95545 - Clinician-Patient Relationship

Learning outcomes

Understand key assertive communication and counseling techniques, as well as the emotional responses that may arise within the helping relationship.

Course contents

This course provides an introduction to the foundations of Clinical Psychology, focusing on the main theoretical models of the mind and their relevance to understanding clients and the therapeutic relationship. Particular attention is devoted to the major psychodynamic approaches and their contribution to understanding the relationship between speech and language therapist and client, with a focus on the emotional, relational, and communicative processes that shape clinical practice.

The course examines the main developments in psychodynamic theory, from psychoanalysis and early reflections on hysteria to ego psychology, with particular emphasis on defense mechanisms and processes of adaptation. It then explores object relations theory, including the concepts of the paranoid-schizoid and depressive positions, and self psychology, with a focus on narcissism, the selfobject, and deficit-based psychopathology. Attachment theory is also addressed, including the Strange Situation paradigm, different attachment styles, and the concept of mentalization.

A further focus of the course is the role of diagnosis in Clinical Psychology, with reference to the main systems of psychopathological classification, particularly the DSM-5, as well as Kernberg’s diagnostic model.

The course also introduces key concepts from psychotherapy that are relevant to clinical practice and to the development of an effective therapeutic relationship. These include transference and countertransference, resistance and defense mechanisms, and their implications for communication and relationship management. Particular attention is given to the development of effective and assertive communication strategies.

Overall, the course aims to provide students with the theoretical and conceptual tools needed to understand the psychological and relational dimensions of speech and language therapy. It seeks to foster greater awareness of the interpersonal dynamics that may arise in the therapeutic relationship and of the psychological processes involved in clinical practice.

Readings/Bibliography

No specific textbooks are required for this course. All teaching materials will be provided during the course and will be available through the IOL university platform using your personal username and password.

Teaching methods

The course consists of six four-hour lectures, for a total of 24 hours of teaching. The course content will be presented through the discussion of clinical case examples.

Assessment methods

The assessment is designed to evaluate students’ understanding of the main theoretical models of the mind and their ability to apply these models to understanding and managing the therapeutic relationship between the speech and language therapist and the person receiving care.

The final assessment consists of a 30-minute written examination comprising 31 multiple-choice questions. Each question has four answer options, of which only one is correct.

An interim assessment is also offered once per academic year. The grade obtained in the interim assessment is valid only for the academic year in which the assessment is taken.

Teaching tools

Teaching activities will be supported by multimedia presentations, audiovisual materials, and clinical case studies, with opportunities for discussion and interactive engagement with students.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Lacchini