics of interest to students, if requested



Module: Oncologic diseases lab
- Oncological patient and caregiver's psychological, social, and caring dynamics.
- Evaluation and assessment instruments.
- Main support intervention along the treatment stages.
- Use of new technologies in psycho-oncology.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
The reference teaching material consists of the collection of slides and articles published in the e-learning page of the course.
Stegagno, L. (2020). Il cuore psicologico. Psicofisiologia cardiovascolare. Carocci


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
teaching material in power point


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
International literature will be indicated during the class lessons.


Module: Oncologic diseases lab
Study material will be provided in class.


Suggested reading for more in-depth study: Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz, Marsha M. Linehan, 2021, Coping with Cancer. DBT Skills to Manage Your Emotions--and Balance Uncertainty with Hope

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
N/D
Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
More in-depth material will be indicated during the lessons.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
The course is composed by lectures, classroom exercises, and observation of interviews in the clinic at the Operating Unit of "Non-invasive Cardiology Diagnostics" of the Sant'Andrea Hospital in Rome.


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
face-to-face teaching and laboratory


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
Classes will be held in person.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
Compulsory. In case of impossibility to attend regularly in person, students are invited to follow the lesson through the material regularly made available on the e-learning page of the course.


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
mandatory


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
Attendance is mandatory.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
The number of exam sessions and their timing are established by the didactic calendar.
The exam is oral with open questions related to teaching materials and power-point presentations made available through e-learning. The duration of the test will be approximately 30 minutes. The final grade will be established on the basis of the critical reasoning skills acquired by the student during the course and knowledge relating to the main theoretical and application models in the field of cardiovascular psychophysiology. Honors will be awarded to students who show both skills just described.


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
oral examination


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
The candidate will be required to produce a written paper on a clinical case of a patient with cardiovascular disease and mental disorder and discuss possible therapeutic strategies.


Module: Oncologic diseases lab
During the lessons and at the end of the course students will be asked to develop small projects related to the topics addressed. The final evaluation will be based on these works.

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
Why is heart rate variability considered an index of flexibility and adaptation to the environment?


Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
questions regarding program and laboratory activity


Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
Describe the conceptualization of Borderline disorder according to the author of the text "Facing cancer. Managing emotions with DBT" (Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz , Marsha M. Linehan)

Module: Laboratory of health promotion in cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Laboratory of health promotion in oncologic diseases
N/D
Module: Cardiovascular diseases
N/D
Module: Oncologic diseases lab
N/D