1

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

2

3

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

4

5

PRELIMINARY REMARKS ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY IN ITALY

6

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

7

PROFESSIONAL STATUS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS VS OTHER PROFESSIONALS

8

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

9

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

10

…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

11

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

12

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)

13

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

18

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)

19

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

20

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

21

22

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

23

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