Psychological intervention in chronic physical illness

To know and know how to put into practice a concept of integral health, recognizing the influence of psychological aspects in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in chronic physical illness and in the care of the terminal patient.

To know how to plan an assessment session and to know how to select and apply psychological assessment and diagnostic techniques, as well as to know how to analyze and interpret the results of the assessment according to the characteristics of the recipients, the objectives of the intervention and the health problem in question.

To Know how to plan a psychological intervention and know how to select and apply the techniques according to the characteristics of the target audience, the objectives of the intervention (prevention, treatment or rehabilitation) and the health problem in question, taking into account the levels of efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency that they present.

To be able to follow up the psychological intervention in the field of intervention in chronic physical illness and to know how to provide feedback to the addressees in order to involve them in the different phases of the evaluation and treatment process.

To know the interrelation that exists between the work of the health psychologist and other professionals working in chronic patient care, defining from interdisciplinarity the contributions and limitations of the psychologist and emphasizing the need to integrate the various professional profiles capable of complementing each other in the triple biopsychosocial dimension of health.

To have the necessary competencies for autonomous learning, updating and continuous training in the field of psychological intervention in chronic physical illness, which will allow him/her to address complex or unfamiliar situations, as well as to improve and enhance clinical practice.

Block I. About pain and chronic physical illness

Topic 1. Psychological influences on chronic pain

Topic 2. The approach to the chronic pain patient: The importance of psychological intervention

Topic 3. Specific treatment programs for different types of chronic pain


Block II. Psychological intervention in the field of palliative care

Topic 4. About the process of dying and the dying: introductory aspects

Topic 5. Suffering and the end of life: different proposals for psychological intervention

Basic bibliography:

Arranz, P., Barbero, J.J., Barreto, P. & Bayés, R. (2003). Intervención emocional en cuidados paliativos. Modelos y protocolos. Ariel Ciencias Médicas.

Barberó, J, Gómez-Batiste, X., Maté, J. & Mateo, D. (2016). Manual para la atención psicosocial y espiritual a personas con enfermedades avanzadas. Obra Social “la Caixa.

Neimeyer, R.A. (2002). Aprender de la pérdida. Una guía para afrontar el duelo. Paidós.

Otero-López, J.M., Castro, C. & Saldaña, C. (1996). Directrices psicológicas en el abordaje del paciente con dolor crónico I. Evaluación. En A. López-Guerrero (Ed.), El dolor. Un enfoque multidisciplinar (pp. 275-358). Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

Otero-López, J.M., Castro, C. & Saldaña, C. (1996). Directrices psicológicas en el abordaje del paciente con dolor crónico II Tratamiento. En A. López-Guerrero (Ed.), El dolor. Un enfoque multidisciplinar (pp. 359-398). Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

Vallejo, M.A. & Comeche, M.I. (1994). Evaluación y tratamiento psicológico del dolor crónico. Fundación Universidad-Empresa.


Complementary bibliography:

Astudillo, W., Mendinueta, C. & Astudillo, E. (2008). Cuidados del enfermo en el final de la vida y atención a su familia. Aula Magna.

Barbero, J., Barreto, P., Arranz, P. & Bayés, R. (2005). Comunicación en oncología clínica. Editorial Just in Time S.L.

Barreto, P & Cancio, H. (2003). Una herramienta básica de los profesionales de la salud: el counselling. En, E. Remor, S. Ulla & P. Arranz (coords.), El Psicólogo en el ámbito hospitalario (pp. 93-119).DDB

Barreto, M. P. & Soler, C. (2007). Muerte y duelo. Síntesis.

Bayés, R. (2001). Psicología del sufrimiento y de la muerte. Martínez-Roca.

Blanchard, E.B. & Andrasik, F. (1989). Tratamiento del dolor de cabeza crónico. Martinez Roca

Cruzado, J. A. (2010). Tratamiento psicológico en pacientes con cáncer. Síntesis.

Die Trill, M. & López Imedio, E. (2000). Aspectos psicológicos en cuidados paliativos. La comunicación con el enfermo y la familia. ADES

Esteve,R. & Ramirez, C. (2003). El desafío del dolor crónico. Ediciones Ajilbe.

Gil, F.L. (2014) Counselling y psicoterapia en cancer. Elsevier

Kübler-Ross, E. 1993). Sobre la muerte y los moribundos (5ª ed.). Grijalbo

Miró, J. (2003). Dolor crónico: Procedimientos de evaluación e intervención psicológica. DDB

Philips, H.C. (1991). El tratamiento psicológico del dolor crónico. Pirámide

Viel, S. & cols. (2016). Guía de detección del malestar emocional en la atención paliativa integral. Sociedad Catalanobalear de Cuidados Paliativos y Obra Social “la Caixa”

Watson, M. & cols. (2007). Manual Oxford de Cuidados Paliativos. Aula Médica

Worden, J. W. (2004). El tratamiento del duelo: asesoramiento psicológico y terapia. Paidós

Basic and general competencies:

That students possess the learning skills that will enable them to continue studying in a way that will have to be largely self-directed or autonomous.

Acquire, develop and put into practice a concept of integral health, which contemplates the biopsychosocial components of health, in accordance with the guidelines established by the WHO.

To know in depth the psychosocial factors associated with health problems and disease.

Plan, carry out and, if necessary, supervise the process of psychological evaluation of human behavior and psychological factors associated with health problems in order to establish the evaluation of the same.

Design, develop and, where appropriate, supervise and evaluate psychological intervention plans and programs, depending on the psychological assessment and the individual and social variables involved in each case.

Transversal competences:

To know how to handle internationally standardized bibliographic and digital sources of scientific documentation.

Knowing how to critically analyze and use clinical information sources.


Specific competences:

To be able to plan and develop an assessment and intervention session, establishing hypotheses from which to deduce contrastable statements.

To know how to select and apply the most appropriate assessment techniques and instruments for each case according to its characteristics and context.

To know how to analyze and interpret the results of a psychological evaluation.

To know how to choose and apply the most appropriate psychological intervention techniques according to their purpose (prevention, rehabilitation, counseling, advice, etc.).

To know how to plan and develop a psychological intervention, setting relevant and realistic objectives according to the characteristics of the problem and the context.

Know how to monitor a psychological intervention, in accordance with the goals set, in order to introduce, if necessary, changes in the intervention during its development.

Know the framework of action of the general health psychologist and know how to refer to the corresponding professional specialist.

To carry out activities of promotion and education for individual and community psychological health.


Competences of the degree assigned to this subject:

To promote a critical vision about the process of evaluation and psychological treatment of chronic physical illness.

To know in depth which are the psychosocial factors associated with different problems of chronic physical illness.

To learn how to adequately plan evaluation processes in patients with different chronic and terminal diseases.

To acquire the necessary skills to design psychological intervention programs adjusted to the characteristics of patients with both chronic pain and terminal illnesses.

Exposure in class of the theoretical content of the curriculum, as well as the implementation, guided by the teacher, of different aspects that it is desirable that the student deepens through experience. With this type of combined approach, the aim is for the student to have a better understanding of the different assessment and intervention procedures applied in the field of chronic pain and terminal illness.

Use of an action-oriented methodology -role-playing- with the aim of encouraging the student to participate in the therapeutic process and to see for him/herself what and how to carry out the therapeutic work. Furthermore, from this point of view, the aim is to promote an open and critical view of the therapeutic task, highlighting possible advantages and limitations of different proposals.

The analysis of case studies and the realization of individual and group work to be presented in class are also important aspects of this subject.

There will be a written exam (with multiple-choice and short questions) of the theoretical and practical contents of the course. The score obtained in the written test will represent 60% of the final grade.

The 40% of the grade will be distributed in relation to the following activities: Report of practical sessions: 20%, completion of assignments and case studies: 15% and active participation in class: 5%.

In addition to the classroom hours corresponding to the theoretical and practical part of the course (24h.), the estimated hours of personal work are distributed as follows: study activities 28h., preparation of work (individual and/or group) 20h. and preparation of reports (practical sessions, etc.) 3h.

Manage as a user relevant databases in psychology.
Use bibliography relevant to the field of study of chronic physical illnesses and palliative care.
General knowledge of psychological assessment and treatment techniques.