THE PROFESSIONAL CAREER OF PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE CYBERSPACE (original) (raw)

The wide diffusion of new communication technologies, empowered by the use of the web, is changing the traditional modalities of working, of dealing with commercial exchanges, of offering services, of socializing. Structures, institutions, services and performances are undergoing the inescapable processes of deconstruction and digitizing, and are urged to the use of the cyberspace; people search for information concerning psychological care, health and wellbeing; services and professional performances are offered directly online. As a consequence, the professionals of the psychological sectors are urged to adapt and supply their psychological interventions according to this new dimension. But, notwithstanding the advantages, those technologies entail some levels of criticality. Both clients and professionals feel that, added to the fear for a subversion of our traditional relationships, it is the confusion and uncertainty given by a chaotic and unregulated offer for both services and performances, and involving the efficiency and dependability of the psychological interventions. All this aspects have produced two opposite effects: either an uncritical acceptance of logics, procedures, and instruments which do not belong to the psychological profession, or the total refuse of the new technologies. In the meantime, there has not been occasion to reflect and analyse the relationship among the conveniences offered by the new communication technologies and the psychological processes they involve. On the contrary, we consider it is necessary to regain the specificity of our profession, by reflecting on shape and content it could assume inside this new context. The present symposium is aimed at reinforcing and integrating those researches aimed at exploring the state-of-the-art of the online psychological interventions. More in details, we will present the results of our researches in: drawing an updated map of the online psychological services offered in Italy; analysing the representations that psychologists have of the online psychological interventions; conducting an inquiry on the expectations of the “clients” on the psychological services; studying the effects of a psychological service offered to “native digit” generations. Our researches start by drawing a conceptual map of the reality of the psychological interventions in the cyberspace, reporting limits and potentialities of these new forms of intervention. It would then focus on identifying general principles able to guarantee the high quality and competency of the professionals of the psychological sector; drawing guidelines, clear and coherent with the ethics of the profession, addressed to both the government decision-makers and our committee; identifying possible perspectives for the future of our profession