bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological Paper: Phenomenological research: The case of Empirical Phenomenological Analysis and the possibility of reverie
Authors: Gee Joanna , Loewenthal Del , Cayne Julia
Published: January 2023

Content and Focus

This article will discuss phenomenology and phenomenological research methods, and through an exploration of the case of Empirical Phenomenological Analysis (EPA) will explore the possibility of a phenomenological approach to research through reverie. With regard to the relationship between phenomenology and ‘phenomenological research’, Husserlian phenomenology implies ‘research’, therefore, making the term ‘phenomenological research’ redundant and a misnomer. However, there exists an abundance of ‘phenomenological research methods’, which despite claiming to focus on the lived experienced of the participant, stand contrary to phenomenology in that they are broadly empirical, systematised and psychologise the notion of phenomenology. The case of EPA, which is a phenomenological research method, empirical in nature and mediated in line with ‘scientific practices’ will be discussed in depth. In turn, through the critical analysis of EPA, we see the need for an alternative approach to research, which is apposite with phenomenology’s philosophical aims. As a result, reverie, which includes abstract musings, ruminations and wonderings, will be discussed as an approach to research through phenomenology. It is argued that reverie, contrary to traditional ‘phenomenological research methods’, facilitates access to the participants’ concerns through an attendance to subjective and intersubjective experience in the research process, enabling the relational to emerge in and through research.
Becoming ‘another brick in the wall’: A thematic analysis of Central and Eastern European immigrants’ experience of psychological distress and help-seeking
Authors: Chtereva Elena , Ward Tony , Ramsey-Wade Christine
Published: January 2023

Background and aims

A great number of Central and Eastern European immigrants have moved to the UK since 2004, and a better understanding of their help-seeking behaviour is needed. This study aimed to explore how the experience of immigration had impacted on the wellbeing of some Central and Eastern European immigrants, whether these immigrants had sought help for any psychological distress, and to explore the support needs of this particular population.

Methodology

A qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four male and twelve female immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe living in the UK. Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Findings

Four overarching themes were identified in the analysis: immigration experience; views and meanings of mental health; help-seeking experience and addressing immigrants’ emotional needs. Participants in the study reported having good mental health and the ability to deal with distress, but highlighted that a lack of English proficiency, low job attainment and experiences of prejudice and discrimination negatively affected their psychological health.

Discussion

The results offered a thorough description and understanding of some immigrants’ experiences, the meanings attributed to these experiences, and their needs concerning psychological health. Some possible implications for working with this minority group are discussed from a social justice perspective, including the recommendation to apply contextual approaches such as relational cultural theory.
Presence and personality: A factoral exploration of the relationship between facets of dispositional mindfulness and personality
Authors: Mather Phillip , Ward Tony , Cheston Richard
Published: January 2023

Background/Aims/Objectives:

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between the discrete facets of personality and dispositional, or trait-like, mindfulness.

Methodology/Methods:

The study employed a factoral quantitative design and 229 participants completed two online measures, the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the NEO-PI-R Personality Questionnaire. The latter measured the ‘Big Five’ factors of personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness) and their 30 associated facets. Participant data was analysed via factor analysis utilising scores across all 35 variables, that is, the five dispositional mindfulness domains plus the 30 personality facets.

Results/Findings:

Analysis resulted in the emergence of a five-factor model. These five ‘new’ factors aligned closely with the ‘Big Five’ personality factors. Hence, dispositional mindfulness domains were statistically indistinct from established factors of personality. Notably, three out of the five FFMQ dispositional mindfulness domains (namely, Non-Judging of Inner Experience, Non-Reactivity to Inner Experience, and Acting with Awareness) loaded inversely on to the ‘Neuroticism’ factor. Additionally, two FFMQ domains (Acting with Awareness and Describing) loaded positively on to ‘Conscientiousness’, while one FFMQ domain (Observe) loaded positively on to ‘Openness’. These results align with previous studies conducted at factor level and deepen understanding of facet- level relationships.

Discussion/Conclusions:

Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention is now utilised extensively, often within the context of a broader counselling approach. The results of this study suggest that tailoring such clinical mindfulness interventions more to the client’s particular personality and needs may maximise benefit and negate the possibility of harmful consequences. For example, accentuating self-compassion, perhaps by setting the work in the context of a richer compassion-based approach, could be beneficial for a deeply self-critical client scoring highly on Neuroticism.
Gender dysphoria and the mirror: A mediator between the first person and third person perspective
Authors: Bonhomme Laura Scarrone
Published: January 2023

This article seeks to demystify Gender Dysphoria by offering a theoretical framework to formulate dissonance between the internal sense of gender (through interoceptive, proprioceptive, and exteroceptive sensation), body image, and socialisation. We will focus on the psychotherapeutic applicability of this model, offering a clinical case example and suggesting concrete psychological explorations of the person’s relationship with the mirror.
Helpful factors of therapy with families/carers of individuals affected by cancer
Authors: Lombard Áine
Published: January 2023

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to identify what family members and/or carers of individuals affected by cancer found helpful in therapy.

Method:

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with six individuals who had completed psychological therapy within a charitable organisation for people affected by cancer. The data collected were thematically analysed.

Results:

Participants reported a range of helpful processes in therapy: talking and being open with someone outside of the family; building a trusting and safe relationship with a non-judgemental therapist who listened; normalisation of their experience as the therapist had specialised knowledge; being supported and strengthening their resources to cope with overwhelming and distressing feelings.

Implications:

These findings suggest that the unique perspectives of carers and/or family members can increase our understanding of the helpful processes of individual psychotherapy in cancer care settings and improve our delivery of services to this client population.
Punjabi Depression Inventory: A culturally sensitive measure for Punjabi-speaking migrants residing in the UK
Authors: Bhogal Ranjot
Published: January 2023

Background/aims:

There is a lack of empirical research investigating the impact of culture on depressive symptoms within Punjabi-speaking individuals who reside in the UK, but originally migrated here from India. This study aims to develop and validate a new cultural measure of depression known as the Punjabi Depression Inventory (PDI). Therefore, the PDI is intrinsically linked to the Punjabi culture and language. The PDI is used to detect depression in Punjabi-speaking individuals which may be triggered as a result of their cultural experiences.

Method:

In developing the new PDI measure, 191 participants were recruited to complete the questionnaire, which was analysed using Principle Components Analysis (PCA).

Results:

Four subscales emerged from this data reduction analysis: (i) deflated; (ii) somatic; (iii) religion; and (iv) crying. On the whole, the early developments of the PDI demonstrated good factor structure and internal consistency for each of the four subscales.

Discussion:

The PDI could possibly be used as an aid to provide training to help mental health professionals and to enhance their cultural knowledge of working with this class of individuals. Furthermore, the emerging PDI measure may introduce an interesting new scope for mental health professionals to broaden their methods of assessment, formulation and treatment plans. This includes the introduction of a new cultural assessment which can be utilised to identify, and specifically target, cultural depression experienced by such a cohort.
Challenges faced by mental health interpreters in East London: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: Jidong Dung E. , Tribe Rachel , Gannon Kenneth N.
Published: January 2023

Background/aims/objectives:

The role of an interpreter is instrumental for people not fluent in the new language of their host community or country where they are living. This subject is an important one and not enough is known, especially about the challenges faced by mental health interpreters.

Methodology/methods:

The study examined how interpreters drew on direct translation, cultural meanings and non-verbal information while interpreting and how they convey these to both service users and providers. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted to analyse three semi-structured interviews with female mental health interpreters that lasted approximately 60 minutes each. All participants were self-identified as fluent in at least two languages and had attended a minimum of six months training on mental health interpreting.

Results/finding:

The challenges of mental health interpreting were revealed in three overarching themes: (i) Sensitive nature of interpreting and challenges associated with ensuring accuracy. (ii) Multitasking to convey literal words, feelings and cultural meanings. (iii) Exposure to the risk of vicarious trauma and insufficient organisational support.

Discussion/conclusion:

The study concluded that mental health interpreters should have more access to training and development, organisational support, professional recognition and adequate acknowledgement of their essential role in service provision to people not fluent with the new language of their present community or country.
Counselling psychology and climate change: A survey of the DCoP membership
Authors: Milton Martin , Gimalova Maya , Simmons Beth
Published: January 2023

Background:

Climate change is a growing concern, a multi-dimensional, societal issue affecting our personal lives and the way we engage with clients. There is evidence that people are finding it a matter of anxiety and as such it is increasingly a focus in the therapeutic domain. In order to understand counselling psychology’s relationship to climate change, the Executive Committee of the British Psychological Society Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP) initiated a working group on climate change in the latter part of 2019. This working group had several tasks including a statement about psychology and climate change, and the development of a reference library as a resource for those members who want to better understand the literature. The reference library is available atwww.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Member%20Networks/Divisions/DCoP/Climate%20Change%20-%20Useful%20Reading.pdf.

Methodology/methods:

This consultation asked a sample of British counselling psychologists about their experience of research, clinical work and other engagement with climate change. Themes were identified.

Results/findings:

The findings indicate some variation as to what counselling psychologists think and do in relation to climate change; most respondents accepted that counselling psychologists need to be aware of the issue and be able to respond helpfully to clients who bring this focus; some colleagues are already working with this material and many wanted training; some are researching this phenomenon and wanted assistance in funding and disseminating relevant work; and counselling psychologists thought that the Division/wider BPS might usefully make a mission statement, library of resources and offer training.
An accidental therapist?
Authors: Milton Martin
Published: January 2023

By taking an historical, although not always linear, approach to events in my childhood, adolescence and adulthood, this paper reflects on how I became a counselling psychologist. The process was characterised by a gradual progression that included periods of uncertainty, of wanting to be ‘a therapist’ of some sort, and to eventually finding a professional identity as a counselling psychologist. In particular, the paper reflects on personal and political dimensions of events that occurred in the UK, Africa and the US and the meanings that are so intimately wound up in these.
Re-arranging the furniture in my head – A story of becoming
Authors: Gassert Leanne
Published: January 2023

My relationships with my therapists are fundamental to my narrative of becoming a psychotherapist. This paper outlines the path from my troubled childhood, drawing on many years of being a client in therapy, towards my shift to the therapist’s chair. Grounded in intersubjectivity theory and using the psychoanalytic theories of Winnicott (1965) and Bion (1962), I explore how my experience of being a client and becoming a person is shaping my practice as a psychotherapist. Additionally, I seek to deconstruct the notion of the ‘wounded healer’ and conceptualise the work of a psychotherapist using the idea of the ‘healing wounded’.
The music of therapy
Authors: Rowbottom Simon
Published: January 2023

‘Pictures are forming inside my brain Soon with the colours they’ll rain together and grow Then don’t you know, don’t you know, there’ll be music.’

From ‘Music’ by Carole King.

To explore individual narratives of a therapist’s route to entering the profession, I undertook a self-critical analysis of personal experiences, emotional understandings, and meaning making of my life prior to becoming a counselling psychologist. Pathways to entering a psychotherapeutic profession are nuanced, and idiosyncratic, so rather than the ubiquitous ‘wounded healer’ narrative being the sole applicable metaphor for my life journey, I draw out another metaphor more pertinent to my particular experience: the music of therapy.
Wanderer to warrior
Authors: Hammersley Diane
Published: January 2023

Several theories explain the motivation and process of becoming a therapist. The concept of ‘wounded healer’ is a common one, but this paper proposes an alternative metaphor which describes a journey wandering through life and discovering a purpose worth fighting for. The author describes this journey as one of being fortunately chosen rather than making deliberate choices. The process of becoming a counselling psychologist brought her into contact with those less fortunate than her and exposed her to diversity of education, class, culture, history and the world at large. The story starts with youth work and moves through studies in sociology to travelling to the West Indies and the newly independent countries of the commonwealth. A shift towards educational psychology was partially diverted into clinical research on benzodiazepines which later became a cause worth fighting for as she united the themes, of the dispossessed, the unheard, and the rejected that society blamed for their dependence. The author reflects on combining creativity with scientific rigour. The result has been a liking for ‘making it up as you go along’ which encourages flexibility rather than adherence to protocols and rules. There is a suggestion of rebellion here which is what the struggle for independence requires. Finally she concludes that counselling psychologists are like their clients; the product of their pasts.
A palimpsest narrative of becoming a therapist
Authors: Prior Seamus
Published: January 2023

Written by an experienced psychodynamic therapist, this paper likens one’s narrative of becoming a therapist to an ancient palimpsest manuscript, where layer is built upon layer, yet traces of earlier texts keep coming through. Dipping into his personal archive of writings on this theme, the author revisits earlier constructions of his narrative, appraising them from his current perspective. Moving between past and present, personal experience and theory, clinical practice and research, this paper builds a rich, densely woven narrative account of becoming a therapist, while interrogating the process through which such a narrative is constructed and the purposes it serves. It concludes with reflections on the insights gained through the process of this inquiry, acknowledging the significant ontological and epistemological shifts that have occurred in the author’s approach to both asking and answering the question ‘What brings me here?’
The impact on teachers of supporting children exposed to domestic abuse
Authors: Ellis Gemma
Published: January 2023

This paper presents research exploring primary school teachers’ perceptions and experiences of supporting children exposed to domestic abuse in one Local Authority. A two-phase sequential mixed methods design was adopted to address three research questions. Questionnaire findings suggested that there was a significant difference between teachers who had attended training and those who had not, in their confidence levels in: (a) responding to disclosures; and (b) recognising whether a child was exposed to domestic abuse (N=165).

Semi-structured interviews, analysed using thematic analysis were then carried out with teachers who had experience of teaching children exposed to domestic abuse (N=8). Themes were identified which explored: the emotional factors of the role of teachers; working within the school system; the relationship with the child and family; and uncertainty about what teachers need to know. Those interviewed expressed an anxiety about false accusations within the teaching role and the perceived lack of protection in school systems. This seemed to heighten fears of becoming involved in child protection cases (such as where there is domestic abuse) and the uncertainty and stress that teachers felt about this.

The paper concludes by considering the role of educational psychologists in providing training for teachers on managing and understanding emotional factors arising from their role. It also presents further research and policy opportunities to apply psychology in order to better understand the complexities that teachers are experiencing when supporting children exposed to domestic abuse.
Private knowledge, public face: Conceptions of children with SEBD by teachers in the UK – a case study
Authors: Armstrong David , Hallett Fiona
Published: January 2023

The behaviours of children or young people in educational settings are a major cause for concern in the UK and internationally. Recent policy in the UK has stressed the impact of ‘poor’ behaviour upon teacher welfare and efficacy. Children or young people classified as ‘having’ SEBD (Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties) are a group whose welfare has elicited particular concern amongst educational psychologists (EPs), educators and policy-makers.

This paper is an exploratory analysis of written accounts by 150 teachers about their professional experience and perception of children/young people presenting SEBD. Phenomenographic analysis of data suggested a set of identifiable personal-professional responses, disclosing an often troubled personal-professional accommodation of tensions between policy and practice. Research literature exploring educators’ perceptions of children presenting SEBD is addressed in this context. A consideration of methodological issues is made, specifically those associated with phenomenography.

A key recommendation of this paper is that EPs have an important role in helping teachers to develop positive, sustainable and psychologically-informed practice with individuals who present SEBD. The justification for this recommendation focuses upon the benefits of approaches that emphasise relationships in and around school rather than on behaviour per se. The need for comparative, international research on this issue is highlighted as is the need to recognise systemic connections between aspects of an educator’s perceptions of an individual presenting SEBD and aspects of their response in practice.
Inclusive and exclusive belonging – the impact on individual and community well-being
Authors: Roffey Sue
Published: January 2023

A sense of connectedness is increasingly recognised as a protective factor in resilience and well-being (Benard, 1991; Blum, 2005; Libbey, 2004). This paper reviews some of the international literature on belonging, especially within the school context, and explores the important distinction between those school communities that are inclusive and facilitate participation for all students and those that maintain an exclusive position that regulates who may belong and who may not, who is valued and who is marginalised. This is set within a broader socio-political context.

This paper addresses some of the beliefs and behaviours that promote healthy and inclusive relationships and puts forward a case for building inclusive school communities. Effective school and classroom practices are illustrated in the findings of a small study on Circle Solutions. This is a philosophy and pedagogy that aims to enhance the relational quality in a school and promote a sense of inclusive belonging. Our primary focus here is vulnerable and often challenging students. We address what this means for the role and responsibility of educational psychologists in increasing inclusive connectedness and reducing rates of exclusion.
Developing a community psychology service in one local community through a practitioner-researcher pilot study
Authors: Hammond Nick
Published: January 2023

Community perceptions that socio-political change happens to them opposed to with them has created a sense of angst. There is disparity between these views and that of the Government’s Big Society (Cabinet Office, 2010). Communities with high levels of deprivation, where capacity of support services is outweighed by demand present us with a critical question: How do we continue to deliver high quality and equitable services against a backdrop of economic and socio-political change? Such instability calls for creative and proactive solutions, which both meet the needs of local communities and, in essence, are created by them. This pilot project used a practitioner-researcher approach, where personal reflections from day-to-day meetings with community members provided the basis for a change in practice. Areas of concern included behaviour management, emotional well-being and support for parents. A new way of working, rooted in evidenced-based psychology, was developed based on these concerns and later shared with a range of key stakeholders. This paper reports on the rationale and development of practice for one educational psychologist within one local community and offers optimistic messages about addressing concerns and the dilemmas this created. The study demonstrates how individual practitioners may attempt change with the vision to empower communities in a tough socio-political climate. This way of working may act as a catalyst for collective response towards sustainable change through action.
‘We are the ones asking the questions’: The experiences of young mental health service users conducting research into stigma
Authors: Taggart Danny , Franks Wendy , Osborne Oz , Collins Suzanne
Published: January 2023

Involving young people in the development of relevant research and policy is seen as a priority in educational and health settings. This paper describes a qualitative study of experiences of young mental health service users who engaged in a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project about stigma in mental health. The PAR project comprised of eight young people using a community based mental health service and was facilitated by a mental health professional, a voluntary sector project worker and a film-maker. The young people undertook research training and controlled all stages of the research process including the creative use of animation to disseminate findings. Qualitative interviews were conducted with the young people at the end of the project and a number of themes concerning change processes emerged during a Grounded Theory analysis. The young people described a number of changes that occurred for them both individually and collectively. Some of these changes correspond with aspects of psychological and group empowerment theories and with constructs associated with recovery from mental health problems. One conclusion drawn from this is that contextually sensitive PAR projects could offer an alternative model of engagement with young people at risk of social exclusion to more traditional, professional led, individual interventions.
Promoting mental health and resilience through strength-based assessment in US schools
Authors: Nickerson Amanda B. , Fishman Callen E.
Published: January 2023

Strength-based assessment can provide a systematic way to promote mental health and resilience in children. In this article, strength-based assessment of social-emotional functioning is described. Selected standardised strength-based assessment tools and their psychometric properties are then introduced. The primary focus of the article is on the use of strength-based assessment to promote mental health for youth within a public health framework. Suggestions for using strength-based assessment within a comprehensive prevention model, including universal (school-wide), targeted, and intensive approaches, are provided. Strength-based assessment can be used at the universal level as a screening tool or for programme evaluation purposes. At the selected level, assessment tools can be used to monitor progress and determine which children may be in need of more intensive interventions. Finally, strength-based assessment can be used to evaluate strengths and competencies as part of a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation and to plan for an individualised behavioural, educational, and/or treatment plan. A process for putting these practices into action is provided.
Developing our cultural strengths: Using the ‘Tree of Life’ strength-based, narrative therapy intervention in schools, to enhance self-esteem, cultural understanding and to challenge racism
Authors: German Mala
Published: January 2023

This paper evaluates the use of the ‘Tree of Life’ (ToL) intervention with a class of 29 Year 5 pupils (aged 9 and 10-years-old) in a primary school in North London. This was an exploratory study to see if ToL could be adapted to a mainstream education setting and could be used as a whole class intervention. This paper examines the effectiveness of ToL in enhancing the pupils’ self-esteem and in developing their understanding of their own culture and that of their peers. Findings from semi-structured interviews, pre- and post-intervention, were used to explore the pupils’ baseline knowledge of their own family and cultural background and in their understanding of key concepts such as ‘culture’, ‘ethnicity’, and ‘racism.’ Qualitative analysis was applied to identify key themes emerging from these interviews. Results from quantitative analysis found a significant improvement in the pupil’s self-concept post-intervention. The pupils also reported positive improvements in cultural understanding of themselves and other class members whilst some reported a reduction in racist behaviour. This paper concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the study and advocates that EPs become more involved in utilising strength-based interventions in developing cultural understanding and community cohesion.
Emotion Coaching: A universal strategy for supporting and promoting sustainable emotional and behavioural well-being
Authors: Gus Licette , Rose Janet , Gilbert Louise
Published: January 2023

This paper positions Emotion Coaching as a universal strategy for supporting sustainable emotional and behavioural well-being within community and educational contexts. It offers Emotion Coaching as an effective strategy that promotes resiliency skills and locates it within the broader social agenda. The paper will address the key elements of Emotion Coaching which reflect a bio-psycho-social model for universal well-being and are informed by theory and research from neuro-science, interpersonal neurobiology, developmental psychology and attachment theory. The paper will review the growing international evidence base for Emotion Coaching and its multi-disciplinary application to a range of professional and personal contexts. Emotion Coaching helps to create nurturing relationships that scaffold the development of effective stress management skills, develop capacities to promote emotional and behavioural self-regulation and support pro-social behaviours. We argue that Emotion Coaching is a simple, cost-effective, empowering and universal tool that can harness well-being through improved communication, relationships, self-regulation, attainment, health, and resilience.
Developing as a practitioner: How supervision supports the learning and development of trainee educational psychologists in three-year doctoral training
Authors: Hill Vivian , Bond Caroline , Atkinson Cathy , Woods Kevin , Gibbs Simon , Howe Julia , Morris Sue
Published: January 2023

Aim:In the UK the change from a one-year Master’s to a three-year doctoral training programme has provided extended opportunities and challenges for trainee educational psychologists in developing their practitioner skills and professional role. Supervision is a key foundation for supporting trainees in this process. This paper provides an analysis of the supervision experiences of trainee educational psychologists informed by developmental theories of supervision.

Method:In order to explore the developmental experiences of trainee educational psychologists across the three years of training, focus groups were undertaken with each year group of trainee educational psychologists at four initial educational psychology training programme sites. These 12 focus groups were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings:Five key themes relating to the development of practitioner skills were identified; developing professional learning and professional role; responsiveness to developmental learning needs; sensitive management of emotional aspects of learning; developing critical analysis of professional work and meta-analysis of professional activity and professional role.

Limitations:There is a need for longitudinal research into developmental models of supervision and their application to EP training specifically.

Conclusions:The five themes provide some support for the utility of developmental models of supervision in informing the future development of UK educational psychology training.
How can school – parental participation support the generation of social capital for parents?
Authors: Cleland Jonathan , Lumsdon David
Published: January 2023

Aim:This meta-ethnography views social capital as a resource to be generated, within contexts of parental participation with schools, offering possibilities for a positive change in power relations, and the addressing of social justice concerns.

Rationale:Increased parental participation with children’s learning has a positive impact on children’s achievements. When participation does not happen, responsibility is often placed with ‘hard to reach’parents. Social capital theory suggests parents differ in their access to capital that affects their ability to act and participate with schools. This meta-ethnography explores examples of parent-school relations which impact positively on parents, regarding empowerment, parent voice and social capital.

Findings:Key concepts generated were ‘Cultural and Social Factors’, ‘Parental Expectations’, ‘Communication’, ‘Belonging’ and ‘Influence’. A framework is presented addressing the five themes across three levels. The findings emphasised the importance of relational justice in parental participation with schools, and listening to others as an act of recognition.

Limitations:Given the interpretive nature of meta-ethnographic research, there are limitations to the generalisability of the findings. However, qualitative research enables us not to predict but anticipate what might be involved in analogous situations.

Conclusions:Schools should invest in understanding the cultural and social lives of their pupils’ families, as well as parents’ expectations around participation. This should lead to improved communication and relationships with parents, supporting a sense of belonging. Schools should look for opportunities to promote parental agency and competence, to work collaboratively with parents, and to empower parents in how they engage with their children’s learning.
’It was probably one of the best moments of being trans*, honestly!’: Exploring the positive school experiences of transgender children and young people
Authors: Leonard Matt
Published: January 2023

Aims

The negative school experiences of transgender students are well documented, but so far little research has explored what is going well for transgender students in school. This research highlights some of the positive school experiences of transgender youth in order to promote positive change.

Methods

A qualitative, interpretive approach was adopted. An initial focus group explored language within the transgender community and helped to design questions for semi-structured interviews. Interviews were then conducted with three transgender young people. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was adopted.

Findings

Five superordinate themes emerged from the participants’ narratives. The Importance of Language was highlighted as a means for transgender youth to assert their own identities and for others to demonstrate respect, and Individual Teacher Support, Whole-School Approaches and The Importance of Community highlighted ways others have shown support to transgender youth. A final theme, My Own Best Friend, reflected the skills and resilience of the transgender young people themselves.

Limitations

Limitations are associated with the challenges of using a qualitative, interpretive approach, including language and the role of the researcher. These are discussed alongside suggestions for development. Conclusions: The research findings highlight that transgender young people are able and willing to share their experiences and highlight positive practice in schools. Educational psychologists are uniquely positioned to support young people at an individual and systemic level. It is important that they continue to support transgender young people, as well as to continue helping schools and local authorities to develop guidelines for supporting transgender students.
Traumatic brain injury in young people in custody: Implications for community and educational inclusion
Authors: Choudhury Dipak
Published: January 2023

Aims:The aim of this narrative review is to explore the distinctive needs of young people in custody with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the implications for rehabilitation, education, and community inclusion. Some research suggests a higher prevalence of TBI in the youth custodial population (Farrer et al., 2013; Hughes et al., 2015). TBI can result in neurocognitive and behavioural difficulties (Pavlovic et al., 2019) and has been associated with aggressive offending behaviour (Silver & Nedelec, 2020).

Methods:The author conducted a multi-database search to find extant studies pertinent to identifying the distinctive needs of young people in custody with TBI. Studies were included in the review if they met the inclusion criteria and their findings were deemed highly relevant to Educational Psychology practice.

Findings:After critically analysing the included studies, the findings support the hypothesis that a subset of young offenders in custody who have experienced TBI have distinctive needs.

Conclusions and Limitations:The review concludes by discussing the implications for local authority services and makes recommendations for Educational Psychology practice. The author also discusses the limitations of this review, relating to inconsistencies in the literature, and limitations inherent to narrative review methodologies.
A History of Clinical Psychology in Britain: Some Impressions and Reflections
Authors: Hall John , Lavender Tony , Llewelyn Susan
Published: January 2023

Clinical psychology has grown to become the largest field of applied psychology, not only in Britain, but in every other developed country. There has been no previous overall account of this growth, spanning the influence of applied psychology before and during the Second World War, as well as the past fifty years. This development is explored within a conceptual, political, and professional matrix, covering overall themes, such as the impact of the arrival of behaviour and cognitive-behavioural therapy, leading to the acceptance of a broader range of therapies. There have been tensions and conflicts, such as that between the Maudsley Hospital and the Tavistock Clinic, and internal friction within the British Psychological Society. Consideration is given to innovative places, such as the Crichton Royal Dumfries, and creative individuals, such as the Clarkes, as well as other groups of psychologists. The influence of the wider ‘psychologisation of everyday life’, and developing models of training, are analysed.
Becoming Ethically Responsive (Again) – Leaving Depression’s Monologicality to Regain Attentiveness to Others
Authors: MacDonagh Joe
Published: January 2023

This paper seeks to address the changes that therapists aim to achieve in those with depression, in addition to those in physiological and cognitive functioning commonly cited in aetiologies of this affective disorder.

This paper will explore how those with depression often lose attentiveness by withdrawing physically and emotionally from friends, family and work colleagues. This lack of attentiveness may be present before the manifestation of clinically evident symptoms, such as would qualify under the DSM IV taxonomy.

For Bakhtin and Hicks attentiveness, or ethical responsivity, is centrally involved in dialogue, which Bakhtin terms the “once occurent Being-as-event…that presupposes my answerable participation”. This responsivity is lost in the monologising tendency of depression not to respond to, or answer meaningfully, the utterances of others.

Responsivity to others requires an attentiveness to the illocutionary aspect of utterances, the intent lying behind utterances, which those with depression can misunderstand by defaulting to a monologised, or pre-existing, way of viewing the world based on past experiences. This paper will thus examine how therapists and others can be the means by which clients start constructing what Bakhtin called the “uninterrupted performing of acts” and so start to dialogue with others once again.
Coaching Hypnosis: Integrating hypnotic strategies and principles in coaching
Authors: Armatas Andrew
Published: January 2023

Coaching psychology has not given much thought to hypnosis, despite its long history of applications in enhancing human abilities and potentials. Since a range of psychotherapeutic strategies have been successfully transitioned to coaching and are commonly practiced by coaches and coaching psychologists, it is suggested that hypnotic techniques and principles can also be successfully employed to meet coaching objectives. This paper mainly discusses: (a) the use of self-hypnosis for the coachee; (b) adapting age-progression and age-regression to fit coaching needs; and (c) the use of indirect suggestions in the coaching dialogue to enhance coachee receptivity. The term ‘coaching hypnosis’ is proposed when referring to the use of hypnosis in coaching as it will help to separate links with hypnotherapy and encourage it to build an identity of its own.
Executive coaching can enhance transformational leadership
Authors: Cerni Tom , Curtis Guy J. , Colmar Susan H.
Published: January 2023

Objectives:Epstein’s (1998) Cognitive-experiential Self theory (CEST) suggests that all behaviour is guided by two different processing systems – the rational and experiential. This brief report presents results of a study looking at the impact of a 10-week coaching intervention programme based on Epstein’s CEST theory on transformational leadership among 14 secondary school principals.

Design:Set up as a pre-test, post-test control-group research design, the present study tested whether changes to CEST information-processing systems could bring about changes in leadership style.

Method:School principals in the intervention group focused on developing their rational system and constructive elements of the experiential system. At the commencement of the coaching intervention programme all school staff in the 14 schools were invited to rate their school principal using the MLQ (5X) questionnaire.

Results:The results of a 10-week coaching intervention programme showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores for the intervention group, as rated by their school staff. The control group remained unchanged. Qualitative results indicate that the school principal in the intervention group became more reflective about their thinking processes and leadership practices.

Conclusion:This study provides initial evidence that by creating changes to rational and constructive thinking, it is possible to increase coachee’s use of transformational leadership techniques.
Educating coaching psychologists: Responses from the field
Authors: Cavanagh Michael , Palmer Stephen
Published: January 2023

This paper responds to Grant (this issue), Developing an agenda for teaching coaching psychology. Representatives of key stakeholder groups were asked to respond to the issues raised in Grant’s article. These groups included practicing coaching psychologists, coaches, coach educators, Professional bodies in coaching psychology and corporate purchasers of coaching. An agenda for training is intimately bound up with issues of identity for coaching psychology. It raises the questions of how we define ourselves and our relationship to the world. Our respondents also focused on four key questions.

Purpose/Agenda – What is the curricula trying to achieve and for whom?

Contextual issues – important considerations beyond psychology that might shape training in coaching psychology education.

Curriculum content – topic areas, theories, models, approaches and perspectives.

Teaching process – Considerations about how the curriculum should be taught.

A range of perspectives are brought to bear on these questions. The diversity of responses reflect the reality of working in a diverse world. This is not something to be overcome, but embraced by coaching psychology. Any discussion of the training of coaching psychologists should include multiple models of training, and multiple curricula. In this way we reflect the adaptive quality of the coaching conversation, and its ability to incorporate cross-disciplinary insights and understandings. This is what gives coaching its unique responsiveness to the emerging needs of our clients.
When feedback is not enough: The impact of regulatory fit on motivation after positive feedback
Authors: Jarzebowski Ann-Marie , Palermo Josephine , van de Berg Robert
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

Feedback is widely used in coaching practice, however, empirical findings are inconsistent regarding the motivational effect of feedback. Positive or negative feedback can be framed in a way that aligns with an individual’s preferred manner during goal pursuit, that is, their regulatory fit. This study is the first to examine the effect of regulatory fit within feedback sign on motivation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of positive feedback framed to fit or not-fit individuals’ regulatory focus on level of motivation.

Design:

A repeated measures randomly controlled study design was utilised.

Method:

Participants comprised 29 coachees undertaking a five-session coaching programme. They were randomly allocated to two treatment groups whereby positive non-authentic feedback, framed to either fit or not-fit an individual’s induced regulatory promotion focus was provided on an online leadership skills activity. In addition, level of motivation was measured pre and post feedback.

Results:

A repeated measure anova analysis indicated that motivation was significantly higher after positive feedback in the regulatory fit condition than in the non-fit condition. There was no relationship between level of mood and motivation after feedback.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest that feedback framed to fit the regulatory focus of coachees will increase level of motivation. Implications for coaching practice include that when providing feedback in coaching, feedback effectiveness may be increased by framing feedback to the individuals’ regulatory (promotion) focus.
The long-term independently assessed benefits of coaching: A controlled 18-month follow-up study of two methods
Authors: Franklin John , Franklin Alicia
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

An earlier study by Franklin and Doran (2009) provided the first evidence that coaching benefits objective performance as assessed by evaluators’ blind to participation in coaching. This study examines the efficacy of two coaching programmes on independently evaluated academic performance 12 and 18 months after the completion of coaching.

Design:

A double-blind controlled trial in which participants were randomly allocated to either a Preparation, Action, Adaptive Learning (PAAL), or a Self-regulation co-coaching programme with blind assessment of subsequent academic performance. A third no-treatment condition was used for additional comparison and control of expectancy effects.

Methods:

Two structurally identical seven-week co-coaching programmes were run. The Self-regulation condition focused on the development of study and coping skills, whilst the PAAL condition additionally focused on preparation for change and adaptive learning. Fifty-two volunteer first-year university students were randomly assigned to either a PAAL (N=27) or Self-regulation (N=25) co-coaching programme. Academic results 12 and 18 months after completing the brief coaching programme are compared with a control group of students (N=2183 at 12 months, 2063 at 18 months.) who did not participate in the programme.

Results:

Relative to the no treatment control group, PAAL participants consistently performed some 10 per cent better in independently assessed academic performance at both the 12-month follow-up (71.04 per cent vs. 61.29 per cent) (p=<.001, d=.60), and the 18-month follow-up (70.97 per cent vs. 60.48 per cent) (p=<.001, d=.66). The Self-regulation coaching participants performed some two per cent better than the controls at both the 12-month follow-up (62.98 per cent vs. 61.29 per cent) (p=NS, d=.10) and the 18-month follow-up (62.11 per cent vs. 60.48 per cent) (p=NS, d=.11).

Conclusion:

Both co-coaching conditions were associated with increases in blindly assessed academic performance, however, only those in the PAAL condition performed significantly better 12 and 18 months after the completion of the brief coaching programme. The effects of the PAAL coaching method need to be evaluated in other areas where outcomes may be objectively and blindly assessed.