General aim of the course of Developmental psychopathology is to give students knowledge of the main psychopathological syndromes that occur during childhood and adolescence; the biological, psychological and social risk and protective factors involved in the onset and evolution of the various disorders; of the main preventive and rehabilitative models in school contexts.
The course of Developmental psychopathology aims at achieving the following objectives for students.
In terms of knowledge and understanding:
- to know the interplay among the biological, psychological, and social-contextual aspects of normal and abnormal development across the life span;
- to know the main psychopathological syndromes of childhood and adolescence;
- to know the interplay of multiple risk and protective factors in developmental pathways, including continuity and change;
- to know the main preventive and rehabilitative models in school contexts.
In terms of applying knowledge and understanding:
- to know how to analyze the interplay among the biological, psychological, and social-contextual aspects of normal and abnormal development across the life span;
- to know how to recognize the main psychopathological syndromes of childhood and adolescence;
- to find out the multiple risk and protective factors in developmental pathways.
In terms of making judgements:
- to find connections between psychopathological problems and school situations;
- to evaluate educational innovations in the light of the advancement of research in developmental psychopathology.
In terms of communication skills:
- to acquire the key competences of the teacher for class management based on the recognition of the students' individual characteristics and problems;
- to know how to modulate communicative strategies in the classroom to accept, motivate, support, reinforce and include pupils with difficulties or psychopathological problems.
In terms of learning skills:
- to develop an orientation towards scientific research, both basic and applied, in developmental psychopathology;
- to develop the attitude towards lifelong learning on psychosocial aspects of school adjustment and inclusion of pupils with difficulties or psychopathological problems;
- to develop the interest in training and professional upgrading in the management of psychopathological problems in the school context.
The course of Developmental psychopathology aims at achieving the following objectives for students.
In terms of knowledge and understanding:
- to know the interplay among the biological, psychological, and social-contextual aspects of normal and abnormal development across the life span;
- to know the main psychopathological syndromes of childhood and adolescence;
- to know the interplay of multiple risk and protective factors in developmental pathways, including continuity and change;
- to know the main preventive and rehabilitative models in school contexts.
In terms of applying knowledge and understanding:
- to know how to analyze the interplay among the biological, psychological, and social-contextual aspects of normal and abnormal development across the life span;
- to know how to recognize the main psychopathological syndromes of childhood and adolescence;
- to find out the multiple risk and protective factors in developmental pathways.
In terms of making judgements:
- to find connections between psychopathological problems and school situations;
- to evaluate educational innovations in the light of the advancement of research in developmental psychopathology.
In terms of communication skills:
- to acquire the key competences of the teacher for class management based on the recognition of the students' individual characteristics and problems;
- to know how to modulate communicative strategies in the classroom to accept, motivate, support, reinforce and include pupils with difficulties or psychopathological problems.
In terms of learning skills:
- to develop an orientation towards scientific research, both basic and applied, in developmental psychopathology;
- to develop the attitude towards lifelong learning on psychosocial aspects of school adjustment and inclusion of pupils with difficulties or psychopathological problems;
- to develop the interest in training and professional upgrading in the management of psychopathological problems in the school context.
teacher profile teaching materials
The course will begin with a general overview of the basic principles of developmental psychopathology with some mention of the various forms of assessment and treatment during childhood and adolescence. This will be followed by lectures aimed at acquiring basics on the following clinical pictures using DSM-5 criteria and epidemiological and etiological data from the most recent scientific research:
1. Trauma and Stress Related Disorders (Chapter 14 + slides)
2. Autism Spectrum Disorders (Chapters 5 and 6 + slides)
3. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Chapters 11 + slides)
4. Anxiety Disorders (Chapters 14, 15, 16, 18 + slides)
5. Mood disorders (Chapters 28 , 29 + slides)
6. Intellectual Disability (Chapters 1, 2, + slides)
7. Specific learning disorders and learning disabilities (Chapter 7 + slides)
Programme
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of developmental psychopathology aimed at understanding typical and atypical behaviors during childhood and adolescence. Expected learning outcomes include the ability to identify the individual (biological and psychological) and contextual factors potentially associated with adaptive or maladaptive development. A part of the program is dedicated to early childhood and to childhood educational settings.The course will begin with a general overview of the basic principles of developmental psychopathology with some mention of the various forms of assessment and treatment during childhood and adolescence. This will be followed by lectures aimed at acquiring basics on the following clinical pictures using DSM-5 criteria and epidemiological and etiological data from the most recent scientific research:
1. Trauma and Stress Related Disorders (Chapter 14 + slides)
2. Autism Spectrum Disorders (Chapters 5 and 6 + slides)
3. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Chapters 11 + slides)
4. Anxiety Disorders (Chapters 14, 15, 16, 18 + slides)
5. Mood disorders (Chapters 28 , 29 + slides)
6. Intellectual Disability (Chapters 1, 2, + slides)
7. Specific learning disorders and learning disabilities (Chapter 7 + slides)
Core Documentation
Fabio Celi, Daniela Fontana (2015), Psicopatologia dello Sviluppo. Storie di bambini e psicoterapia. Edizioni McGraw HillType of delivery of the course
The course will include both face-to-face and online lectures. Class discussions on the various clinical pictures will be stimulated. In the case of an extension of the COVID-19 health emergency, all provisions regulating the mode of conduct of teaching activities and evaluation of students will be implemented. In particular, lectures will be conducted in online mode on the Microsoft Teams platform in compliance with the academic calendar.Type of evaluation
The exam includes a written test consisting of 29 multiple-choice questions (no penalty for incorrect answers). Of these 29 questions, 25 questions will be on all aspects of theory and will be worth 1 point, while 4 questions will be on a clinical case and will be worth 1.5 points. The preparation for the exam includes the study of the slides and materials presented in class and of the adopted text (the slides and the materials present more up-to-date scientific data and much of the information presented is not included in the book). In the busiest sessions, students will be divided into shifts that will be communicated in advance on the teacher's bulletin board at the end of the reservation period for the exam. The sufficiency is reached with a score of at least 18 while the maximum score is 30 thirtieths. To this score, a "cum laude" can be added in case the student answers correctly to all 29 questions. Students who need to integrate only 2, 3, or 4 cfu will also have to answer 29 questions on the material indicated in the appropriate section of the teaching syllabus (Programma dell'insegnamento). In the case of an extension of the COVID-19 health emergency, all provisions regulating the manner in which teaching activities and student evaluation are carried out will be implemented. PREVIOUS PROGRAM Students who matriculated before 2019 have the right to bring the previous teacher's syllabus to the exam. In this case, the examination will be in oral form. CFU Integrations. The program for those who need to integrate 2, 3, or 4 CFUs will focus on specific clinical disorders. Students will be expected to integrate information from the reference text and lectures presented in class. To integrate 2 CFUs, students will focus on 1. Autistic disorders 2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder To integrate 3 CFUs, students will focus on 1. Autistic disorders 2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 3. Intellectual Disability To integrate 4 CFUs, students will focus on 1. Autistic disorders 2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 3. Intellectual Disability 4. Mood disorders