Sapienza University of Rome

Master of Science in Applied Dynamic and Clinical Psychology

First-year

First semester

• Clinical psychology applied to the health and care contexts
• Psychometrics quantitative research and data analysis
• Theory and techniques of clinical intervention
• Dynamic psychopathology

Second semester

• Methods of assessments in affective neuroscience
• Mental health and cross-cultural psychiatry
• Developmental models of social and cultural cognition
• Elective course

Second year

First semester

• Psychology and psychopathology of sexual and paraphilic behavior
• Psychoendocrinology and medical sexology

Second semester

• Theories of gender and psychosexual development
• Clinical psychology of trauma stigma and gender violence
• Further linguistic knowledge
• Professionalizing Internship
• Final exam

Learning outcomes

Clinical Psychosexology master’s degree has specific educational aims, which are listed by years. In the first year of the course, general knowledge about sexual development during the life span and on specific pathologies and problematic deviations in the various stages of developmental age are provided. Moreover will be illustrated psychodynamic models and theoretical references on sexology, in particular bio. psycho-social model, the theory that has a wide international focus. The historical and social context of the different styles and values ​​connected to sexual habits will be useful references to understand the evolution of specific themes on masculinity, femininity, and family topics.

Particular attention in the curriculum is paid to the comprehension and acquisition of evaluation tools for assessment and clinical diagnosis, which can be used in scientific and evidence-based research, and useful for establishing or improving public and/or private clinical services.

In particular, both in the planned laboratories and in the theory and technique of clinical interviews, the student will be able to understand and engage himself in the first person on the most frequent cases of request for psychological help, and how to proceed correctly in the management of the first clinical psychological interviews, taking into account the expectations and objectives of patients in the private or public context in which one works.

In the second year of the course, in light of the theoretical and practical acquisitions obtained in the first year, we will proceed by identifying application areas of great interest for the figure of the psychologist in clinical psycho-sexology. An in-depth analysis of psychopharmacology in sexology will allow the student to understand in depth the function of the many drugs available today in the integrated approach with the doctor who uses them for sexual dysfunctions: in this specific area, evidence-based data has been emphasized for years how much Integrated work between prescriber and psycho-sexual counseling increases patient and couple compliance and satisfaction. In addition, detailed and more specific notions on topics of great importance in forensic sexology will be provided: on the psychology of testimony, on trauma, pedophilia, and sexual abuse, on gender violence, on study methods, and research and analysis methodologies person and on the identity and relational dynamics at the base of old and new deviant and paraphilic relationships; will be provided scientific and clinical skills related to reproductive behavior and the specific and possible criticality of the diagnosis of infertility on the individual and in the couple, the study of the processes and problems of medically assisted procreation pathways as well as the management of one's fertility or contraceptive failure. In the final exam, the student will choose a topic relevant to the curriculum to provide a critical and/or experimental report, deepening the topic under the supervision of the teacher. The Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on Sexual Medicine (currently chaired at the European level by one of the proposers of the CdS), in concert with the European Society of Sexual Medicine, in collaboration with the European Federation of Sexology (already chaired by another proposer of the CdS in object) has developed and published a Syllabus on Psychosexology, recognized as such for the achievement of the title of "expert in psycho-sexology", recognized at European level by the mentioned bodies. This syllabus will be borrowed from the CdS in Clinical Psychosexology.

In the labor market, the graduated student will be able to provide psychosexological counseling in the following specific areas:

• Family Counselling Centers;
• Medically Assisted Procreation Centres;
• Psychiatry, Oncology, Gynaecology, Andrology, Endocrinology’s centers;
• Outpatient Clinics dedicated to sexually transmitted infections;
• Centers for Diagnosis and Treatment for Identity Gender Dysphoria;
• Civil and criminal courts (Appraisals)
• Prisons (Criminal Paraphilias)
• Compulsory and secondary schools (Course of Sexual Education, Feelings, and Respect for gender differences and orientation).