Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Assessment and Diagnosis in the Couple and Family Environment
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Objectives
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To offer students a model that provides them the appropriate tools for understanding people and their relationships, in addition to the therapeutic evaluation and intervention techniques necessary to work with individuals, couples and families, taking into account both the individual difficulties that may appear among family members and/or within the couple, as well as the different problems that may appear at different times in the life cycle of families and the different problems that may appear in the different phases of a couple. This includes relevant aspects of gender and sexuality.
BASIC OBJECTIVES:
- To establish a solid theoretical foundation of the concepts of the systemic relational model.
- To connect the basic concepts to situations that arise in clinical practice.
- To provide the specific knowledge and main techniques and procedures used in family, couple and individual therapy.
- To establish a solid foundation for relational diagnosis.
- To understand psychopathology from different theoretical frameworks.
- To acquire tools for relational diagnosis.
- To establish contact with clinical work.
- To take part in the process of reflecting on and making decisions concerning the most appropriate clinical interventions in each case.
- To recognise personal qualities and limitations in the role of the psychotherapist.
- To reflect on the relationship between the therapist's position in the family and their professional role under the concept of isomorphism.
ADVANCED OBJECTIVES:
- To enhance students’ ability to handle systemic intervention techniques with individuals, as well as in couples, family and multifamily therapy.
- To perform interventions from the role of the psychotherapist.
- To take part in the reflection, coordination and decision-making process within the therapeutic process as a member of the team.
- To recognise personal implications in the role of the professional within an organisation.
- To offer a cutting-edge vision on the relational-systemic model from renowned professionals in extraordinary monographic seminars.
- To reflect on the relationship between the therapist's position in the family and their professional role under the concept of isomorphism.
- To introduce theoretical aspects of psychological trauma and personality reorganisation.
- To present the theoretical aspects of couples’ therapy based on the theories of Carmen Campos and Dr Juan Luis Linares.
- To explore the connection and coordination between the various types of family, couples’ and individual therapy.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB10 - Students should have learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a largely self-directed or autonomous manner.
- CB6 - Have and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for the student to develop and/or apply original ideas, often in the context of research.
- CB7 - Students should be able to apply their knowledge and ability to solve problems in new or little-known environments, within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
- CB8 - Students should be able to integrate their knowledge and cope with the complexity of formulating judgements based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflection on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
- CB9 - Students should be able to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments supporting these conclusions in a clear and unambiguous manner to specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CE1 - Acquire, develop and implement an integrative health concept, where the biopsychosocial components of health are included, in accordance with the guidelines established by the WHO.
- CE10 - Know how to communicate with other professionals and master the skills necessary for to teamwork and in multidisciplinary groups.
- CE11 - Understanding of the obligations and responsibilities of healthcare personnel regarding confidentiality of information and protection of patient personal data.
- CE12 - Extensive understanding of the psychological nature of human behaviour, as well as the social and biological factors that can affect it.
- CE13 - Extensive understanding of the psychological nature of human behaviour disorders.
- CE14 - Extensive understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with health problems and disease.
- CE15 - Extensive understanding of the biological and psychosocial factors associated with health and disease issues, especially those related to mental health.
- CE16 - Extensive understanding of the different evaluation and intervention models in the field of General Health Psychology, as well as the techniques and procedures derived therefrom to address behavioural disorders and the psychological factors associated with health problems in different contexts (private, primary care, community, crisis and emergency situations).
- CE18 - Design, develop and, if necessary, supervise and evaluate psychological intervention plans and programmes, based on psychological evaluation and the individual and social concurrent variables and apply it in different contexts (private, primary care, community, and crisis and emergency situations).
- CE2 - Apply the fundamentals of bioethics and the method of deliberation in professional practice, aligning their practice as a health professional to the provisions of Law 44/2003, of 21 November, on the organisation of the healthcare professions.
- CE21 - Carry out promotional and educational activities for individual and community psychological health.
- CE5 - Use information and communication technologies in professional practice.
- CE8 - Know the framework for action of the general health psychologist in different contexts and know how to refer patients to the respective specialised professional.
- CE9 - Develop their work from the perspective of quality and continuous improvement, with the self-critical capacity necessary for responsible professional performance.
- CG1 - Ability to use the different information and communication technologies in professional performance in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CG2 - Formulate working hypotheses in research and critically assess information to solve problems, applying the scientific method in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CG3 - Plan work from the perspective of quality and continuous improvement, with the self-critical capacity necessary for responsible professional performance in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CG4 - Know how to work and interact in multidisciplinary groups in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT2 - Implement strategies to promote gender equality, equity and respect for human rights in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT3 - Demonstrate ethical and professional commitment to civic and social responsibilities, especially regarding equality between people and respect for diversity in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT4 - Connect knowledge in a critical, synthetic and rigorous way in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT5 - Analyse work done in a critical and constructive way, valuing the strengths and weaknesses in the practice of their profession.
- CT6 - Generate inclusive environments for sustainable development effectively at all levels in the clinical and healthcare field.
- CT8 - Identify personal and professional limitations in the practice of their profession.
- CT9 - Ability to integrate psychological knowledge and developments in the practice of their profession.
Learning outcomes of the subject
- To treat individual, family and/or couple difficulties, as well as the different problems that may appear at different times in the life cycle, taking into account the gender perspective.
- To use reflection to select the most appropriate clinical interventions in each case.
- To understand the different milestones of the life cycle.
- To identify problems associated with the life cycle (pregnancy, job loss, widowhood, mourning...).
- To promote inclusive situations and environments for sustainable development, creating effective, responsible and inclusive contexts at all levels.
KEY POINTS
- Teacher, with extensive clinical and training experience; will work to provide quality learning.
The teacher will act as a group catalyst, a companion on the individual journey of each of the students, a transmitter of theoretical concepts, a model in clinical practice and an instructor in the case of any doubts that may arise.
- The framework will offer specialised service with tertiary service elements, in addition to training, care in the SUPPORT Clinic and research.
- The experience has always been highly constructive for everyone: professionals, families and, of course, trainee professionals and students. That is the basis on which we present this subject, through which students can acquire the skills that, based on our experience in training, we firmly believe are the most appropriate and which will help the students become most capable, in terms of knowledge and experience, in developing their knowledge of the relational, systemic evaluation and family intervention model.
- The support of a highly specialised and high-tech institution, with great teaching, care and research capacity.
- The modern facilities will facilitate teaching for staff members and learning for trainee students and help make their time there more pleasant.
- Thanks to the Mental Health care model at the SUPPORT Clinic, there is a wide range of treatments managed in an integral manner in coordination with community services, primary care and social services, through which students can gain experience in all phases of the process, from prevention, early detection, to treatment, evaluation and support.
Syllabus
BASIC CONTENTS:
- Basic concepts and schools of family therapy:
- To become familiar with the most prominent aspects of family and couple interactions, the meaning of symptoms and relational difficulties, the different types of family structures and the vocabulary, approaches and techniques used by the different schools of family therapy. Communicational, structural, processual, constructivist and game theory models.
- The meaning of the symptoms.
• Family assessment and evaluation:
- Analysis of referral and demand to develop indications for intervention formats.
- Analysis of the family structure.
- Analysis of the family narrative.
- To evaluate conflicts clearly and impartially, analysing their impact on the overall functioning of the family and on the state of its members.
- Analysis of family communication with communication scales validated in our country by the teaching team in charge of teaching the subject.
- Relational diagnosis.
- Techniques for conducting the first interview with the family or couple. Precise methodology to obtain the necessary data for identifying, assessing and formulating problem areas.
- Construction of hypotheses.
- Therapeutic contract, construction and conditions. Redefinition as a construction technique.
Preparation of reports with the evaluation of the conflict and the appropriate therapeutic orientation.
ADVANCED CONTENTS:
• Relational psychodiagnosis:
- Review of the diagnosis according to DSM V from various approaches: systemic, interpersonal, cognitivist, attachment theory and psychoanalytic.
• Fundamental intervention techniques:
- In-depth knowledge of the tools and techniques (from least to most mobilising) that therapists can use to resolve and improve conflicts detected in the evaluation: union, hierarchisation, differentiation, redefinitions and prescriptions, as well as symptom control.
- Psychology of sexuality and application in couples’ therapy
- Gender and application in couples’ therapy, including situations of gender abuse and application in family therapy
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The learning methodology is based on individual effort and group dynamics.
Theory classes
Case viewings, either directly through the mirror or indirectly with sessions carried out by the teacher.
Role-playing, simulations
Sculptures
Constellations
- Basic and face-to-face activity:
Theoretical space
- Autonomous work:
- Readings and literature review
- Preparation of summaries of the theoretical parts and practical case sessions
- Presentation of supervised cases
- Viewing of clinical proposals through films
- Case presentations by students
• Group work:
Preparation of cases and simulations
Reading club: Activity in which students discuss the recommended and optional readings over coffee in a relaxed atmosphere.
STRUCTURE
The aim of the training sessions is to replicate the conditions of a psychotherapy session, thus providing theoretical and practical training, based, moreover, on the student's own experience in the training space.
- Theory:
The relational-systemic theory will be taught through a broad and integrating look at the existing theoretical frameworks.
- Practicum:
Continuous presentation of various clinical situations, through which students can observe and practise the techniques learned in the theory classes.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Practical exam with simulations (45%), practical exam (45%).
To pass the subject, students must earn a mark of at least 5 on each part.
Student assessment will be individual and ongoing.
Attendance is mandatory for all teaching activities, except for justified reasons.
The collaborative attitude, motivation and active participation of the students in the activities and dynamics will be looked upon favourably. Study of the recommended materials such as reading the recommended literature.
Completion of the written assignments on the presented cases.
Completion of an exam on the basic concepts of systemic theory, evaluation, techniques and therapeutic interventions (through role-playing).
In the event consolidation is possible, the involvement of students in the training consolidation spaces will be looked upon favourably.