The course in Clinical Psychology aims to provide students with a theoretical and operational framework for understanding psychological distress during developmental age, with a specific focus on the school context. Its main objective is to foster in future teachers a basic clinical sensitivity, enabling them to recognise early signs of emotional and behavioural discomfort in children, to understand the complexity of atypical developmental trajectories, and to carry out their educational role in a conscious, reflective, and collaborative manner in relation to mental health professionals.

Furthermore, the course is designed to enhance students’ critical observation skills, reflection on emotional and relational dynamics within school life, and awareness of the potential contribution that teachers can make in prevention and early intervention processes. Finally, the course seeks to develop communication and interpersonal skills that are essential for engaging with families and local support services, while remaining aware of the boundaries and opportunities of the teaching profession.

1. Introduction to Clinical Psychology and Models of Psychological Development

(Lectures 1–6)
This first part of the course provides the theoretical foundations of clinical psychology, with particular attention to its historical background, major models of psychological development, and systems for the classification of mental disorders. Key concepts such as mental health, developmental risk, and protective factors will also be explored.

2. Developmental Psychopathology: Main Clinical Presentations

(Lectures 7–11)
The second part of the course focuses on the analysis of the main psychopathological disorders in childhood and adolescence. Clinical presentations most frequently encountered in school settings will be discussed, with particular attention to signs of distress and their implications for educational observation.

3. Clinical Observation and the Educational Relationship

(Lectures 12–14)
This section is devoted to the development of teachers’ observational and relational skills. The course will address how to observe problematic behaviours in the classroom, how to interpret signs of distress, how to document observations, and how to reflect on the teacher’s role within the teacher–pupil relationship.

4. Intervention Models and Network Collaboration

(Lecture 15)
This lecture introduces the main evidence-based clinical intervention strategies and explores the role of teachers in prevention and early support, in cooperation with families and local mental health services.

5. Final Remarks

(Lecture 16)
The final lecture will be dedicated to a synthesis of the course contents, discussion of key topics, and guidance for exam preparation.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

1. Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
– demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical foundations of clinical psychology, with specific reference to developmental age;
– understand the main categories of childhood psychopathology according to international classification systems (e.g. DSM-5-TR);
– demonstrate knowledge of the principal aetiopathogenetic models of atypical development and their educational implications;
– recognise and define the concepts of vulnerability, risk and protective factors, psychological distress, and mental disorder.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

Students will be able to:
– apply acquired knowledge to the observation of problematic behaviours in educational contexts;
– interpret signs of psychological distress from a clinical-educational perspective;
– use observation grids and criteria consistent with educational goals;
– construct reasoned arguments to support the need for collaboration with families and support services.

3. Making judgements

Students will be able to:
– independently reflect on child behaviour in light of the clinical knowledge acquired;
– distinguish between transient difficulties and indicators of potential psychopathology;
– assess the possibilities and limitations of their role as teachers in situations involving psychological distress;
– adopt a reflective and informed attitude in managing complex educational situations.

4. Communication skills

Students will be able to:
– appropriately use basic clinical terminology to describe problematic situations;
– communicate clearly and respectfully with families, colleagues, and mental health professionals;
– present observations and evaluations in a coherent and well-documented manner, both in school settings and interdisciplinary contexts.

5. Learning skills

Students will be able to:
– autonomously deepen their understanding of the topics covered, through case studies, readings, and multimedia resources;
– critically reflect on their own formative and professional experiences;
– independently update their knowledge in the field of clinical psychology as applied to educational contexts.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

No supplementary teaching activities are planned.

Teaching

Teaching methods:
Lectures and seminars.
In-class exercises based on the presentation of clinical cases in textual and/or audiovisual format.
Use of learning materials provided on the Moodle platform.

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.

A basic knowledge of psychology and developmental psychology is recommended to facilitate a better understanding of the course materials.

Course books

Trull, T. J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2021). Clinical psychology (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Assessment

The expected learning objectives will be assessed through an oral examination with both theoretical and practical components.
The assessment criteria are as follows:

• relevance and accuracy of the responses in relation to the course content;
• coherence and depth of the answers;
• appropriateness of the language used;
• ability to apply knowledge in practical/operational contexts.

The final grade will be expressed on a scale of thirty.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

To enable non-attending students to compensate through independent study for the material covered during lectures, it is strongly recommended that they make full use of all resources available on the blended learning platform (slides, exercises, supplementary materials), which are particularly helpful for a comprehensive understanding of the course content.

Attendance

There are no differences compared to the requirements for attending students.

Course books

Trull, T. J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2021). Clinical psychology (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Assessment

There are no differences compared to the requirements for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Out-of-course students may follow the syllabus from the academic year in which they attended the course, but they are kindly requested to inform the instructor in advance of the exam.

ERASMUS students may agree on a personalised syllabus with the instructor and may take the exam in either Italian or English.