Community Psychology: An Integrated Network for Psychological Wellbeing

Journal title PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE
Author/s Maria Simonetta Spada, Iris Locatelli, Valentina Strappa
Publishing Year 2025 Issue 2025/3
Language Italian Pages 23 P. 65-87 File size 194 KB
DOI 10.3280/PDS2025-003006
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Our contribution examines the growing psychological distress in Italy, as evidenced by the increase in the use of psychotropic drugs and the concerning data on youth mental health. The need to move beyond a concept of health limited to the absence of disease and treatment focused solely on symptoms and performance is emphasized, advocating of a broader vision that includes psychological well-being, socioeconomic, cultural and relational determinants. This different focus is crucial to address emerging health demands and to integrate psychology into the territorial health system, but it raises questions and imposes both epistemological and methodological decisions. An important opportunity in this perspective could be represented by the introduction of a psychology of primary care, on which various Italian Regions have already legislated, with objectives such as early interception of distress, proximity care and integration with other services. However, regional initiatives show inhomogeneity and financial allocations significantly undersized compared to needs. Even within these important limitations, it is possible to begin building an integrated approach that combines individual, group and community interventions, grounded in a salutogenic perspective, a critical orientation towards health promotion and the strengthening of community resources, as exemplified by the ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo. A conscious and transformative positioning of psychology in these contexts, based on empowerment, care as a universal practice and the ability to be present in the relational flow of community life, requires a systemic reconfiguration of psychology within the health service, which can find application in the construction of a National psychological network strongly anchored to the territory.

Keywords: territorial psychology, primary care, national psychological network.

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Maria Simonetta Spada, Iris Locatelli, Valentina Strappa, Psicologia di territorio: una rete integrata per il benessere psicologico in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 3/2025, pp 65-87, DOI: 10.3280/PDS2025-003006