Psychology of disabilities and integration - PSICOLOGIA DELL'INTEGRAZIONE (2017/2018)

Learning outcomes

Prerequisites
To have access to the course, the students have to possess basic theoretical knowledge on developmental and educational psychology.

Knowledge and abilities to be acquired
The course of Psychology of integration is aimed at promoting knowledge and capacities relating to the main theoretical and methodological issues concerning integrative processes with children with special education needs. Specifically, expected learning results are:
1) knowledge and understanding of basic aspects relating to school integration, examining in depth both theoretical models and contextual risk and promoting factors;
2) knowledge and understanding of basic aspects relating to specific categories of children with special education needs (e.g., children with social and cultural disadvantage) and some domains of the psychological development (e.g., socio-emotional development);
3) ability to plan intervention programs that promote integrative processes relating to children with special education needs, collaborating with the colleagues in the planning activities.

Syllabus
In the first part of the course, we will focus on some basic aspects of the psychology of integration. Particular attention will be devoted to definitional issues, main theoretical approaches, and risk and promoting factors relating to integration processes, taking into account the role played by the context in terms of teachers, peers, and family.
In the second part of the course, we will focus on a specific category of students with special education needs, i.e. children with social and cultural disadvantage. Particular attention will be devoted to understanding psychological processes, theoretical frameworks, and interventions concerning situations of psychosocial risk during childhood (e.g., children with parents affected by psychopathology, maltreated and abused, belonging to minorities, with separated or divorced parents, adopted, etc.).
In the third part of the course, we will focus on a specific domain of the psychological sphere, the socio-emotional domain associated with learning, in light of school integration processes. Particular attention will be devoted to definitional issues, main theoretical approaches, description and explanation of processes of emotional development, and ways of intervening at the socio-emotional level.

Learning activities and teaching methodologies
Lessons will be frontal. Students will be actively involved into discussions, in order to promote critical reflections on topics, also through the analysis of psychological research papers. Therefore, we advise students to be present during the lessons.

Indications on learning materials
The programme is the same both for students who attend the lessons and for students who do not attend them.
Following texts are optional.
Arcuri, L., & Cadinu, M. (2011). Gli stereotipi. Bologna: Il Mulino.
Battacchi, M. W. (2004). Lo sviluppo emotivo. Bari: Editori Laterza.
Brodzinsky, D. M., & Palacios, J. (2011). Lavorare nell’adozione. Dalle ricerche alla prassi operativa. Milano: FrancoAngeli. Edizione italiana a cura di M. Chistolini.
Grazzani Gavazzi, I. (2014). Psicologia dello sviluppo emotivo. Bologna: Il Mulino.
Grazzani Gavazzi, I., Ornaghi, V., & Antoniotti, C. (2011). La competenza emotiva dei bambini. Trento: Erikson.
Lafortune, L., Doudin, P. A., Pons, F., & Hancock, D. R. (2012). Le emozioni a scuola. Riconoscerle, comprenderle e intervenire efficacemente. Trento: Erikson. Edizione italiana a cura di O. Albanese e C. Fiorilli.
Mariani, U., & Schiralli, R. (2012). Intelligenza emotiva a scuola. Percorso formativo per l’intervento con gli alunni. Trento: Erikson.
Muzzatti, B. (2008). Gli atteggiamenti verso la disabilità: credenze, reazioni emotive e comportamenti delle persone non disabili. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, XXXV, 313-334.
Rosnati, R. (a cura di) (2010). Il legame adottivo. Contributi internazionali per la ricerca e l’intervento. Milano: FrancoAngeli.
Soresi, S., & Nota, L. (2001). La facilitazione dell'integrazione scolastica. Pordenone: Erip.

Exams
The exam of the whole Psychology of disabilities and integration course will be in written form, including six open questions: three relating to Psychology of disabilities and three relating to Psychology of integration (total time: two hours).

Evaluation criteria
The evaluation of the exam will be in thirties and it will take into account different levels of performance:
• Articulation, precision and meaning of the acquired theoretical contents;
• Capacity to refer adequately to the methodological instruments;
• Capacity to discuss critically the contents at the applied level.

STUDENT MODULE EVALUATION - 2017/2018