Deontology for the Psychological Profession in Italy : A Distance Learning Toolkit for Students of Psychology

The Deontological Code (DC) is mentioned in the constitutive law of the Italian Psychological Profession, Law Number 56, issued in 1989. DC is not a set of rules that any professional may or may not comply with; DC is articulate with a state aegis that all those who decide to profess the profession of psychologist by registering with one of the local registers, either for residential or work proximity, must comply with. The code is a combination of principles and rules: the principles take the form of propositions with an abstract, descriptive tone and a general scope, while the rules take the form of direct indications for conduct. The rules, including those of the DC, have a consumptive character, i.e., they indicate the right attitude to adopt and, consequently, the proper conduct to put into practice. The rules of the code are usually aligned with the laws of the state; however, there may be situations that cannot be foreseen and in which respect for the DC may be called into question. In such cases, the professional must make a choice. Over the years, the code has undergone continuous revisions. As far back as the law establishing the profession, DC has been revised several times, some of which stemmed from the need to adapt the DC to updated regulatory dictates. In December 2023, the CNOP proposed a revision of the DC, which was approved by a majority. The 9,034 who voted in favour and the 7,617 who voted against (258 blank ballots) saw this version of the DC to become the subject of several judicial appeals, the last of which was accepted. On 24 December 2024, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court (verdict number 6630) received the previous appeals since the list of articles the Italian psychologist voted on in 2023 missed those premises that, after the vote, became part and parcel of the DC. Considering the court decision, the articles chosen to be commented on in this distance learning compendium come from the last DC the professional voted in 2013. Moreover, the articles have been selected because they represent the most essential articles to overview what the Italian community of psychologists assume the profession of psychologists in Italy should be from the point of view of an academic student. The articles are ordered and commented on to drive the reader to know what the psychological profession is. The reader would see why psychology in Italy represents a protected profession; then, he would know the limits and the features of the profession. Finally, he would be able to develop concerns about a profession that serves the public in their step to achieve or maintain their mental health.