73331 - MODELLI E TECNICHE D'INTERVENTO NEI SERVIZI DI COMUNITÀ

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will know: - the main theories about social distress and drug addiction; - the main socio-psychological theoretical models of educational intervention in a systemic and contextualist approach; - the socio-psychological conditions for designing residential cares based on the concept of everyday life; - how assessing and monitoring the processes and the outcomes of the residential care.

Course contents

The course uses the Developmental Psychopathology and the Ecological Theory of Bronfenbrenner as theoretical paradigms useful to analyze and understand the mechanisms that, starting from childhood, can lead to behavioral or mental health problems in adulthood. The theme of ineffectiveness and damage caused by institutionalizing interventions will be discussed, illustrating how everyday life (routine, rituals and rules) should be intentionally designed and used in an educational and therapeutic key depending on the characteristics and the objectives to be achieved with the specific clients of residential interventions (children victims of neglect or maltreatment, unaccompanied foreign minors, subjects with drug addiction problems etc.).
On the basis of these notions the specificity of the three levels of design inherent in the interventions will be treated: the community project, the framework project and the individualized educational project. The ecological theory is finally proposed as a conceptual framework useful for thinking, implementing and monitoring residential work, highlighting the quality indicators and the conditions under which these interventions can lead to positive results for the people in charge.

Readings/Bibliography

The following texts are required:

EVERYDAY LIFE:

• Emiliani F. (2008) La realtà delle piccole cose, Bologna: Il Mulino. Only chapters IV, V, VI

CHILDREN RESIDENTIAL CARE:

• Pedrazza (2010). Pratiche educative e processi psicologici. Carocci. Please note, for an adequate understanding of the text, it is necessary to know attachment theory, which is its theoretical framework.
• Secchi, G. (2015). Lavorare con le famiglie nelle comunità per minori. Edizioni Centro Studi Erickson.
  
• Bastianoni, P., & Taurino, A. (2009). Le comunità per minori. Modelli di formazione e supervisione clinica, Carocci, Roma. Only chapters 1 and 2.
  
• Palareti, L., Berti, C., & Bastianoni, P. (2007). Valutare le comunità residenziali per minori: la costruzione di un modello ecologico. Psicologia della salute, (2006/1) (free download from the course website).
• Bastianoni, P., Zullo, F., & Taurino, A. (2012). La ricerca-intervento come processo formativo nelle comunità per minori: l'esperienza in un contesto residenziale per adolescenti. Psicologia clinica dello sviluppo, 16(1), 133-144 (free download from the course website).
• Ciriello M. (2016) La progettazione educativa partecipata. In Bastianoni, Ciriello e Fucili (a cura di), Comuni_care in comunità per minori. Edizioni Junior, gruppo Spaggiari, pag 129-147 (free download from the course website).

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTS:

• Coletti, M. Grosso, L. (2011) La comunità terapeutica. Ed Gruppo Abele. Do parts II and III. Part I, relating to historical development, can be read at the choice of the student who must in any case study the summary available on the online platform.
  

ERASMUS STUDENTS:

International students must contact the professor to agree on the study materials and examination method. This usually involves writing a 10-page essay (12-point font, double-spaced) in Italian or English.

The proposed theme is: "What principles and key elements make  residential care for children an effective protective intervention for children and adolescents removed from their families?"

The essay topic may be modified based on the student's interests, in consultation with the professor.

Students must submit their essays via email at least seven days before the oral exam, which will consist of a discussion to clarify or deepen the concepts presented in the essay. The date of the oral exam will be agreed upon via email.

The grade will be based on the quality of the essay and the student's demonstrated mastery of the topic.

Students may consult scientific bibliography in Italian, English, or their native language and must correctly cite all sources.

The following texts may be useful:

• Whittaker, J. K., Holmes, L., del Valle, J. F., & James, S. (Eds.). (2023). Revitalizing residential care for children and youth: Cross-national trends and challenges. Oxford University Press.
• Whittaker, J. K., Del Valle, J. F., & Holmes, L. (2015) Therapeutic Residential Care for Children and Youth. Exploring Evidence-informed International Practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Teaching methods

Classes will be interactive much as possible, encouraging students to partecipate by discussing concrete situations.

Slides and further documents illustrating the theoretical concepts covered will be made available on the course website.

Assessment methods

Written exam with three open questions (1 hour and a half of time).

International students may have an oral examination in english.

Teaching tools

Classes will be conducted with the help of PowerPoint slides to illustrate concepts and research data. Videos and written documents will be proposed to stimulate discussion in the classroom

Office hours

See the website of Laura Palareti