Unit THEORIES AND METHODS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF INDIVIDUAL FUNCTIONING,DISABILITY AND HEALTH

Course

Philosophy and ethics of relationships

Study-unit Code

40998909

Curriculum

Filosofia e psicologia

Teacher

Stefano Federici

Teachers

Stefano Federici

Hours

54 ore - Stefano Federici

CFU

Course Regulation

Coorte 2024

Offered

2025/26

Learning activities

Affine/integrativa

Area

Attività formative affini o integrative

Sector

M-PSI/01

Type of study-unit

Opzionale (Optional)

Type of learning activities

Attività formativa monodisciplinare

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

From models to the ICF international classification of disability. Measures of individual functioning and disability. Neurodevelopmental disorders. Sexuality and disability.

Reference texts

Compulsory reading:
1. Federici, S. (2002). Sessualità alterabili. Indagine sulle influenze socioambientali nello sviluppo della sessualità di persone con disabilità in Italia. Roma, IT: Kappa. Disponibile online sul sito: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235327763;
2. Vicari, S., & Caselli, C. (Eds.). (2017). Neuropsicologia dell’età evolutiva. Bologna, IT: Il Mulino. (Chapters 9,10,11,12,13,14,18,19,20);
3. Federici, S., Mosconi, E., Rossler, M. E., & Mossuto, V. (2025). Expressive Existential Psychoeducational Intervention Treatment for Maladaptive Sexual Behavior in a Boy with Trisomy 21 Syndrome. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 54(6), 2363–2372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03186-3;
4. Federici, S., Artegiani, F., Diotallevi, D., Caruso, G., & Castellani Mencarelli, A. (2020). Psychological Sexual Health of People with Paraplegia. In A. Ibarra (Ed.), Paraplegia (pp. 1–21). London, UK: IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/psychological-sexual-health-of-people-with-paraplegia;
5. Meloni, F., Federici, S., & Dennis, J. L. (2015). Parents’ Education Shapes, but Does not Originate, the Disability Representations of Their Children. PLoS ONE, 10(6), e0128876. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128876
6. Federici, S. (2026) Slide di Psicologia del funzionamento individuale disponibili online sul sito UNISTUDIUM oppure sul sito personale del docente www.cognitivelab.it.

The English language texts in numbers 4, 5, 6, and 7 can be replaced with in the following two Italian language texts:
7. Federici, S., Corsi, V., & Locatelli, M. E. (2014). Asino chi non legge? Riconoscere e gestire i disturbi specifici di apprendimento. Milano, IT: Pearson;
8. Federici, S., & Scherer, M. J. (Eds.). (2013). Manuale di valutazione delle tecnologie assistive (A. Stella, Trans.). Pearson (Prefazione, Introduzione alle parti: 1, 2, 3, Capitoli: 1,2,3,4,8,9,13,15,17,18).

Recommended reading:
1. Federici, S., Corsi, V., & Locatelli, M. E. (2014). Asino chi non legge? Riconoscere e gestire i disturbi specifici di apprendimento. Milano, IT: Pearson.
2. Federici, S., & Scherer, M. J. (Eds.). (2018). Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook (2nd ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781351228411.
3. Federici, S., Tosti, A., Russo, E. A., & Conigli, L. (2026). Measurement characteristics of WHODAS 2.0 and WHODAS-Child: A systematic review of global psychometric studies in specific populations since 2010. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 17(1737452), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1737452
4. Federici, S., Balboni, G., Buracchi, A., Barbanera, F., & Pierini, A. (2023). WHODAS–Child: Psychometric Properties of the WHODAS 2.0 for Children and Youth among Italian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Disability and Rehabilitation, 45(10), 1713–1719. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2071481;
5. Federici, S., Castellani Mencarelli, A., Bria, E. A., Carrara, M., Ciancimino, C., & Ghizzoni, G. (2023). Do Children Learn Representations, Stigmas, and Stereotypes About Disability or Do They Create Them to Some Extent? In S. B. Barret (Ed.), People with Disabilities: Perceptions, Stigmas and Stereotypes (pp. 33–118). Nova Science Publishers. https://novapublishers.com/shop/people-with-disabilities-perceptions-stigmas-and-stereotypes/;
6. Scherer, M. J., & Federici, S. (2023). The matching person and technology assessment process and measures. In S. A. Zapf (Ed.), Evidence-based assessment framework for assistive technology: The MPT and match-aces assessments (pp. 23–42). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003028239-3
7. Federici, S., Corradi, F., Meloni, F., Borsci, S., Mele, M. L., Dandini de Sylva, S., & Scherer, M. J. (2015). Successful Assistive Technology Service Delivery Outcomes from Applying a Person-Centered Systematic Assessment Process: A Case Study. Life Span and Disability, 18(1), 41–74. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279525619
8. Federici, S., Scherer, M. J., & Ehrlich-Jones, L. (2021). Measurement characteristics and clinical utility of the assistive technology device predisposition assessment (ATD PA) among mixed patient populations. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 102(4), 805–806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2020.11.007
9. Federici, S., & Lepri, A. (2021). The right to pleasure of people with spinal cord injury and their partners. Psychiatria Danubina, 33(Suppl. 11), 29–32. https://www.psychiatria-danubina.com/UserDocsImages/pdf/dnb_vol33_noSuppl%2011/dnb_vol33_noSuppl%2011_29.pdf
10. Federici, S., Bracalenti, M., Meloni, F., & Luciano, J. V. (2017). World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0: An International Systematic Review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 39(23), 2347–2380. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309741657
11. Federici, S., Meloni, F., Catarinella, A., & Mazzeschi, C. (2017). Models of Disability in Children’s Pretend Play: Measurement of Cognitive Representations and Affective Expression Using the Affect in Play Scale. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(794), 1–8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00794/full
12. Contardi, A., Berarducci, M., & AIPD – Associazione Italiana Persone Down. (2013). Amicizia, amore, sesso: parliamone adesso. Imparare a conoscere se stessi, gli altri, le proprie emozioni. Erickson.
13. Witty, W., & Flandoli, C. (2023). Che brava che sei! 8 storie di abilismo quotidiano. Laterza.

Educational objectives

Acquisition of knowledges and skills in the context of individual functioning, in the context of the assessment to disability and health, the processes of assignment af assistive technologies. Acquisition of knowledges and skills on sexuality and disability.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of the Italian language, level C1. Knowledge of English, level B2. Good computer skills. Good knowledge of psychological sciences and techniques; in particular, a good knowledge of the contents of General Psychology is required (Anatomo-physiological foundations of the mind; Functions of the mind; Fundamental stages and theories of evolutionary psychology). Good knowledge of scientific research methods. Analytical comprehension and reasoning skills.

Teaching methods

Face-to-face and workshops.

Other information

Students with disabilities or with DSA will be able to make use of assistive and compensatory tools according to ministerial and university regulations. It is therefore recommended that students book a student reception with Prof. Stefano Federici so that the arrangements can be defined verbally.

Learning verification modality

The exam is both written and oral. Those who have registered on SOL at least 7 days before the exam date will be given an online questionnaire (Quiz) with 30 multiple-choice questions (+1 = correct answer // -0.50 = incorrect answer // -0.25 = no answer) taken from the contents of the compulsory exam materials (see below: “Required texts”). The questionnaire can be completed online through SEB using a student's own PC, tablet, or smartphone connected to the UNIPG Wi-Fi network (if students do not have their own device, they must reserve a PC workstation at LIDU). Access to the UNIPG Wi-Fi service is granted following authentication by entering the University's unique credentials. Only students who have booked on SOL will have access to the classroom indicated for the exam with their own device. Once seated in the classroom, students must access the course page on UNISTUDIUM and wait for the instructor present in the classroom to provide them with the password to access the written test. Once the password has been entered, students will have 30 minutes (40 minutes for students who benefit from compensatory/exemptive measures) to complete the preliminary written test. Only one attempt is allowed. Those who pass the preliminary test (obtaining at least 18 points) will take the oral exam on the entire exam program on the same day (unless otherwise indicated). Those who pass the preliminary test but do not take the oral exam immediately after the written preliminary test will have to repeat the written preliminary test even if they obtained a positive score (= 18). Those who pass the written test but fail the oral exam will also have to repeat the written preliminary test in a subsequent exam session. Those who have not passed the written preliminary test or the oral exam may re-register for any other exam session (even immediately following). In all exam sessions, it is possible to take both the written preliminary test and the oral exam. The final exam grade will be assigned by the Chair of the Commission, to whom all examinees who have passed the written test must apply for confirmation of their grade. Consistency in the conduct of the exam will be guaranteed within the same exam session, taking into account the human and organizational resources available for each individual exam session. In assigning the final grade, the Chair of the Examination Board will assess the need for further examination of the knowledge and skills acquired by the candidate, also on the basis of the answers given to the written questions. Finally, please consult the following link https://www.unipg.it/files/pagine/1956/locandina---registrazione-esami.pdf-1.pdf for the correct conduct of the exams.

Extended program

1. From models to the ICF international classification of disability: The health model of the Constitution of the World Health Organization; The paradoxes of health; The first classification of disability: the ICIDH 76/80; the ICF: International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. [Required texts: 5, 6]
2. Measures and classifications of individual functioning and disability: The paradoxes of disability assessment; the Washington Group's 6 Census Questions on Disability; WHODAS 2.0 and WHODAS-Child, SIS, VABS-II, DSM-5-TR. [Required texts: 3, 6]
3. Neurodevelopmental disorders: general characteristics. Diagnostic criteria, severity levels, differential diagnosis, and intervention strategies according to the DSM-5-TR. Intellectual development disorder (intellectual disability): executive functions, genetic and environmental bases; autism spectrum disorder; specific learning disorder: impairment in reading, written expression, and calculation; attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). [Required texts: 2]
4. Sexuality and disability: Sexual identity, gender identity, and gender dysphoria; phenomenology of sex education for people with disabilities in Italy; the model of expressive existential psychoeducational intervention with people with spinal cord injuries and intellectual and developmental disabilities; measures of adaptive and maladaptive sexual behavior (Sexual Knowledge and Behavior Assessment Tool; Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Knowledge of people with Intellectual Disability); management of inappropriate masturbation in people with intellectual disabilities; management of menstruation in women with intellectual disabilities; supports and guides for the sex education of people with intellectual disabilities. [Required texts: 1, 3, 4, 6]

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

Health and wellness
Quality education
Gender equality