PMME Psychology of Micro and Maxi Emergencies

The Master in Psychology of Micro and Maxi Emergencies starts from psychobiology to cover aspects related to stress and trauma-related psychopathology. 

Particular focus is devoted to psychotraumatology in the developmental age, another module to evaluation and diagnosis practices during emergencies, and the third one on cultural aspects and intercultural communication. 

It also covers a few transversally relevant topics for emergency intervention, such as the risk perception and communication and deontology of emergency psychology. On the first modules, the lessons will be complemented by debates and group projects.

The intervention modules present methods that can applied during the prevention, traumatic, and long-term phases. It also includes hands-on practice and debates on real situations, where the techniques presented can be applied (first psychological aid, debriefing and defusing, preparation to disaster response, cognitive-behavioural interventions, Narrative Exposure Therapy). 

The last modules are dedicated to the range of emergency contexts, and to the most effective interventions available: in maxi emergencies, in services for the developmental age, in social services, in hospitals, and in international contexts. The participation of field experts will promote debates on the cases and the implementation of hands-on practice sessions.

The Master in Psychology of Micro and Maxi Emergencies trains experts in emergency psychology and psychotraumatology, capable of assessing and managing ordinary and extraordinary emergency situations. Specifically, students will acquire knowledge on psychological and psychoeducational intervention techniques used in this field, with specific attention to the interventions to manage stress and to treat trauma or trauma-related disorders. 

The course trains professional figures (psychologists and doctors) capable of:

1. Assessing how to manage situations based on the event, the emergency context, and the characteristics of the population affected; 
2. Suggesting targeted interventions during the acute, peri- and post-traumatic phases. 

Professionals will acquire skills relating to clinical evaluation and diagnosis, reference theoretical models, interventions to be implemented, and how to manage combined interventions with other professionals working in different emergency and social-healthcare contexts.

The Master in Psychology of Micro and Maxi Emergencies provides in-depth knowledge on the following topics:

Module 1 – PSYCHOBIOLOGY OF STRESS AND TRAUMA
Neurophysiology of stress, psychobiology of trauma, and how they can lead to psychopathology. 

Module 2 – PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY AND STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS
Psychology and psychopathology of stress and post-traumatic disorders, including post-traumatic depression and stress and sleep-related disorders. 

Module 3 – DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
Developmental psychotraumatology model, considering the role of the family context and the consequences of trauma on development.

Module 4 – EVALUATION PROCEDURES OF STRESS AND TRAUMA-RELATED DISORDERS
Methodological psychological testing elements and foundations for psychodiagnostic of post-traumatic stress disorders. 

Module 5 – RISK PERCEPTION AND COMMUNICATION
Perception and communication strategies in risk contexts. 

Module 6 – PSYCHOLOGY OF EMERGENCY AND CULTURE
Role of the culture in relation to emergencies and trauma, with particular relevance on intercultural communication and on the role of linguistic-cultural mediators.

Module 7 – DEONTOLOGICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF EMERGENCY PSYCHOLOGY
Important deontological aspects in emergency interventions.

Module 8 – FIRST PSYCHOLOGICAL AID
Intervention techniques during short- and medium-term acute phases, such as first psychological aid, debriefing and defusing during emergencies, preparation/prevention of disaster response through psychoeducation.

Module 9 – COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS DURING EMERGENCIES
Interventions to self-regulate and manage stress and interventions in children, teenagers and adults.

Module 10 – NARRATIVE EXPOSURE THERAPY
Potential of long-term intervention: Narrative Exposure Therapy.

Module 11 – MAXI-EMERGENCY PSYCHOLOGY
Psychological and functional aspects of maxi-emergencies: from a theoretical-practical intervention to the Italian Civil Protection and Fire Brigate’s intervention models. This module also focuses on the psychological intervention models during emergencies, between volunteering and freelancing.

Module 12 – EMERGENCIES IN SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
Emergency contexts involving the developmental age, from school to services, and the interventions that can be applied within them.  

Module 11 – EMERGENCIES IN SOCIAL SERVICES
Emergency contexts and their management in social services and in family counselling clinics, in police forces and in prison. It includes an applicative/experiential module on how to manage aggressiveness in different territorial and emergency contexts. 

Module 12 – EMERGENCIES IN HOSPITALS
Emergency management and diagnosis communication in paediatric units, first responders, and support to healthcare professionals. 

Module 13 – INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCIES
Natural and man-made international emergencies, work in humanitarian contexts, experiences and work planning abroad.

The Master in Psychology of Micro and Maxi Emergencies includes national and international university professors, expert in emergency psychology, psychotraumatologists, and psychologists who have been working throughout the Country as emergency psychology experts. Also, the Master is partner of many local, state, and third-sector institutions, such as:

• Psicologi per i Popoli Veneto https://www.psipopoli-veneto.org 
• Soccorso Alpino Nazionale https://www.cnsas.it 
• Protezione Civile Padova https://www.provincia.padova.it/aree-tematiche/protezione-civile 
• INTERSOS https://www.intersos.org/ 
• CUAMM https://www.mediciconlafrica.org 
• Vigili del Fuoco ente formativo Nazionale https://www.vigilfuoco.it/aspx/Page.aspx?IdPage=374