Integrated Care Workshop I - Cardiovascular Diseases and Metabolic Syndrome
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
· The course aims to equip students with advanced skills in the psychological management of patients with
cardiovascular diseases, both congenital and acquired, at various stages of the life cycle.
· The purpose of the laboratory is to provide students with practical training through exercises and role-playing, so
that they can concretely apply psychological theories and techniques in a clinical context.
· The course aims to address complex issues such as psychological support during hospitalization, trauma
management, end-of-life care, and grief processing, providing students with tools for a holistic and humanized
management of cardiac patients
cardiovascular diseases, both congenital and acquired, at various stages of the life cycle.
· The purpose of the laboratory is to provide students with practical training through exercises and role-playing, so
that they can concretely apply psychological theories and techniques in a clinical context.
· The course aims to address complex issues such as psychological support during hospitalization, trauma
management, end-of-life care, and grief processing, providing students with tools for a holistic and humanized
management of cardiac patients
Expected learning outcomes
· By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate the psychosocial aspects that characterize
adults with various types of heart disease, and to propose targeted psychological interventions based on the
patient's characteristics and needs.
· Students will be able to apply specific interview techniques, analyzing clinical cases for an optimal initial approach
to the patient.
· They will acquire the necessary skills to apply strategies that promote the patient's autonomy in managing their
illness, such as motivational interviewing with the aim of improving treatment adherence and quality of life.
· Students will acquire the necessary skills to assess and apply strategies for managing trauma and the terminal
phase, including grief processing and the management of suicidal ideation if present, within the context of heart
disease.
adults with various types of heart disease, and to propose targeted psychological interventions based on the
patient's characteristics and needs.
· Students will be able to apply specific interview techniques, analyzing clinical cases for an optimal initial approach
to the patient.
· They will acquire the necessary skills to apply strategies that promote the patient's autonomy in managing their
illness, such as motivational interviewing with the aim of improving treatment adherence and quality of life.
· Students will acquire the necessary skills to assess and apply strategies for managing trauma and the terminal
phase, including grief processing and the management of suicidal ideation if present, within the context of heart
disease.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Course syllabus
1. Motivational interviewing and promotion of adherence
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Develop practical skills in the use of motivational interviewing strategies (OARS) applied to clinical cases of patients with cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome; work on resistance, ambivalence, change talk and promotion of adherence through triadic exercises and role-play.
2. Basic aspects of the helping relationship, therapeutic distance, and art therapy
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Explore the foundations of the helping relationship and the regulation of therapeutic distance; experience art therapy practices and symbolic activities; enhance self-awareness of the body and reflection on the professional role through experiential work and structured feedback.
3. Trauma management and grief processing
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Analyze tools and strategies for trauma management and the distinction between normal and complicated grief; experience debriefing techniques and self-reflection on emotional experiences across roles; apply theoretical models in clinical practice.
4. Palliative care and suicide risk management
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Deepen the psychologist's role in palliative care and in the management of suicide risk in patients with advanced cardiac disease; practice communication and support in critical situations; work on facing death and supporting patients and families.
5. Course closure, final review, and feedback
Duration: 2 hours
Objectives: Synthesize the main learning points, promote collective reflection on the completed modules, share feedback, and discuss the guidelines for the final report.
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Develop practical skills in the use of motivational interviewing strategies (OARS) applied to clinical cases of patients with cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome; work on resistance, ambivalence, change talk and promotion of adherence through triadic exercises and role-play.
2. Basic aspects of the helping relationship, therapeutic distance, and art therapy
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Explore the foundations of the helping relationship and the regulation of therapeutic distance; experience art therapy practices and symbolic activities; enhance self-awareness of the body and reflection on the professional role through experiential work and structured feedback.
3. Trauma management and grief processing
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Analyze tools and strategies for trauma management and the distinction between normal and complicated grief; experience debriefing techniques and self-reflection on emotional experiences across roles; apply theoretical models in clinical practice.
4. Palliative care and suicide risk management
Duration: 4 hours
Objectives: Deepen the psychologist's role in palliative care and in the management of suicide risk in patients with advanced cardiac disease; practice communication and support in critical situations; work on facing death and supporting patients and families.
5. Course closure, final review, and feedback
Duration: 2 hours
Objectives: Synthesize the main learning points, promote collective reflection on the completed modules, share feedback, and discuss the guidelines for the final report.
Prerequisites for admission
Attendance of the course: Integrated care models and psychological intervention techniques applied to cardiovascular disorders
Teaching methods
The laboratory adopts a highly experiential teaching method, structured in three phases:
Interactive theoretical sessions (lectures with discussion and use of polls and questions via Wooclap);
Practical exercises in triads, with rotation in the roles of psychologist, patient and observer, to foster integration between theory and practice;
Final plenary and structured debriefing, with feedback sharing, collective reflection, and clinical discussion.
Subgroup work, role-playing, self-awareness exercises and symbolic activities (such as art therapy and visualization) are integrated into each module. Teaching materials, slides and Wooclap outputs are made available on Ariel after each lesson.
Interactive theoretical sessions (lectures with discussion and use of polls and questions via Wooclap);
Practical exercises in triads, with rotation in the roles of psychologist, patient and observer, to foster integration between theory and practice;
Final plenary and structured debriefing, with feedback sharing, collective reflection, and clinical discussion.
Subgroup work, role-playing, self-awareness exercises and symbolic activities (such as art therapy and visualization) are integrated into each module. Teaching materials, slides and Wooclap outputs are made available on Ariel after each lesson.
Teaching Resources
Apers, S., Kovacs, A. H., Luyckx, K., Alday, L., Berghammer, M., Budts, W., . . . Moons, P. (2014). Assessment of Patterns of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults with Congenital Heart disease - International Study (APPROACH-IS): Rationale, design, and methods. Int J Cardiol, 179C, 334-342. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.11.084 · Callus, E., Farè, C., & Quadri, E. (2015). Psychological Aspects in Congenital Heart Disease: A Lifelong Perspective. In G. Butera, M. Chessa, A. Eicken, & J. Thomson (Eds.), Cardiac Catheterization for Congenital Heart Disease (pp. 149-156): Springer Milan. · Callus, E., Pagliuca, S., Bertoldo, E. G., Fiolo, V., Jackson, A. C., Boveri, S., . . . Menicanti, L. (2020). The monitoring of psychosocial factors during hospitalization before and after cardiac surgery until discharge from cardiac rehabilitation: a research protocol. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2202. · Callus, E., Pagliuca, S., Boveri, S., Ambrogi, F., Luyckx, K., Kovacs, A. H., . . . the International Society for Adult Congenital Heart, D. (2021). Phenotypes of adults with congenital heart disease around the globe: a cluster analysis. Health Qual Life Outcomes, 19(1), 53. doi:10.1186/s12955-021-01696-x · Callus, E., Pietrabissa, G., & Vilchinsky, N. (2021). Editorial: Mind the Heart - Psychosocial Risk Factors and Cognitive Functioning in Cardiovascular Disease. Front Psychol, 12, 670235. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.670235 · Callus, E., & Pravettoni, G. (2018). The Role of Clinical Psychology and Peer to Peer Support in the Management of Chronic Medical Conditions - A Practical Example With Adults With Congenital Heart Disease. Front Psychol, 9, 731. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00731 · Callus, E., Quadri, E., & Chessa, M. (2010). Elements of psychocardiology in the psychosocial handling of adults with congenital heart disease. Front Psychol, 1, 34. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2010.00034 · Callus, E., Quadri, E., Compare, A., Tovo, A., Giamberti, A., & Chessa, M. (2013). Life experiences and coping strategies in adults with congenital heart disease. Pediatr Med Chir, 35(5), 231-240. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24516946 · Callus, E., Quadri, E., Passerini, C., & Tovo, A. (2015). Psychological Functioning and Life Experiences in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease. In Clinical Psychology and Congenital Heart Disease, Lifelong Psychological Aspects and Interventions: Springer-Verlag Italia. · Callus, E., Utens, E. M., Quadri, E., Ricci, C., Carminati, M., Giamberti, A., & Chessa, M. (2014). The impact of actual and perceived disease severity on pre-operative psychological well-being and illness behaviour in adult congenital heart disease patients. Cardiol Young, 24(2), 275-282. doi:10.1017/S1047951113000218 · Campioni, G., Callus, E., & Quadri, E. (2015). The Role of Associations in Congenital Heart Disease: Peer Counseling and Advocacy. In Clinical Psychology and Congenital Heart Disease, Lifelong Psychological Aspects and Interventions: Springer-Verlag Italia. · Moons, P., Bratt, E. L., De Backer, J., Goossens, E., Hornung, T., Tutarel, O., . . . Thomet, C. (2021). Transition to adulthood and transfer to adult care of adolescents with congenital heart disease: a global consensus statement of the ESC Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP), the ESC Working Group on Adult Congenital Heart Disease (WG ACHD), the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC), the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR), the Asia-Pacific Pediatric Cardiac Society (APPCS), the InterAmerican Society of Cardiology (IASC), the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ), the International Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ISACHD), the World Heart Federation (WHF), the European Congenital Heart Disease Organisation (ECHDO), and the Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts (Global ARCH). Eur Heart J, 42(41), 4213-4223. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehab388 · Quadri, E., Callus, E., Palmero, E., & Farè, C. (2015). Art Therapy as a Psychological Intervention for Hospitalized Congenital Heart Disease Children In Clinical Psychology and Congenital Heart Disease, Lifelong Psychological Aspects and Interventions: Springer-Verlag Italia. · Sommaruga, M., Angelino, E., Della Porta, P., Abatello, M., Baiardo, G., Balestroni, G., . . . Pierobon, A. (2018). Best practice in psychological activities in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation: Position Paper. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis, 88(2), 966. doi:10.4081/monaldi.2018.966 · Utens, E., Callus, E., Levert, E. M., De Groote, K., & Casey, F. (2018). Multidisciplinary family-centred psychosocial care for patients with CHD: consensus recommendations from the AEPC Psychosocial Working Group -. Cardiol Young, 28(2) · Van Bulck, L., Luyckx, K., Goossens, E., Apers, S., Kovacs, A. H., Thomet, C., . . . Moons, P. (2019). Patient-reported outcomes of adults with congenital heart disease from eight European countries: scrutinising the association with healthcare system performance. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs, 18(6), 465-473. doi:10.1177/1474515119834484 · Il corpo malato. L'intervento psicologico. Bruno G. Bara (Curatore). Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2023
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment for this course consists exclusively in the awarding of a pass/fail grade (no numerical mark).
The pass is granted based on the submission of a final paper (maximum 6 pages) in which the student is required to critically and personally reflect on the experience gained during the laboratory, integrating theory, practice, and personal experiences in the three roles (psychologist, patient, observer), according to the guidelines provided at the end of the course.
The paper must be uploaded exclusively in the "Assignment" section of the Ariel platform, 7 to 10 days before the relevant SIFA exam date, as specified in the official course notices. This timing allows the instructor to review the papers and record the pass on the day of the exam. Failure to submit within the deadlines, or through other means, will result in the impossibility of obtaining the pass for that exam session.
Attendance at activities and submission of the paper within the established deadlines are essential requirements for passing the course.
The pass is granted based on the submission of a final paper (maximum 6 pages) in which the student is required to critically and personally reflect on the experience gained during the laboratory, integrating theory, practice, and personal experiences in the three roles (psychologist, patient, observer), according to the guidelines provided at the end of the course.
The paper must be uploaded exclusively in the "Assignment" section of the Ariel platform, 7 to 10 days before the relevant SIFA exam date, as specified in the official course notices. This timing allows the instructor to review the papers and record the pass on the day of the exam. Failure to submit within the deadlines, or through other means, will result in the impossibility of obtaining the pass for that exam session.
Attendance at activities and submission of the paper within the established deadlines are essential requirements for passing the course.
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment via e-mail