bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dialogues and Debates Conferences reviews and IAPT as 'thoughtcrime'
Authors: O'Hara Denis
Published: January 2023

In this edition of ‘Dialogues and Debates’ we have two distinct themes. The first is a most refreshing set of conference reports, one from Peter Martin on his experience of and thoughts about the American Psychological Association’s Annual Convention in Hawaii earlier this year; the other an encouraging personal reflection by Sue Whitcombe on her experience of this year’s DCoP conference. The second theme is a paper by rosemary ritz which is an insightful and confronting social critique of IAPT. I think readers will find the conference reviews thought-provoking and hopefully even inspiring enough to stimulate greater involvement in professional dialogue and participation. rosemary ritz’s paper leaves me enormously challenged to pay attention to language and the power it has to influence our perceptions and worldviews.
Research Paper Post-traumatic growth following bereavement: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Michael Christina , Cooper Mick
Published: January 2023

Background

Bereavement research has traditionally focused on the negative sequel of loss. Recently, however, research has begun to focus on the positive outcomes following loss: post-traumatic growth (PTG).

Purpose

To synthesise studies which directly examine PTG following bereavement.

Design

This is the first systematic review which synthesises studies into directly examining PTG following bereavement.

Data sources

From the 70 published journal articles reviewed from PubMed, PsychINFO, IsiWeb of Knowledge Google Scholar, Science Direct, Springer Link, Taylor & Francis online, Sage Journals and Wiley Online Library, only 15 studies were directly examining PTG following bereavement and thus, included in this review.

Results

Findings of this systematic review suggest that PTG can indeed occur following bereavement and that certain factors can act as mediators for such growth to emerge. Key factors are: (1) The age of the bereaved; (2) social support; (3) time since death; (4) religion; and (5) active cognitive coping strategies.

Conclusions

Further research should include comparative-longitudinal studies controlling for maturational growth with non-trauma comparisons, as well as meta-analytic studies designed to examine effect sizes for associations among variables theorised to predict PTG following bereavement. Potential clinical applications include therapists becoming better positioned to recognise when PTG is likely to occur and its mediating factors, in order to more effectively facilitate it.
Dialogues and Debates The question of the self
Authors: O'Hara Denis
Published: January 2023

The central interest in Existentialism isBeing. Heidegger (1962) argued that the main problem we have as human beings is that we tend to forget what Being is all about. Consistent with existentialist thought Heidegger further clarified that we don’t gain access to or understanding ofBeingvia abstract, intellectual constructs but through the experience ofBeingitself. The focus on experience is fundamental to existentialist thought becauseBeingis never static but an experience of ever becoming.
Research Paper A narrative review exploring the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy
Authors: Beaumont Elaine , Hollins Martin Caroline J
Published: January 2023

Content & Focus

This narrative review summarises findings of research that has shown use of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) to improve psychological outcomes in clinical populations. This article reviews the research studies that have utilised CFT to treat clients experiencing a variety of mental health issues. The paper begins offering an overview of CFT theory and compassionate mind interventions. A literature search was conducted which included book chapters and articles that discussed compassion focused therapy. Twelve studies were identified which showed significant psychological improvements in clients with diagnosed trauma symptoms, brain injury, eating disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, chronic mental health problems and psychosis, both within groups and during one-to-one therapy. Within the context of the reviewed studies, CFT has shown itself to be an effective therapeutic intervention when combined with approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Conclusion

The research design of the majority of the studies examined precluded determining the extent of individual contributions that CFT made towards client recovery. Further research that uses more rigorous approaches are required to evaluate more effectively the role CFT plays in clients’ therapeutic recovery.
Book Review
Authors: Meteyard John
Published: January 2023

As a trained counsellor and registered psychologist who works mainly with young people between the ages of 12 and 18, and their families, I approachedAdolescent CounsellingPsychologywith considerable interest. Despite the known high rates of mental health concerns and other difficulties experienced by young people today, there remain surprisingly few such texts written specifically for psychologists who provide counselling for this population.
Invited Paper Community psychological perspectives and counselling psychology
Authors: Kagan Carolyn
Published: January 2023

Content & Focus

Counselling, positive and community psychologies have a lot in common and overlapping values and goals. I outline here the focus of community psychology on those marginalised by the social system and the values and key concepts that underline community psychological praxis. The values of stewardship, justice and community are outlined and their implications for practice drawn out. Key community concepts are discussed, including the emphasis on social change and an action orientation, working with the ecological metaphor, the psychological sense of community, and the idea of new social settings. The four key strategies for change that follow are: the furtherance of critical consciousness; the creation of new forms of social relations or settings; the development of alliances and accompaniment; and advocacy and policy analysis.

Conclusion

I argue that central to all community psychological work is critical reflection and that synergies can be found in research and practice with greater integration of community, counselling and positive psychology.
Research Paper A pilot randomised controlled trial comparing two positive psychology interventions for their capacity to increase subjective wellbeing
Authors: Miller Richard W. , Duncan Elaine
Published: January 2023

Objectives

UK participants (29 female, 26 male) took part in a single blind randomised controlled trial to test whether concentrating on gratitude increased self-reported measures of wellbeing more than concentrating on happiness.

Method

Participants in the two intervention groups were guided by an instructional video and asked to list three items a day in a customised to this study note-pad for a period of 12 consecutive days. They completed a battery of wellbeing measures before and after the intervention. A third group, the control group, completed only the battery of wellbeing measures at pre and post intervals.

Findings

A trend of reduced psychological distress was reported between the treatment and control groups. No significant advantage between concentrating on happiness or gratitude was found.
Theoretical Paper Effects of therapists' attachment organisation on the process and outcome of therapy: A review of the empirical literature
Authors: Parpottas Panagiotis , Draghi-Lorenz Riccardo
Published: January 2023

Content & Focus

The last two decades, in particular, have witnessed an increased interest in the clinical implications of attachment theory in individual adult psychotherapy. By and large, the majority of empirical studies on the importance of adult attachment patterns in individual psychotherapy have focused on exploring the effect of clients’ attachment organisation. The present paper reviewed the existing literature on the effects of therapists’ attachment organisation on the process and outcome of therapy. In particular, 14 known studies were reviewed, exploring how trainee and qualified therapists’, as well as other clinicians’, attachment styles could influence the working alliance, the depth of their interventions, their emotional empathy and psychological mindedness, their countertransference behaviours towards clients and finally the outcome of therapy.

Conclusions

Findings from these studies showed that a secure attachment organisation in therapists could positively affect the process and outcome of therapy, whilst an insecure attachment organisation was negatively associated with both process and outcome of therapy. Nevertheless, a few studies provided us with different results. Overall, it can be suggested that the relationship between therapists’ attachment and the process of therapy is not as simple as we assume because other factors may interfere in this relationship.

The findings, the methodological characteristics and limitations of the 14 reviewed studies are discussed throughout this paper.
Research Paper Making sense of self-injury: A pluralistic case-study
Authors: Josselin Daphne , Willig Carla
Published: January 2023

Aims

Self-injury is widely seen as a complex behaviour imbued with highly individual meanings. The objective of this paper was to show how research using a pluralistic qualitative approach could inform clinical practice, by outlining how intricate and at times divergent meanings could be attached to the behaviour in the areas of control, guilt and relatedness.

Method

A set of three interviews conducted with a woman with a long history of self-injury were analysed using three different interpretative lenses: interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); narrative analysis; and a psychosocial approach.

Findings

Combining different interpretations of the text brought out the participant’s multifaceted understanding of control, guilt and social connection in relation to her self-injuring. The behaviour could be seen as a means of control and a sign that one was out of control; as inducing guilt but not responsibility; as a mode of communication steeped in disconnection.

Conclusion

While adhering to a recognised therapeutic model of the behaviour might be of considerable value to the practitioner, there is much to be gained from a careful exploration of the multiple and at times contradictory meanings attached to self-injury by each individual client.
Theoretical Paper Exploring the effective length of therapy in a healthcare organisation
Authors: Noble Julia
Published: January 2023

Content & Focus

The effective length of therapy is a current professional issue affecting counselling psychologists worldwide as the demand on resources increases and the availability of resources decreases. A priority of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) is to identify strategies to scale up coverage of key interventions in resource constrained settings, promoting the involvement of service users in their own care and treatment. One often neglected area of therapy which may contribute to achieving these objectives is the length of treatment. This paper examines the evidence evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions of different lengths, and considers the problems associated with clients being prescribed a set number of sessions according to a presenting problem. A relatively recent individualised approach with client input is evaluated, with considerations of how this might fit within counselling psychology philosophy and global mental health policy.
Research Prize Winner
Authors: Cucchi Angie
Published: January 2023

Background

Studies have confirmed a significant comorbidity between eating disorders and self-harm and they linked the presence of self-harm to a more severe and treatment-resistant eating disorder symptomatology. The present study explored a variable believed to be involved in this relationship: mentalising.

Method

A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based, between-groups design was employed and a measure of mentalising was compared in individuals presenting with eating disorders and in individuals presenting with eating disorders and concurrent self-harm. Both groups were compared with a control group.

Results

Findings suggested that individuals with concurrent presentations reported less mentalising ability compared to individuals without concurrent difficulties. In addition, both groups significantly differed from the control group.

Conclusions

Results are discussed in relation to clinical implications.
Turning your dissertation into a publishable journal article
Authors: Tribe Rachel , Tunariu Aneta D.
Published: January 2023

The dissertation and a peer reviewed journal article are rather different entities, and although there are similarities, each has their own requirements and audiences. This paper provides guidelines to assist a doctoral candidate to write up and publish journal articles based on their doctoral dissertation. The task of doing so requires thought and structured preparation to ensure that the draft article is in the appropriate format and is ready to be considered for publication in a peer reviewed journal. There are multiple benefits for publishing peer reviewed journal articles. Apart from making a scholarly contribution to the collective body of knowledge, it represents the possibility of making public and celebrating the voice of the research participants and/or service users, and so influencing practice and, potentially, affecting service provision. In addition, within a highly competitive job market, there may be potential employability advantages of having evidence of your work contributing to theory development or to practice in your chosen profession or specialism. A range of recommendations and suggestions are offered here to assist with the transition from an academic thesis to a journal ready, publishable paper. These relate to the preparation required in advance of writing the journal paper (an area which is often ignored), as well as issues relating to selecting an appropriate journal, decisions about which parts of the thesis may constitute the paper, and a variety of other issues associated with the writing up and the publication processes.
Preparing for a doctoral viva
Authors: Tribe Rachel , Tunariu Aneta D.
Published: January 2023

This paper discusses the issues which need consideration before, during and after a doctoral viva. It is concerned with ensuring that doctoral candidates are well positioned and prepared to maximise the opportunities the viva voce (oral examination of a doctoral thesis) offers them to assist them in achieving a successful outcome. It provides a clear account of the viva process and discusses the processes and formalities associated with a viva. The viva voce examination can be an anxiety provoking experience and this paper suggests a number of ways of thinking about and working with this. It suggests strategies relating to presenting doctoral work in the viva as well as considering and answering questions in line with the relevant protocols and procedures. It also considers areas which have the potential to cause difficulties or lead to disappointment for candidates; and offers a range of suggestions about how to prepare and present appropriately. The paper also offers some potential questions for the doctoral candidate to consider. Doctoral candidates report that it is hard to imagine in advance, but that the viva voce can be an informative, positive, and enjoyable experience which provides an opportunity to discuss their work in detail with two experienced and interested senior academics who have studied the work thoroughly.
The experiences of minority counsellors in the North of England: A phenomenological study
Authors: Neo Eni , Akhurst Jackqui
Published: January 2023

The UK government’s legislation and policy support for more racial equality and accessibility of mental health support in the UK may promote increased usage of psychological therapies by people from different ethnic communities, impacting on the need for multicultural counselling (Watson, 2011). As counselling has become more accessible to the general public and available in the voluntary sector, there are increasing challenges to work with clients from diverse backgrounds and to better take into account cultural influences (Tuckwell, 2006). In this introduction, we consider terminology, the different approaches derived from emic and etic perspectives, the guidance provided by authors on multiculturalism and finally give an overview of UK-specific studies on client preferences that we managed to source.
‘What helps to keep it under control?’: Studying the experiences of gay/bisexual men who take drugs on a controlled basis when clubbing
Authors: Naidoo Del
Published: January 2023

Background

Controlled drug use has been described by previous researchers however few such studies explored the clubbing or gay/bisexual populations. Research into gay/bisexual men’s drug-taking fails to acknowledge the possibilities of controlled drug use. This study takes a qualitative approach to the data in an attempt to explore the phenomenon as it exists.

Method

Eight men who identified as gay/bisexual and took drugs on a controlled basis participated in semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data, indicating themes emerging from the participants’ communicated experiences.

Results

Analysis revealed a significant theme related to control and organisation, depicting how participants maintained a sense of control over their drug use and what helped this sense of control in use. Results show that not all gay/bisexual men’s drug use follows a usage-addiction pattern and that controlled drug use is possible. Participants indicated that they were able to control their drug use through an interaction of personality traits, social factors and self-knowledge.

Conclusion

The research enhances the understanding of controlled drug use, especially within the gay/bisexual clubbing sub-culture. Furthermore, it clarifies strategies that could be useful for other drug-taking populations who wish to control their drug use. The cycle of and reasons for the drug-taking behaviour are possible routes for further research.
Combining reminiscence therapy with oral history to intervene in the lives of isolated older people
Authors: Armstrong Catherine
Published: January 2023

Context and focus

The population of the UK and western Europe is ageing. With a more mobile workforce, the number of older people with little contact with close family is increasing. Charities working with isolated and lonely older people need interventions that facilitate contact with this population. Older people often resent the concept that they need charity, and respond better to initiatives valuing their knowledge and skills, without patronising them. Oral history researchers want to reclaim the hidden voices of the elderly population before their memories are lost. These voices and memories can be recorded for the future, and shared with the rest of society. Cultural and social changes taking place over a life span are often significant. As Boden and Bielby (1986) described reminiscence: ‘These long past slices of life are frequently used interactively to contrast “the way it was” with “the way it is”’. Using such techniques bringing together isolated elderly with school children makes both groups feel included, valued and part of a community. This is supported by evidence from Duffin (1994), who found that older female participants felt validated by being viewed as social historians. Intergenerational activities designed to allow participants to share experiences and wisdom, and to discover similarities and differences across the generations, are especially rewarding.

Conclusions

This interdisciplinary literature review summarises evidence indicating that intergenerational reminiscence therapy can be used to improve the wellbeing of isolated older people and suggests avenues for future study.
Autoethnography: A methodological chat with self
Authors: Egeli Cemil
Published: January 2023

There is paucity of counselling psychology literature which explores the experience of people coming from a mixed cultural background. The literature available focuses on developmental theories and cultural competencies of practitioners but all too often fails to capture the peculiarities and particularities of the mixed experience. It also has a tendency to focus on ethnic, racial and cultural labels which are not always useful or helpful for people.

This paper explores autoethnography as a methodology with which to research the mixed cultural experience. It aims to highlight the importance for the counselling psychology professions of reflexive and subjective research with regards to studying and understanding people’s experiences of mixed culture.

It examines the methods and processes used by a researcher in the data gathering, analysis and explication of their own subjective research. It reveals some of the difficulties encountered and ethical decisions which had to be made during the research. In keeping with the ethnographic and creative approach it is written as a self-diaologue and hopes to give the reader a sense of how the research was undertaken.

It concludes that autoethnography can highlight the complexities of the experience of people operating between or on the edge of cultures and can bring greater understanding and awareness to counselling professionals who will then hopefully be better enabled to help people.
Islamic Counselling
Authors: Rassool G. Hussein
Published: January 2023

Islamic Counselling by Hussein Rassool is a vital resource in situating the discipline of Islamic counselling in a Western context.
Neuropsychotherapy as an integrative framework in counselling psychology:The example of trauma
Authors: Ward Tony , Delrue Nicolas , Plagnol Arnaud
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This article sets out to describe the neuropsychotherapeutic perspective, and to illustrate its application to psychotherapy through the example of trauma.

Methods

A number of recent publications which present different aspects of the neuropsychotherapeutic perspective are discussed. How such perspectives might help our understanding of trauma is then considered. The authors illustrate the points they seek to make through the description of four recent cases which arose in the clinical work of the middle author.

Results/findings

It is suggested that a number of dilemmas which are evident in the trauma literature, for example delayed onset and lack of universal susceptibility, can be explained through the comprehensive integrative framework offered by the neuropsychotherapeutic approach. In particular, notions of representational space can explain why some clients struggle to integrate traumatic memories into their elaborated long-term memory structures.

Discussion/conclusions

The neuropsychotherapeutic perspective seeks to make use of principles and findings from neuroscience to inform research and practice in psychotherapy. Given the current prominence of neuroscience within psychology, this may be a theoretical framework to which many counselling psychologists are able to relate. It is suggested that such an approach could be very fruitful in helping us to conceptualise the issues and processes which arise in psychotherapy. It may allow researchers to make novel and detailed predictions about client issues such as trauma, leading to productive avenues for future research.
Book Review: Surviving Brain Damage After Assault – From Vegetative State to Meaningful Life
Authors: Wilson Barbara A , Dhamapurkar Samira Kashinath , Rose Anita , Dowsett Sara
Published: January 2023

In this relatively short book of 136 pages, the authors consider the multifaceted journey encountered by Gary, an individual who at the age of 28 was assaulted by a gang of youths resulting in severe brain injury.
The next generation of Canadian counselling psychologists
Authors: Bedi Robinder P. , Christiani Kayla D. , Cohen Julie A.
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

In response to the little information available about the characteristics of counselling psychology students in Canada and their impact on the future of the specialization in Canada, 52 student members of the Canadian Psychological Association’s Section on Counselling Psychology (representing a 26 per cent response rate) were surveyed using an adapted version of a questionnaire to survey counselling psychologists in Canada.

Findings:

Results indicated that, in most ways, the characteristics of Canadian counselling psychology students resemble those of current counselling psychologists but some differences emerged that point to a future with an increasing female-male practitioner gender gap, more non-heterosexual counselling psychologists, and a slight growth in humanistic/person-centred theories being used.

Discussion:

The field will likely continue to be characterized by heterosexual female counselling psychologists of European descent, who practice primarily from either a theoretically-integrative standpoint or cognitive-behavioural theory, who intervene largely through individual counselling or psychotherapy, and almost entirely only in the English language. The results of the study are examined with respect to understanding gaps in training, professional identity, and the apparent distancing from the historical roots of the profession. The limitations of the study are noted and avenues for future research are outlined. Some comparisons with the field in other regions of the world, like the UK, are also provided.
Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and the therapeutic relationship: Client perspectives
Authors: McInnes Katie , Hudson-Craufurd Alex
Published: January 2023

Background:

At the heart of counselling psychology (CoP) practice is the use of the therapeutic relationship (TR). However, there is little research about the TR and schizophrenia/schizoaffective from a CoP or client perspective.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to explore how adults diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder experience the TR and discover what factors influence the relationship.

Methodology:

Four participants were interviewed and the data was analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings:

The analysis revealed six main themes: TR is special; trust; TR is a mirror; the management of symptoms; therapist factors; and client factors.

Discussion:

The results indicate that clients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective generally experience a positive TR. Practitioners might encourage a healthy TR by giving the client power and control, creating trustworthiness, being open to symptoms, showing understanding, having a flexible approach and offering self-disclosure. The strengths of the study included the original design and aims of the study, the TR as a primary focus, the characteristics of the participants, respondent validation and the emphasis on client perspectives. Key limitations of the study were the small number of participants, lack of data saturation, over-representation of female participants and the use of one coder.

Conclusion:

The study suggests that clients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder generally develop a positive therapeutic relationship. The study offers client-based insight about the therapeutic relationship and provides recommendations on how clinicians can use these insights to aid their practice.
Detransition rates in a large national gender identity clinic in the UK
Authors: Richards Christina , Doyle Jessica
Published: January 2023

Background:

Detransition – reverting to birth assigned gender after transition to another gender – may be considered to be a part of people’s exploration of their gender; but may also cause regret if irreversible changes have been undertaken. In nationalised healthcare it is therefore important to determine rates of detransition as they are important in ensuring health and wellbeing.

Methods:

End rates of detransition of patients at The Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health were reviewed. Taking a random sample of patient files (N=303), all were thoroughly investigated for any evidence of detransitioning.

Results:

Only one case of a detransition was found (0.33 per cent). An additional two cases had noted a history of detransition before coming to the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health specifically (0.99 per cent).

Discussion:

This study concludes that the standards of care used within this service therefore appear to be working satisfactorily in relation to detransition. With such a low prevalence, there is no justification in slowing the pathway for other patients in order to prevent detransition as such slowing would likely have a deleterious effect on the mental health of the vast majority.
Counselling psychology as observed by a drone1
Authors: Goldstein Ralph
Published: January 2023

Whilst many counselling psychologists have done excellent work, there are many questions to be raised. Have the structures which came into being around 10–12 years ago helped or hindered? Have we had sufficient empirical tools to hand to test the outcomes of our labours? Is the current training wide enough and deep enough? What of our theoretical concerns and value systems?

These issues are briefly commented upon and pointers to the future are outlined with the hope that a kind reader might be encouraged to pursue a refreshed direction with beneficial outcomes for their varied clients.
The philosophical bases of counselling psychology
Authors: Boshoff Amelia
Published: January 2023

The aim of this essay is to critically examine the philosophical bases of counselling psychology. The essay will start by exploring the philosophical traditions of counselling psychology. The essay will then attempt to reflect on the values of the profession, as well as its stance in relation to the scientist-practitioner and reflective-practitioner models. Finally, the author will reflect on her own personal philosophy.
Organisational structural and situational contexts in counselling psychology
Authors: Overington Cheryl
Published: January 2023

This essay addresses issues relating to the impact of organisational, structural and situational context on counselling psychology practice. Initially examining issues related to the application of outcome measurement, followed by a consideration of outcome measurement applied in a range of clinical settings. Counselling psychologists in the UK work with a diverse range of clients in a variety of settings (Bor, 2006). When writing the essay I have drawn upon my own experience of working in four different settings, including private practice and the National Health Service (NHS). My private practice includes referrals from external employee assistance programme (EAP) providers and my work as a counselling supervisor includes working with supervisees who work within the voluntary sector.
Survivors stories: Experiences of female perpetrated intimate partner abuse and help-seeking for mid-life and older male survivors
Authors: Best Daisy , Divers Andrew , Carthy Nikki
Published: January 2023

Purpose:This paper explores experiences of intimate partner violence and support that was received among midlife and older male survivors. The objectives were to identify risk factors, barriers to help seeking and to promote the need for trauma focused care and inclusivity in service provision.

Methods:Although 12 mid-life to older men from across the UK were interviewed individually about their experiences of surviving female perpetrated intimate partner violence, this paper focuses upon the experiences of one participant. A narrative method was used to analyse the data.

Results/Finding:The narrative analysis of one participant is presented and implications discussed. Male survivors are often disbelieved by professionals and automatically assumed to be the perpetrator of IPV. This is echoed in limited service provision which increases the risk of homelessness, mental health problems and isolation.

Conclusions:Counselling Psychologists will benefit from considering their own biases, including questions about IPV in all assessments that they undertake and educating service providers about the need for support.
Individual differences in semantic and structural errors in children’s memory for sentences
Authors: Marshall Catherine M. , Nation Kate
Published: January 2023

Children with poor reading comprehension in spite of good reading accuracy (poor comprehenders), have unimpaired phonological short-term memory and show normal memory for lists of words. The present paper explores poor comprehenders’ immediate memory for meaningful sentences. Poor comprehenders were worse at sentence repetition than controls and an error analysis revealed a qualitative difference in the nature of errors made by the two groups. The groups made a similar proportion of errors which altered the sentence structure; however, the poor comprehenders’ errors were more likely to alter the meaning of the target sentence than those made by the controls. This finding is discussed in terms of the educational implications of poor memory for meaning-based information in poor comprehenders.
Young people navigating the transition to university: Policy, context and influences
Authors: Bradley John
Published: January 2023

Until the late 20th century the transition from secondary to higher education (HE) was undertaken by only a small proportion of young people. The number of young people in the UK now applying to university each year is the highest it has ever been, at more than half a million. The decision to attend university raises questions for young people about costs and benefits – social, emotional and financial. Surprisingly, the transition to HE has provoked very little academic discussion in that part of the psychology community involved with young people and their education. The paper uses ideas from life course theory (LCT) to organise the research evidence and provide an account in terms of policy, social context and sources of influence. It examines critically the concept of ‘progression’ to higher education and the role of university marketing. The paper concludes by suggesting how psychologists might helpfully engage with the issue at the level of both public policy and individual guidance.
A systematic review of the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout in teachers
Authors: Brown Carol G.
Published: January 2023

Self-efficacy beliefs can determine how environmental opportunities and obstacles are perceived and affect choice of activities as well as the amount of effort which is given to an activity (Bandura, 1997). Perceived self-efficacy is reported to be an important stress resource factor in mitigating teacher burnout (Schwarzer & Hallum, 2008).

This paper reviews 11 published studies which look at the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout in teachers. Reviews of the literature to date have tended to look at burnout as a unitary concept whereas this paper seeks to review it as a multi-dimensional concept. A number of findings were made including all studies reviewed having a negative relationship between teacher self-efficacy and burnout and all studies having a negative relationship with teacher self-efficacy and the burnout dimension of depersonalisation. Recommendations for further research include exploring the relationship between self-efficacy and depersonalisation and the potential positive effects that an organisation can have on teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs.
Strengths-based approaches in multi-agency meetings: The development of theory and practice
Authors: Colville Tracey
Published: January 2023

The article describes the development and evaluation of strengths-based approaches to multi-agency meetings (SBMAs) in a local authority context in Scotland. SBMAs are part of the authority’s staged intervention process to support children and families. The approach draws on solution-focused and narrative approaches that enable clients to create solutions to problems in a collaborative way (White, 2007; Ajmel & Rees, 2001). Emphasis is on the voice of the child and effective participation in SBMAs (Todd, 2007).

Vygotskian and activity-theoretical notions of a collective zone of proximal development, dual stimulation, and theoretical generalisations are introduced as a means by which the meetings could be understood as participants move to a more systems-based understanding of problems and their solutions (Engeström & Sannino, 2011). Evidence is provided for the impact of the approach at various levels: individual; systemic; and institutional. The notion of ‘centripetal potential’ is introduced as a means by which to explain the ‘ripple’ effect of Educational Psychologist (EP) activity and its impact on the contexts within which EPs work. In so doing, the paper highlights how EPs can employ praxis (the combination of theory and practice) to good effect in their day-to-day work.

Conclusions focus on the need for EPs to be more explicit about the approaches they use and to articulate better the conceptual frameworks within which the complexity of their work is set. It is further suggested that EPs need to develop more sophisticated methodologies that demonstrate the impact of their involvement and how best value for employers, clients and other service users is evidenced.
The relationship between strengths in youth and bullying experiences at school
Authors: Franks Jessica , Rawana Edward , Brownlee Keith
Published: January 2023

Bullying is a serious problem plaguing educational systems and influencing the lives of many youth. The consequences of bullying, for both bullies and victims, are numerous and well-established, including increased emotional and behavioural problems, difficulties in peer relationships, and poor academic achievement. To date, little research has been completed that explores the role of strengths in the bullying experiences of youth. An understanding of students’ strengths could aid in the development of appropriate intervention and prevention programming and to promoting the well-being of youth. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between strengths in youth and bullying experiences within a comprehensive strength-based framework. Participants were 263 students (112 males) recruited from Grades 7 and 8 classes in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on bullying and victimisation experiences and a broad range of personal strengths. The results of this study did not support a direct relationship between overall strengths and bullying behaviours and victimisation experiences. However, some specific strengths were identified as predictors of both bullying and victimisation. Of note, while having more strengths in some domains predicted reduced rates of bullying and victimisation, having more strengths in other domains predicted increased rates of both bullying and victimisation, suggesting a masking effect. These results highlight the importance of further exploring the relationship between strengths and bullying as well as the possible benefits of providing strength-based intervention and prevention programmes.
Learning to be a child: A conceptual analysis of youth empowerment
Authors: Earnshaw Owen
Published: January 2023

In this article it will be argued that in order to empower young people it is necessary to understand what it is to be a child. If we are to relate to young people in empowering ways as psychologists it is necessary to be able to see directly the equality we share with people younger than ourselves. One way to do this would be to reverse the assumptions of the phrase, ‘Empowering Young People’ and question ourselves about how young people empower those over the age of 18. The idea would be that the empowering relation between adult and child is symmetrical. To assume that children are passive recipients of our attempts to reproduce society is wrong-headed. The picture of the tempestuous teenage years where children seem to strike out in their own ways in terms of their own individuality can be related to how neonates have an equal say in how the relation between the adult and child will go. The power children have naturally is in their ability to refuse to go along with a practice or form of behaviour. There must be a methodological humility when approaching childhood and this must be found in a greater attention to the child’s attempts to speak with the adult, a point at which the power of the elder and the child can be balanced. Clinical work that does not at least minimally accept the active participation of the child in a conversation within adult-child relationships will of necessity be blind to empowering the child and only find obstruction in their refusal of practices.
Using philosophical and spiritual conversations with children and young people: A method for psychological assessment, listening deeply and empowerment
Authors: Gersch Irvine , Lipscomb Anna , Stoyles Gerard , Caputi Peter
Published: January 2023

This paper develops a thesis that listening to children and young people (CYP) can be enhanced and promoted through attending to their deeper attitudes and ideas which underpin motivation. It is argued that questionnaires, checklists and closed questions are useful, to a degree, but may be restrictive and limited in eliciting significant views.

Following a brief background literature review of earlier work in the area of listening to children, the paper focuses on our most recent research direction, namely using conversations, around classical Socratic and philosophical, spiritual questions as a method of enabling children to elaborate their deep attitudes to life. The authors describe and discuss a tool they have developed, based upon empirical research, which could be of value to Educational Psychologists (EPs) and other professionals. An important feature of the development of this tool was the involvement of CYP as part of the research and production team. This tool, entitled ‘A Little Box of Big Questions’ (LBBQ), contains four subsets of questions, presented on colourful, illustrated cards: Identity; Important People; Meaning and Purpose; and Thinking and Planning.

The authors believe that such conversations, which can throw light on the child’s viewpoints and stances, could underpin future action and self-understanding and facilitate empowerment. Evidence to date shows that the tool is workable with children aged 8 to 14 years, who enjoy responding to the questions, and they say very interesting things. Further on-going work with colleagues in the UK and Australia is mentioned, and finally some implications for use are suggested.
Children describing the world: Mixed-method research by child practitioners developing an intergenerational dialogue
Authors: Yardley Ainslie
Published: January 2023

Children are becoming increasingly engaged in the practice of research, either as active collaborators with adults or as independent researchers in their own right. This paper explores aspects of training and mentoring of children engaged in research practice as independent researchers, and highlights the use of creative methodologies in mixed-method research undertaken by children.

Three primary aspects of participation and training are considered in relation to the space children inhabit in the research community: the ways in which children acquire research skills and the ways in which children are mentored in their research practice; the use of creative methods as conceptual and interpretive tools in interdisciplinary mixed-method research and how creative methodologies may benefit and empower child practitioners; and thirdly the importance of dissemination of research undertaken by children, and the quality of the intergenerational dialogue emerging from it. The paper begins with a story.

The story is a personal observation translated into narrative and placed here to contextualise (rather than analyse) the research work undertaken by a group of Australian children, concurrent with their counterparts in the UK and Canada, over an 18-month period between April 2011 and September 2012. It introduces a methodological framework that was the underpinning of the project designed by the children and mentored by the author.
‘Some of it I haven’t told anybody else’: Using photo elicitation to explore the experiences of secondary school education from the perspective of young people with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Hill Louise
Published: January 2023

This paper describes an empirical research study designed to explore the lived experience of mainstream secondary school for young people with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Within the existing research base, the voices of these young people have often been missing or overshadowed. This research sought to privilege the voice of young people; acknowledging them as experts in their own lives and as competent contributors to the research process. A creative approach to data collection was adopted, seeking to empower these young people to tell their stories through the provision of research tools that would facilitate their engagement with the process. The young people were tasked with taking photographs of aspects of school life that were important to them, these subsequently forming the central focus of discussions.

Six young people from two mainstream secondary schools participated in the study. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this methodology being chosen to allow for the representation of different realities, whilst also searching for shared themes. The themes that emerged for the group were: sanctuary, anxiety and young people as active agents. The potential to incorporate the tools used in this project to facilitate person-centred planning is highlighted.
Text processing in English-Persian bilingual children: A bilingual view on the Simple Model of Reading
Authors: Sadeghi Amir , Everatt John , McNeill Brigid , Rezaei Amir
Published: January 2023

The aim of the work reported in this paper was to investigate whether a simple view of reading framework could be used as a basis of determining predictors of literacy levels amongst children learning to read and write in Persian as well as English. The data presented in this paper focussed on the relative contribution of language-based skills in predicting reading comprehension performance of English-Persian speaking children. Concentration on the influence of language skills is critical given the potential for greater difficulty to be experienced by second language learners in linguistic rather than decoding components underlying reading comprehension. A sample of English-Persian bilingual school-children attending mainstream English-language schools in New Zealand and Australia were given measures of text reading comprehension in the two languages (English and Persian). The children were also given measures of listening comprehension and vocabulary, as well as measures of decoding in both languages. The results indicated cross-language effects (specifically in listening comprehension) in addition to language specific effects (i.e. in vocabulary) over-and-above the influence of word decoding. These findings are considered in light of their implications for supporting reading comprehension development in English-Persian language learners, as well as theories of literacy acquisition across orthographies. Conclusions should inform procedures for the identification (for example, by educational psychologists and/or special teachers) of children with literacy learning difficulties across such different language contexts.