Discipline - Behavioral Sciences

Associate Professor Iorgulescu Gabriela, PhD tenured
Assistant Professor Neagu Liliana, PhD tenured

Because an integration of some psychological techniques and concepts (especially regarding Behavioural

Psychology) in the medical practice is needed, Doctor Gabriela Iorgulescu, the head of the Behavioural Sciences discipline, having experience in both the medical and psychology fields, has initiated, in 2014, a new direction in the study of dental medicine ( it has formerly functioned in an atypical form, together with the Oral Health Discipline), meant to identify the risk factors and to change the behaviours that interest health, building the foundation of Behavioural Medicine, an interdisciplinary domain, that aims to accumulate the knowledge and behavioural modelling methods regarding healthy habits and applying this knowledge in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and thus respecting the transition from the old concept of “disease-centred therapy ” to the modern concept of “patient-centred therapy”, through the application of some programs, at various levels: individual, group and communitarian, aiming in the modification of problematic behaviours and the motivation of adopting a healthy lifestyle, Behavioural Sciences earning its place among the preclinical disciplines.

The domains of “Behavioural Sciences” are preponderantly focused o  n understanding the behavioural and social processes, and also on utilising them for the prevention and the elimination of disease risk factors. Behavioural Dental Medicine studies the behavioural, social and cultural processes, in an interdisciplinary frame, including the etiological correlates of the psycho-social factors in the pathogenesis of oral disturbances and disease. That is why learning and applying of certain knowledge regarding educational and psychotherapeutical interventions have a great importance in reducing the risk factors, and thus, in increasing the quality of life.

In the dental practice, more than in other specialties, the doctor is confronted with the reluctance and abandon of oral health by patients, developing real phobias of dental treatment. Knowing the approach methods in the doctor-patient relationship determines the stability of the therapeutical compliance, and, in equal terms, the personal professional satisfaction, raised to its true humanistic vocation.

The psycho-comportamental approach of the oral-dental health, while having in mind the wide range of patients, implies a complex activity that takes into account their particularities and reactions (age, sex, educational level, socio-economical status, personality traits, stress vulnerability – as variables that influence the risk of diseases and the health behavior). This implies the necessity of evaluation strategies regarding diagnostic and therapy, which can significantly improve the clinical efficiency of the medical services, with respect to the quality and therapeutical approach optimal standards. Behavioural Sciences helps with  the implementation of the holistic view of the patient, meant to tret or to ameliorate the social and behavioural impact of the disease. The courses approach subjects that have clinical application in dental medicine, like : The Bio-Psycho_social theory of dental anxiety in day-to-day activities, Psychosomatic disease of the oral zone and the management of pain in dental medicine, verbal and non-verbal communication strategies with the patient, Psychopharmacology and unconventional techniques in the treatment of anxiety and depression – hypnosis and bio-feedback, behavioural aspects of dental medicine regarding elders and special-needs people, the stress of doctors and dental medicine students – burnout syndrome, the applicability of mindfulness in the medical practice, etc. We mentioned here only some of the subjects that are found in the syllabus. In the seminars, the students learn cognitive, affective and behavioural processes evaluation techniques, through the utilisation of tests and questionnaires like: Dental Anxiety Questionnaire, Academical Anxiety Questionnaire, Visual Pain Scale; Tests: Emotional Intelligence, Stress Leve, Personality, Empathy, Motivational Dominants, Projective Tests, Communication Style Analysis, etc and also theraptucical intervention strategies, like: cognitive-behavioural approach, relaxing techniques for diminishing anxiety, hypnotherapy for the relief of pain, treatment-compliance improvement psychological procedures, through practical applications, Power-Point presentations, and also the visioning of educational movies, that combine the themes approached in the courses and the practical applicability in the dental clinic.

The research and educational activity within the discipline has treats subjects like the development of competences, and optimization of the professional level within the field of Behavioural Sciences, and their implementation  in the medical practice. The educational process is held in concordance with the students’needs of intellectual, imaginative and creative stimulation, through the accentuation of promoting the active-participative methods, heuristical communication, microgroups activities, research projects – applicable within the seminars and the courses. The information taught through the frequent utilization of modern instruction means, like Power-Point presentations, video-projecting, demonstrations, case studies, etc., facilitating the understanding.

The educational curriculum has the main objective the gaining of knowledge and behavioural techniques that serve to the major aim of raising the quality of life, through the prevention and identification of psycho-social factors in the ethiology, evolution and treatment of dental disease.

Educational curriculum :

  1. The importance and role of behavioral sciences in medical practice: general concepts of psychology and applications in dentistry; place and importance of behavioral sciences in national and international academic curricula; General boundaries and conceptual differences in psychology
  2. Introduction to Behavioral dentistry; bio-psycho-social factors involved in oral health; main theoretical and conceptual involved in behavioral sciences; behavioral sciences in dentistry and their roots psychosomatic
  3. Anxiety, fear and pain: theoretical approaches on anxious personality; anxiety and pain, behavioral management techniques in dentistry
  4. Anxiety and pain - psycho-behavioral approach to children; the effect of anxiety in children orthodontic plan; alternative means of pain control in dentistry
  5. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral dentistry;
  6. General psychosomatic oral specific  area;
  7. The approach of the patient with special needs and the elderly in dentistry
  8. Difficult personalities - typologies and behavioral approaches
  9. Stress and coping  mechanisms used in medical practice; psychological stress - theoretical models and strategies;
  10. The stress and academic motivation through the perspective of the medical student.
  11. Benefits and barriers to patient-physician communication.
  12. The interview, anamnesis and practical solutions:
  13. Psychopharmacology and unconventional techniques used in the practice of dentistry and behavioral management;
  14. Introduction to neuroscience applications in medicine; Mindfulness in Medicine Dental.
  • mindfulness;
  • emotional intelligence,
  • conscious / subconscious;
  • anxiety,
  • depression;
  • motivation,
  • brain stimulation,
  • neuroresonance;
  • memory,
  • attention.

In  2017 the discipline is carrying out important projects which we present below:

Proposed Research projects
Theme 1
Study for developing effective strategies and mental training programs aiming at improving academic performance.
They will be targeted:
- Increasing neural construction;
- Development of selective attention (the ability to concentrate);
- Improve memory;
- Cognitive control;
- Increasing the speed of mental processing (improving IQ);
- Managing stress.
Methodologies concerned:
- Brain stimulation programs through special frequencies audible neuroresonance Gamma focused predominantly on increasing the activity of the frontal lobes;
- Mindfulness meditation and concentration methods.

Theme 2:
Study on a method for stimulating the left prefrontal lobe to improve some disorders such as anxiety and depression.

For increased activity in the left prefrontal lobe VAS technology will be used a method of brain stimulation through sound Neuroresonance vectors that are based on spatial sound field with high frequencies Gamma.
The research aims to prove the validity of this therapeutic method could thus become a complementary method for the Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) used today to treat depression.

Author: Univ. Lecturer. Dr. Gabriela Iorgulescu – head of the discipline "Behavioural Sciences", U.M.F. "Carol Davila" Bucharest

  • "Psycho-Behavioral Particularities in Dental Anxiety "- in Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Science, June-2015, Vol.3, No.1,pp. 105-109; ISSN: 2374-2380(Print), 2374-2399(Online); Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development; DOI: 10.15640/jpbs.v3n1a11; URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15640/jpbs.v3n1a11

Indexed in: CrossRef, CrossCheck, Cabell`s, Ulrich`s, Griffith Research Online, Google Scholar, Education.edu, Information, Universe Digital Library, Standard Periodical Directory, Gale, Open I-Gate, EBSCO, Journal Seek, DRJI, ProQuest, BASE, InfoBase Index, OCLC, IBSS, Academic Journal Databases, Scientific Index. Under the control of the indexing organizations: ISI, Scopus and PubMed.

  • "Types of patients in dental medicine practice – The management of child patient" – paper accepted for publication in the volumes of the International Congress of Psychology ASCIPS 2015 (Sibiu) – indexed in Thomson Reuters-Web of Science(ISI));
  • "Psycho-Sociology-Cultural reasons and consequences of violence and aggression"- paper accepted for publication in the volumes of the conference (ASCIPS 2015 – Sibiu) – indexed in Thomson Reuters-Web of Science(ISI) ;
  • "Sanogenetic and pathogenesis manifestations specific to dental medicine" – paper accepted for publication in extenso in the volumes of the International Congress PSIWORLD 2015, Sept. Bucuresti – indexed ISI );
  • "The relationship between the family environment and the personality development of the preschooler children" – paper presented at the International Congress PSIWORLD 2015, Sept. Bucharest;
  • "Psycho-behavioral management and directions for promoting the oral health in Romania" – article published in the journal Medicine in Evolution, XX, nr.4/2015; ISSN 2065-376X, indexed BDI, Index Copernicus, acknowledged CNCSIS in B+;
  • "Musictherapy in dental medicine" – article published in the International Journal of Music and Performing Arts, 3, No.2, pp. 1-15, December 2015; ISSN: 2374-2690(Print), 2374-2704(Online); Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/ijmpa.v3n2a1; URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1 5640/ijmpa.v3n2a1;
  • "Posttraumatic stress correlated with dental anxiety manifested by victims of childhood sexual abuse" – article published in the European International Journal of Science and Technology; ISSN: 2304-9693, vol.4, nr.8, October 2015; Indexed in: New Jour, Electronic Journals & NewPetters, Google Scholar beta, Hochschulbibliothek Reutlingen, OCLC, WorldCat, Journal Seek, CrossRef, M Library, Contemporany Science Association, Scribd., ScientificCommons; site: eijst.org.uk
  • "The correlation between intrafamilial influencing factors and the behavior of preschooler child" – article published in the American International Journal of Social Science, 4, nr.6, dec.2015; United States of America, website: www.aijssnet.com; Manuscript ID:X-11188, dec.24, 2015, ISSN 2325-4149 (print), 2325-4165(online); Journal indexed in: Cabell`s, Ulrich`s, EBSCO, Index Copernicus International, and Gale. Journal under the process of indexing with ISI, ERIC, DOAJ, JSTOR, Econlit and Scopus.
  • "Elements of psychosomatic allergology" – in International Journal of Current Research (IJCR)-manuscript nr.13356, ISSN: 0975-833X, SJIF 2015 (Scientific Journal Impact Factor  value for 2015 : 6,226/ Index Copernicus Value : 6,24, Indexed Thomson Reuters` Researcher, ID: C-9046-2014: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/C-9046-2014; jounalcra.com Author: Univ. Assist. Dr. Liliana Neagu - discipline "Behavioural Sciences", U.M.F. "Carol Davila" Bucharest
  • "Depresia si formele sale de manifestare", "Relatiile interpersonale si suportul social", "Psihoterapia pentru imbunatatirea functionarii interpersonale" – chapters/paragraphs in the book "Psihocardiologie", Professor Dr. I.B. Iamandescu and Prof.Univ.Dr. Crina Julieta Sinescu (Ed.), ed. ALL, Bucuresti, 2015;
  • "The improvement of memory and attention to depressed versus healthy subject", poster presented at the IIIrd International Congress  "Mozart &Science", Krems, Austria, 2010;
  • "Infectia HIV/SIDA, capitol in cartea "Psihologia Medicala", Psihosomatica Generala si Aplicata, Partea a II-a, Professor Dr. I.B. Iamandescu (Ed.), Ed. InfoMedica, Bucuresti, 2009.

Conference debate "Child abuse - forms of identification and prevention from the perspective of medical, pedagogical and psychological",  16 oct. 2013- Bucharest, Palace of Parliament.

The event brought to the table reputed public figures, medical professionals and specialists involved in the prevention and identification of child abuse to build a collaboration to develop a law and methodology related to child abuse.

Multidisciplinary national conference "Signs and symptoms to identify forms of abuse in children", 14-15 oct.2014, UMPCD Council Room

The event addresses the identification and forms of prevention of child abuse, by presenting the most appropriate skills and procedures by which scientists can identify and intervene on the psycho-social consequences that marks the traumatic trajectory bio-psycho-social development of children abused.

Special guest – David Prescott – Director of Professional Development and Quality Improvement for the Becket Family of Services in Northern New England, USA, Past President of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, Certified Trainer for the ISTT – international Center for Clinical Excellence and Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

The courses discipline Behavioral Sciences - special guest, actor Howard Dell, the story of his life in the spirit of a winner is implemented through various experiences that they felt.

Courses in a relaxed atmosphere, sometimes outdoors when possible (eg completing tests or forms of practical work) - a pedagogical approach novel, which highlights the networking and harmonizing with nature in relation to the topic presented.

Also, please note that students have the opportunity to participate or initiate action extra-curricular themed sports that could showcase discipline behavior by stimulating the will, resources motivational achievement and performance optimization, but also the possibility of know better, in the development of team spirit through proper management and evaluation of human potential.

 Video recordings:

Deciphering human behavior has been the subject of many scientific studies from a wide range of socio-humanistic branches, such as: philosophy, genetics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc., which is actually the product of interaction between hereditary factors, influences environment and cultural and historical past.

We truly believe that what we are, not what we want to convey or to hide under different masks. There are infinite nuances of human behavior, depending on the context in which it is performed, but the attitude we have toward ourselves can lead us to the heights of glory or failure to us unshackle the chains that limit our actions and freedom to be ourselves as we want. Any man who is not limited by the genetic condition can to generate force he needs to overcome limits and management capacities of their own destiny.

Behavioral and how the psyche works and interfering elements are human-subjects taught and exemplified in courses "Behavioral Science" (sometimes dubbed special guests through practical demonstration - eg. Induction hypnotic applicable in dentistry). In the video, Ms. Lecturer. Univ. Dr. Gabriela Iorgulescu describe explanatory mechanisms of hypnotic phenomenon and psychological characterization, its utility in various diseases, but also in optimizing human performance using the methods of adjustment and mental self.

However, exemplified by a specific model, a live presentation, the students were able to understand beyond academia and terms of academics, the application of psychology, with an example of will, motivation, discipline and faith offered Howard Dell actor, invited to one of his classes, by Lecturer Gabriela Iorgulescu - head of discipline "Behavioral Science."

Here are some words by Howard Dell expressions constructive way of thinking and worth following as an example "follow your passion and be better at something every day!"

 

http://www.columnatv.ro/curs-cu-howard-dell/

TOP