Research Project

The Section of Psychiatry is involved in several research projects especially in the fields of Psycho-Oncology and Palliative Care, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, and Clinical Psychiatry.

Clinical Psychiatry

  • Research Project on Mental Disorders in the Elderly (in collaborazione  con University of Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; Hadassah University, Jerusalem, Israel; University Complutense of Madrid, Spain; University of Geneve, Switzerland;  University of Dresden, Germany; Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK) (Funded by the European  Union)
  • Study of local interest (2001-2004: Medical co-morbidity in psychiatry: development of educational and preventative interventions on severely psychiatrically ill patients). (Coordinator: Prof. L. Grassi - project funded by the University of Ferrara) examining the prevalence of medical diseases (e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies, HIV infections, HCV infections), on at-risk behaviours (e.g. diet, cigarette smoke, at-risk sexual behaviour) and on the development of educational interventions (e.g. specific educational patterns on health, nutrition, adherence to treatment, protected sex) for psychiatrically ill patients.
  • National multi-centre study on Aggressive Behaviour in Psychiatry, specifically in the Acute Inpatients Psychiatric Unit, in co-operation with the Mental Health Department of the Community Health Agency in Ferrara.
  • Psychiatric Emergency and Urgent Psychiatric Consultation in the General Hospital (Emergency Department and General Hospital Divisions) and in the community (consultation or urgent psychiatric intervention in the community and in Mental Health Outpatient Facilities)..
  • Definition of the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Focal Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in Mood Disorders, Anxiety disorders, and Somatization

Psycho-Oncology

  • Multi-centre European study (2000-2002) sponsored by the European Commission - Directorate du Cancer - Agreement SI2.307317, involving Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, known as Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study (SEPO-S) (Improving health staff’ communication and assessment skills of psychosocial morbidity and quality of life in cancer patients: A study in Southern European countries) (Project Leader: Prof. L. Grassi) whose purpose is to analyze the ability of identifying patients’ psychiatric problems by oncology physicians, to develop a specific formative model and to verify the effectiveness of such a model
  • National Project (2001 -2003: Rehabilitation and quality of life in oncology: new methods of psychological evaluation in patients with breast cancer) funded by National Research Council - CNRC 0072A1 – 005. National Project Leader: Prof. L. Grassi). Project to evaluate women with breast cancer with a multi-disciplinary and bio-psycho-social approach to the disease.
  • Project of local interest (2002-2005; 2011): Psycho-Oncology Program to evaluate the needs and to define specific ways of psychological intervention at the departmental level, through the implementation of a network of services and psycho-oncology interventions involving the Psycho-Oncology Service, the several Units of the Mental Health Department, the hospitals of Ferrara – local and rural - the General Practitoners in the community and the Self-Help Associations providing home-care to advanced cancer patients.
  • Efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy group interventions (according to the Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy model) in patients with breast cancer followed by the Breast Service at the University and General Hospital S. Anna.
  • Standardization, validation and use of psychometric instruments for delirium, coping with cancer, psycho-pathological symptoms and social support in oncology
  • Development and evaluation of the efficacy and effectiveness of training courses on communication skills for health staff members working in cancer services in improving the relationship with cancer patients and their families.

Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

  • Study of national interest (2000-2001 Psychiatric and psycho-social morbidity in medicine: new diagnostic models and therapeutic implications) sponsored by the National Institute of Health - National Project of Mental Health: (National Co-ordinator: Prof. L. Grassi). This study was carried out in three Italian Centres with the of evaluating the diagnostic effectiveness of new criteria (Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research - DCPR) in view of a better and more specific classification of psycho-social problems in medically-ill patients.
  • Departmentalization of Consultative Psychiatry and an assessment of the importance of the relations between the hospital, General Medicine and Consultative Psychiatry on the quality of assistance and the quality of life of medically-ill patients after being discharged from the hospital.
  • Liaison between Psychiatry and General Medicine and the quality and clinical performance of General Practitioners, physician-patient relationship and the relation between psychiatry and general medicine.