On the History of the Organization and Development of the Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University

The article presents the main stages of the formation and development of the Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology at St. Petersburg State University, which is based on the traditions of the Leningrad — Saint Petersburg School of Medical Psychology: a humanistic and holistic approach to the study of an ill person’s psyche, integrating all aspects of his/her life functioning in the conditions of the disease and treatment. The author shows the scientific and organizational contribution of Vladimir Myasishchev and Boris Ananyev in creating the specialization in medical psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of Leningrad State University; the author also represents the social demand to increase the number of professional medical psychologists, which was present in the 90’s of the 20th century and largely determined the opening of the Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology in 1994. The professional activities of the head of the department and its main teachers, who were present during its creation, as well as the contribution of the Bekhterev National Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Neurology scientific departments in the development of scientific and practical (psychodiagnostic and psychotherapeutic) basis of the department, are briefly described. The present stage of the department’s development is also provided; its main feature is the professional training of clinical psychologists according to the educational standard of SPSU; the contribution of the psychological counselling centre and a new type of qualification practical training — group and individual supervision — in the educational process are illustrated. The main scientific research trends of the department’s staff are presented, as well as their promising areas related to the biopsychosocial approach to understanding human health and illness, the integration of clinical and preventive directions in the development of medical psychology, and psychophysiology.

Akimenko M. A., Vasserman L. I., Shchelkova O. Yu. Psychoneurology and Medical Psychology: Continuity of Concepts in the Scientific System of V. M. Bekhterev. Anan’evskie Chteniia — 2017: Preemstvennost’ v psikhologicheskoi nauke: V. M. Bekhterev, B. G. Anan’ev, B. F. Lomov. Materialy mezhdunarodnoi nauchnoi konferentsii, 24–26 oktiabria 2017. St. Petersburg, Aising Publ., 2017, pp. 29–30. (In Russian)

Myasishchev V. N. Personality and Neurosis. Leningrad, Leningrad University Publ., 1960. (In Russian)

Iovlev B. V., Karpova E. B. The Psychology of Relationships. The Concept of V. N. Myasishchev and Medical Psychology. St. Petersburg, Sensor Publ., 1999. (In Russian)

Myasishchev V. N., Feoktistova E. P. Character and Past (on the Question of the Anamnesis Method). Trudy Pedol. otd-niia Gos. ped. in-ta im. A. I. Gertsena. Moscow; Leningrad, Rabotnik prosveshcheniia Publ., 1930, pp. 142–169. (In Russian)

Anan’ev B. G. About the Problems of Modern Human Science. St. Petersburg, Piter Publ., 2001. (In Russian)

Rybalko E. F. Selected Works on Psychology: Differential-psychological Problems of Human Development. Ed. by L. A. Golovej. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg University Publ., 2010. (In Russian)

Psychological Maturity of the Personality. Ed. by L. A. Golovej. St. Petersburg, Skifiya-print Publ., 2014. (In Russian)

Kabanov M. M. Rehabilitation of Persons with Mental Disorders. 2nd ed. Leningrad, Meditsina Publ., 1985. (In Russian)

Aleksandrovskij Yu. A. Socio-stress Disorders. Obozreniye psikhiatrii i med. Psikhologii im. V. M. Bekhtereva, 1992, vol. 2, pp. 5–10. (In Russian)

Tarabrina N. V., Lazebnaya E. O., Zelenova M. E. et al. Psychophysiological Reactivity in Liquidators of the Chernobyl Accident. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal, 1996, vol. 2, pp. 30–44. (In Russian)

Tarabrina N. V., Lazebnaya E. O., Zelenova M. E. et al. Psychological Characteristics of People Who Survived Military Stress. Trudy Instituta psikhologii RAN. Moscow, IP RAN Publ., 1997, pp. 254–262. (In Russian)

Karvasarskij B. D. Neurosis: A Guide for Physicians. 2nd ed. Moscow, Meditsina Publ., 1990. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I. Psychodiagnostics in Medicine and the Problems of Its Development, L. I. Vasserman, I. G. Bespal’ko, I. N. Gil’yasheva, B. V. Iovlev (eds). Psikhologicheskaia diagnostika pri nervno-psikhicheskikh i psikhosomaticheskikh zabolevaniiakh. Leningrad, NIPNI im. V. M. Bekhtereva Publ., 1985, pp. 5–11. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I., Shchelkova O. Yu. Medical Psychodiagnostics: Theory, Practice, Training. St. Petersburg; Moscow, Akademiya Publ., 2003. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I., Dorofeeva S. A., Meerson Ia. A. Methods of Neuropsychological Diagnosis: a Practical Guide. St. Petersburg, Stroilespechat’ Publ., 1997. (In Russian)

Bespal’ko I. G., Gil’yasheva I. N. Projective Tests, ed. by M. M. Kabanov, A. E. Lichko, V. M. Smirnov.

Metody psikhologicheskoi diagnostiki i korrektsii v klinike. Leningrad, Meditsina Publ., 1983, pp. 116–144.

(In Russian)

Gil’yasheva I. N. Practical Use of the Adapted Intelligence Test in Neuropsychiatric Diseases: Guidelines.. Leningrad, NIPNI im. V. M. Bekhtereva Publ., 1987. (In Russian)

Psychological Diagnosis of Emotional and Personality Disorders, ed. by L. I. Vasserman, O. Yu. Shchelkova. St. Petersburg, Skifiya-print Publ., 2014. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I., Vuks A. Ya., Iovlev B. V., Chervinskaia K. R., Shchelkova O. Yu. Computer Psychodiagnostics: Back to the Clinic-psychological Method. Teoriia i praktika meditsinskoi psikhologii i psikhoterapii. St. Petersburg, 1994, pp. 62–70. (In Russian)

Chervinskaya K. R., Shchelkova O. Yu. Medical Psychodiagnostics and Knowledge Engineering. St. Petersburg, Akademiya Publ., 2002. (In Russian)

Chervinskaya K. R. Computer Psychodiagnostics. St. Petersburg, Rech’ Publ., 2003. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I., Trifonova E. A., Shchelkova O. Yu. Psychological Diagnosis and Correction in a Somatic Clinic: a Scientific and Practical Guide. St. Petersburg, Rech’ Publ., 2011. (In Russian)

Vasserman L. I., Shchelkova O. Yu., Trifonova E. A. Methodology of Medical Psychodiagnostics: Biopsychosocial Approach, the Concept of Adaptation and Humanistic Psychology. Psikhologicheskaia diagnostika rasstroistv emotsional’noi sfery i lichnosti, ed. by L. I. Vasserman, O. Yu. Shchelkova St. Petersburg, Skifiya-print Publ., 2014, pp. 12–24. (In Russian)

Neznanov N. G., Karavaeva T. A., Vasil’eva A. V. Foreword. Bolezn’ i zdorov’e, psikhoterapiia i soperezhivanie. 2nd ed., ed. by N. G. Neznanov. St. Petersburg, Alef-Press Publ., 2019, pp. 5–7. (In Russian)

Isurina G. L. Development of the Pathogenetic Concept of Neurosis and Psychotherapy of V. N. Myasishchev at the Present Stage, G. L. Isurina, B. D. Karvasarskii, V. A. Tashlykov, Yu. Ya. Tupitsyn. Teoriia I praktika meditsinskoi psikhologii i psikhoterapii. St. Petersburg, 1994, pp. 100–109. (In Russian)

Personally-oriented (Reconstructive) Psychotherapy of Karvasarskij, Isurina, Tashlykov. Psikhoterapevticheskaia entsiklopediia, ed. by B. D. Karvasarskii. St. Petersburg, Piter Kom Publ., 1998, pp. 231–239. (In Russian)

Isurina G. L. Aims and Mechanisms of Therapeutic Action of Personality-oriented (Reconstructive) Psychotherapy in the Light of the Development of an Integrative Model. Klinicheskaia psikhologiia: Khrestomatiia. St. Petersburg, Piter Publ., 2000, pp. 250–261. (In Russian)

Ababkov V. A. The Problem of Science in Psychotherapy. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg University Publ., 1998. (In Russian)

Algorithm for Assessing the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy for Neurotic Disorders: Method. Recommendations, comp. by V. A. Ababkov et al. St. Petersburg, NIPNI im. Bekhtereva Publ., 2010. (In Russian)

Ababkov V. A. Personified Psychotherapy: a Guide. Moscow, GEOTAR-Media Publ., 2016. (In Russian)

Shustov S. B., Udal’tsov B. B., Fofanov P. N. Honorary Doctor of the Military Medical Academy German Mikhailovich Yakovlev. St. Petersburg, Normed-Izdat Publ., 2003. (In Russian)

German Mikhailovich Yakovlev (on the Occasion of His 80th Birthday). Klinicheskaia meditsina, 2013, vol. 12, p. 76. (In Russian)

Shostak V. I., Lytaev S. A., Berezantseva M. S. Psychophysiology: Textbook. St. Petersburg, ELBI-SPb Publ., 2007. (In Russian)

Shostak V. I., Zotov M. V. Psychophysiology of Behaviour. St. Petersburg, Izd-vo SPbGU Publ., 2008.(In Russian)

Shchelkova O. Yu. The Main Areas of Research Activities in St. Petersburg School of Medical (Clinical) Psychology. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Series 16. Psychology. Education, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 53– 90. (In Russian)