Unit RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS IN CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

Course
Assessment of individual functioning in clinical and health psychology
Study-unit Code
40A00055
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Alice Bacherini
Teachers
  • Alice Bacherini
  • Aurora Castellani
Hours
  • 42 ore - Alice Bacherini
  • 30 ore - Aurora Castellani
CFU
12
Course Regulation
Coorte 2025
Offered
2025/26
Learning activities
Caratterizzante
Area
Psicologia generale, fisiologica e psicometria
Sector
M-PSI/03
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
The course covers the principles of research methodology and data analysis in clinical and health psychology.
Reference texts
- Chiorri, C. (2025). Fondamenti di psicometria (4 Ed.). McGraw Hill.
Chapters 7, 8 (only section 8.3.1), 9, 10, 12 (only section 12.3) 14, 15.
- McBurney, D. H. e White, T. L. (2008). Metodologia della ricerca in
psicologia (4 Ed.). Il Mulino. Chapters 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13
- Lecture materials available in Unistudium: slides used in class by the
lecturer and available at the end of each week's lecture.
Educational objectives
Knowing methods and techniques of data collection and analysis, as well
as methods of designing and testing psychological interventions.
In particular, the student will acquire:
- knowledge about the stages of scientific investigation and the main research designs in psychology;
- knowledje regarding the different types of relations among variables;
- skill and ability to apply the methods of testing the null hypothesis;
- skill and ability to choose and use different types of statistical tests
Prerequisites
It is important for students to be familiar with basic concepts of psychometrics presented during a bachelor's degree program in psychological science, such as: descriptive statistics, process of measuring psychological attributes, types of variables and measurement scales.
Teaching methods
Lectures and practical exercises.
The softwares SPSS and Jamovi will be used for data analysis.
Other information
Class attendance is strongly recommended.
Learning verification modality
Written exam (open and multiple choice questions), 60 minutes long.
The student will be assessed on his/her demonstrated ability to discuss the main course contents using the appropriate terminology. The student must demonstrate the ability to put into practice and to execute, with critical awareness, the activities illustrated or carried out under the
guidance of the teacher during the course.
Extended program
- Scientific research: characteristics and types (descriptive, correlational, experimental)
- Stages of scientific research, with particular attention to the definition and types of research hypotheses, research design, and the logic of hypothesis testing
- Types of relationships between variables (direct, indirect, conditional, circular, spurious, colliding)
- Use of the following statistical tests for data analysis, with practical applications using Jamovi software: z-statistics, chi-square, Student's t-test for independent samples, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, correlation (Spearman's Rho and Pearson's r), regression.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
3. Salute e benessere
4. Istruzione di qualità