Università Roma Tre

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND STRESS MANAGEMEMENT
SYLLABUS_Academic Year 2018-2019
Prof. Barbara Barcaccia

Second cycle degree in Pedagogical Sciences LM 85 and Science of Adult Education and Continuing Education LM 57 (SPE-SEAFC)

The course is an introduction to Clinical Psychology and Stress Management in organizations and education. Basics of Clinical Psychology and of the main mental disorders will be illustrated, along with a presentation of stress management strategies. Stress stems from the perceived discrepancy between the environmental demands and the individual resources. It is well known that in the field of organizations chronic stress contributes to the deterioration of physical and mental health, reduces productivity and increases absenteeism in all fields of work.
The notions of “stress” and “stressor” will be analysed, as well as Seyle’s model of general adaptation syndrome. Individuals are not defenceless subjects when confronted with stress: what is really meaningful is the way in which events, internal and external threats, and one’s own resources to cope with them, are evaluated.
The main mental disorders will be illustrated, as well as the diathesis-stress etiopathological model. Finally, some techniques for stress prevention and management will be presented, including a few mindfulness practices. In particular it will be examined in depth the MBSR program (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and the main principles to overcome procrastination, a maladaptive behaviour significantly associated to stress.

ERASMUS students

ERASMUS students are expected to undertake the same workload as local students, and to study on the same three textbooks, although they may choose to take the exam either in Italian, English or Spanish.
Two of the three mandatory textbooks are also available in English:
Ramirez Blasco, M. The Procrastinator's Guide to Getting Things Done. Guilford Press.
Kabat-Zinn, J. Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness.

One of the three mandatory textbooks is also available in Spanish:

Kabat-Zinn, J. Vivir con plenitud las crisis (ed. Revisada y actualizada): como utilizar la sabiduria del cuerpo y de la mente para enfrentarnos al estres, el dolor y la enfermedad