s ocial and p rofessional i dentity of p sychologists and p sychology qualitative research – main...
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SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHOLOGYQualitative Research – Main Results
Milan and Padua, Italy, January-June 2011
ORDINE DEGLI PSICOLOGI DELLA LOMBARDIAORDINE DEGLI PSICOLOGI DEL VENETO
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
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MAIN OBJECTIVES
Probing the experience and social image of psychologists and psychology in citizens, psychology graduates(not enrolled in the Psychologists’ Register), other practitioners and licensed psychologists with reference to the following main areas: status, role, expertise and skills attributed to
psychologists awareness of psychologists’ working fields perceived value of psychologists compared to other
helping professions and new professions (coach, counselor…)
Expectations towards psychologists and psychology
METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE
A qualitative psychological research 10 focus groups in Milan and Padua Sample 1: non psychologists
2 focus groups with citizens 1 focus group with other practitioners 1 focus group with psychology graduates
Sample 2: psychologists 6 focus groups with psychologists and
psychotherapists, different ages, working fields, specialties
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PRELIMINARY REMARKS ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY IN ITALY
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PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN ITALY
Licensed psychologists in Italy are only psychology graduates who, after a State Qualification Exam, are admitted to the Psychologists’ Register the title “psychologist” is not allowed for people
who are not enrolled in the Public Register Psychotherapy is a postgraduate specialty
allowed only to psychologists or medical doctors enrolled in the Psychologists’ or Medical Registers
Psychologists’ profile is legally and formally the same as that of a practitioner (medical, legal) rather than of a professional lato sensu the research also explored semantic areas
connected with professionalism in the Italian system, here omitted as well as parts concerning the awareness and experience of Register
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PROFESSIONAL STATUS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS VS OTHER PROFESSIONALS
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MORAL TRAITS ARE OVVERREPRESENTED IN PSYCOLOGISTS COMPARED TO OTHER PROFESSIONALS
Respondents (esp. non psychologists) outlined high-profile professionals as characterized by some main features
higher education specialty, expertise empowerment moral traits (seriousness, reliabity, impartiality) social preminence
Psychologists do not completely fit this profile, especially concerning social preminence but moral traits are overrepresented
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THE PSYCHOLOGIST’S PROFILE REFLECTS THE INDEFINITENESS OF THE OBJECT OF THE DISCIPLINE...
The psychologist’s profile is often outlined by citizens as the reverse of social and personal preminence – typical of high status professionals - and reflects some indefiniteness versatile unassuming, modest, non intrusive supportive, an instrument more than an author passive-receptive unselfish, regardless of material assets
He is concerned with intangible objects and problems has a borderline identity in clinical practice he places himself between
health and illness
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…AND MAY GIVE RISE TO AMBIVALENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS PSYCHOLOGISTS
Some ambivalence comes up among citizens due to the perception of a borderline status and indefinite object, especially in clinical practice a psychologist does good and does no harm
but may do nothing at all as well: a placebo effect, if not a nocebo one
you never know when you have to go to the psychologist, nor how long the treatment will go on due to the psychoanalytic imagery
expectations towards morality conceal deep fears of opposite features: you may run into a cheater
it is a waste of money, a way of avoiding one’s responsibilities
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PERSONAL ATTITUDES AND MORAL TRAITS ARE EMPHASIZED IN PSYCHOLOGISTS’ SELF-REPRESENTATION VS OTHER PROFESSIONS
Psychologists’self-representation vs other professions meets with the profile outlined by citizens distinguishing features emphasized are personal
attitudes such as strong relational skills empathy ability to listen
and moral traits as impartiality, unselfishness, tending to philanthropy
How psychologists work seems to be more relevant than what they do in order to distinguish their professional status
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THE STRONGLY CONNOTED PROFILE OF THE PSYCHOTHERAPIST OFTEN OVERLAPS THAT OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST
Citizens and other professionals often have a low awareness of the specific university background and studies especially when psychologist is improperly
compared to psychiatrist or psychotherapist (university degree and specialty)
The stronger connotations of the psychotherapist often overlap those of the psychologist, making it harder to distinguish between psychologist and psychotherapist the same difficulty is shared by psychologists, who
tend to consider psychologists as lacking in professional expertise on the assumption that university provides a
theoretical and abstract knowledge, while experience and skills need a postgraduate specialization
THE TOP OF MIND EXPERTISE: HEALING WITHOUT DRUGS
Freudian “talking cure” is still the foremost paradigm (both for citizens and psychologists) a healer not of the body (medical doctor) but of the
mind not of illness (psychiatry) but of malaise
The unique competence of psychologists compared to other professions are method = listening tool = word
The similarity is taken from medicine (omeopathy)
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THERE IS LARGE AWARENESS ABOUT PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC COMPETENCE CONSISTING IN KNOWING HOW TO ADMINISTER TESTS
It is doubtful wether psychologists have a diagnostic competence even if law attributes this competence to
psychologists, the uncertainty comes up also among psychologists
due to the intermediate status of psychologist (between disease and mental illness)
Although, psychologists’ competence in psychodiagnostic tests is universally recognized it has the features of a “know how”
psychologists’ unique competence is not only to know tests but especially to know how to administer them psychodiagnostic competence concerns the process
rather than the outcome
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THE PSYCHOLOGIST’S IDENTITY: STRONG POINTS
Flexibility, creativity, innovation Understanding and problem solving Versatility, attitude to apply to many fields and
contexts Original vision Borderline status allows exchange with other
professions and a community-oriented attitude
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THE PSYCHOLOGIST’S IDENTITY: WEAK POINTS
Opacity Something less than a medical doctor Cannot communicate his results and efficacy
VALUES, EXPERIENCE, AWARENESS AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGY
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AN ENLIGHTENING AND/OR LIGHT DISCIPLINE
Evocations of light and energy (minority, esp. citizens): understanding, scientific imagination, progress
from darkness to light Defeating instincts, breaking chains freedom, openmindness, desire, dynamism
Evocations of wellness, comfort, conventional representations associated with well-being private sphere, individual research of peace of
mind sometimes New Age atmosphere and values(esp.
psychologists)
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A NEW DISCIPLINE AD AN INNOVATIVE PROFESSION
A sort of a “forward looking”and innovation-oriented soul of psychology comes out the profile of users and sociocultural contexts where psychology is thought to have a social preminence open-minded individuals progressive and advanced countries (e.g. Sweden,
U.S.A.) Sometimes with an undertone of blame or
uncertainty about the real value more fashion than function, does not meet “real”
needs
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THE AWARENESS AND REPUTATION OF PSYCHOLOGY IS CONTEXT-BASED
Awareness of psychology grows when the psychologist is seen in contexts among citizens: mostly schools and working places
(educational, occupational) among psychologists : a wide range of applications
and fields, where psychology is specified by an adjective (e.g. clinical, forensic…) or a noun (e.g. emergencies)
The awareness and reputation of psychology, as a professional practice different from psychotherapy is essentially context-based psychology itself and especially the psychologist as a
professional are poorly characterized psychologists (significantly) even omit to refer to
themselves as “scientists” psychology comes out as a “soft science” , mostly
recognized in its applications to multiple fields
EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS
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CITIZENS: A SOCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS PROFESSION
A considerable amount of people’s expectations are focused on the supportive role of psychologists towards institutions, especially when authoritarian roles are involved (school, police…)
Psychologists should help coping with stress (e.g. Job-related) and malaise in civilization in any context
They should also be supportive towards other helping professions
A strict control on ethical conduct of psychologists is strongly required
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PSYCHOLOGISTS: PROMOTING AND COMMUNICATING UNIQUE SKILLS AND BUILDING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS
Psychologists’ expectations are mostly focus on: fighting helping professions like counselors and
coaches, when performed by non psychologists communicating and promoting the profession of
psychologists building professional networks