Maltreated children: Intervention and Research

Code:

MTP13

Acronym:

CMII

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Psychology Themes

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MTP	7	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The goals of this UC are:
1. To add knowledge in the domain of study;
2. To study the theoritical models in the domain;
3. To differetiate the diverse types of maltreatment;
4. To analyse rearch and papers in the domain;
5. To contact with assement strategies of the phenomeno.
6. To have a overview of intervention models in the domain.

Learning outcomes and competences

The students will be able to identify the central questions in the field; to describe the different type of maltreatments; to be able to analyze the different kind of risk factor of the maltreatment; to be aware about how to identify the needs of the child, in consequence of the maltreatments.

Working method

Presencial

Program

The main topics of the program are:

• The bio-ecological perspective of human development, as theoretical framework of analyze;

• Classification of the types of maltreatment;

• Description of each kind of maltreatment;

• Models to explain the maltreatment phenomena;

• Development effects of the maltreatment

• Assessments of the maltreatment;

• Interventions in the maltreatment, in order to stop the maltreatment and to help child to recover from the situation;

• The prevention of maltreatment;

• The of the teacher, the school and other professionals.

Mandatory literature

Cicchetti, D., & Lynch, M.; Toward an ecological/transactional model of community violence and child maltreatment: Consequences for children's development, Psychiatry, 56, 96-118, 1993
Felitti, V., & Anda, R. ; The relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult medical disease, psychiatric disorders and sexual behavior: Implications for health care., In R. Lanius & E. Vermetten (Eds), The Hidden Epidemic: The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease. Cambridge University Press., 2009
Kalmakis, K. A., & Chandler, G. E.; Adverse childhood experiences: Towards a clear conceptual meaning., Loading Global Nursering Research, 70 (7), 1489-1501., 2013
Sani, A. I.; As crenças, o discurso e a acção: as construções de crianças expostas à violência interparental, Repositório UM, 2004. ISBN: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/6958 (PhD Dissertation)
Veltman, M., & Browne, K.; Three decades of child maltreatment research. Implications for the school years., Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 2001

Teaching methods and learning activities

Presentation of the topics and theories, research and empirical work; discussion of previous experiences, which can be connected with the field; read and present one paper in the field; work in groups, in order to share different point of views.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	15,00
Trabalho escrito	85,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	70,00
Frequência das aulas	52,00
Trabalho escrito	34,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	6,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Participation on 75% of the classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

Include two dimension:
1. Participation in the classes -  15% (0-20)
2. Group work about a topic of the program and its presentation in class.

Classification improvement

Improvement of grades is not envisaged.