48092 - Intervention Methods for the Distress of the Elderly

Learning outcomes

The main learning outcomes are: - knowledge about psychological interventions in older adults; - ability to assess and plan psychosocial interventions with individuals and groups in the area of care for elderly.

Course contents

The course will take place during the first semester (from November to Dicember 2024) at the Cesena Campus, Department of Psychology.

Aging: theoretical frameworks and perspectives

Psychological aspects of aging

Psychological assessment of older adults

Psychiatric disorders at later life: depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, delirium

Well-being and lifestyles in the elderly

Psychological treatment of older adults

Readings/Bibliography

Basic bibliography:

Rossana De Beni, Erika Borella (2024). Psicologia dell’invecchiamento e della longevità. Il Mulino, Milano.

American Psychological Association. Guidelines for psychological practice with older adults. American Psychologist 2014;69(1):34-65.

Kim, D. H., & Rockwood, K. (2024). Frailty in Older Adults. The New England Journal of Medicine, 391(6), 538–548. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2301292

Additional research articles and reviews will be provided during classes and retrievable through Virtuale.

Suggested readings:

Sophia Wang, Abraham M. Nussbaum (2018). L'esame diagnostico con il DSM-5 per la persona anziana. Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano.

 American Psychiatric Association (2023). DSM-5-TR. Manuale Diagnostico e Statistico dei Disturbi Mentali. Quinta Edizione, Text Revision. Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano.

Francesca Morganti, Gianluca Castelnuovo (2024). Psicologia dell'invecchiamento. Ambiti, prospettive, interventi. Franco Angeli, Milano.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, discussions of clinical cases. Course attendance plays a crucial role in both learning and assessing processes.

Assessment methods

The final examination will be held together with Clinical Applications of Positive Psychology and will consist of a comprehensive 60-minute WRITTEN exam. As to this particular examination, 14 multiple-choice questions (+1 points if correct answer, and 0 if wrong answer or no response) and 1 open-ended question (up to 2 points) on topics covered during lessons will be presented. There are neither preliminary requirements nor mid-term examinations. The final mark will be computed as the sum the of the two partial exams, and the highest final mark (30/30, with honors) will reflect the correctness of the answers, as well as the completeness and the adequacy of the open-ended answer. Marks will progressively decrease based on wrong, inaccurate or off-topic answers. Students should register for the exam by using Almaesami. The final mark will be validated in AlmaEsami.

Teaching tools

PC, videoprojector.

Office hours

See the website of Jenny Guidi