The main goal of the course is to create training opportunities that can foster the connection between the world of research, development and that of the productive fabric and innovative services in numerous areas peculiar to Psychology, but at the same time ensuring a wide-ranging training.
The training consists of specialized Level III courses, research activities, participation in conferences and schools, and disciplinary and interdisciplinary seminar activities. The potential of the course-assured through continuous monitoring of activities-is multifaceted and covers issues that are now central to the strategies of the national research pano and the recovery and resilience plan.
Specifically, the main objectives of the Course are: to provide in-depth knowledge in the field of basic and applied psychological research, with particular attention to aspects pertaining to the clinical and developmental-educational fields; to train scholars capable of analyzing psychological processes from a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspective and addressing applied issues with appropriate, non-sectoral scientific skills. In line with the latest scientific evidence, in fact, it is considered appropriate to use an integrated approach, bio-psycho-social in nature, for both prevention and intervention in psychological distress. The integration of the latest developments in neuroscience and behavior analysis, among other things, represents a scientific challenge that is proving increasingly valuable for a broader and more complete understanding of processes and for making the task of psychologists working in clinical and educational settings easier and more effective. For these reasons, the course aims to train scholars capable of analyzing the systemic relationships of the main cognitive and emotional-motivational processes with biological and social processes and of monitoring their development throughout the lifespan, providing knowledge and skills useful for understanding the processes and testing integrated intervention protocols, of a bio-psycho-social nature, both preventive and clinical, that is, aimed at the prevention and treatment of distress and pathologies and the consolidation of psycho-physical well-being and quality of life. Finally, the course aims to provide doctoral students with the knowledge and skills preliminary to an adequate insertion in the international scientific-academic world, in line with the requirements of Italian and European regulations.
The training pathway is in line with Level III teaching policies and the University's strategic plan (2024-2026), in particular with the objectives “D1: Ensure an innovation-oriented educational offer of excellence,” “R3: Strengthen the quality of research and the promotion of interdisciplinarity,” and “Ul2: Increase study trips, internship activities and training abroad.” Moreover, it fits perfectly with the primary objective of the Department in which it is incardinated (reported in its strategic plan) and that is to enhance the interdisciplinarity of research, promoting a continuous confrontation between the different areas characterizing the scientific fields, in the awareness that through the interaction and synergy between the different scientific components it is possible to achieve the identification of original and innovative areas of study for basic and applied research and above all, the resolution of cross-cutting scientific problems.