Psychological Mechanisms and Processes Underlying Health and Illness

The course aims to offer students:
A) the knowledge of the main psychological models and constructs involved in the adaptive or maladaptive response to illness during the life cycle
B) the skills to critically discuss clinical cases with reference to mourning and grief, trauma, sexuality, and attachment relationships.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- discuss the characteristics and practical implications of the biopsychosocial model
- describe the main defense mechanisms and coping strategies
- describe the main grief models and their application to situations of illness
- discuss the main transformations of the body and of sexuality during illness
- describe the characteristics of psychological trauma and principles of trauma-informed care
- describe the different attachment models and discuss their influence during illness
- discuss family developmental tasks in case of illness
- describe the main challenges for safeguarding health in special contexts (e.g. prison institutions)
- discuss and illustrate the main psychological problems of the helping professions