bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Service user satisfaction questionnaire of NHS Tayside Psychological Therapies Services for Older People
Authors: Mulholland Paula
Published: January 2023

This paper describes a small-scale research project conducted to evaluate the level of service user’s satisfaction with the NHS Tayside Psychological Therapies Services for Older People across. Views and opinions were gathered by postal questionnaire in order to aid service provision development. Service users, particularly older people, are not regularly involved in the development of the NHS, as is now recommended. This study offers insight into the experiences of this population, highlighting older people’s positive experiences of having such a service and their concerns that more resource is provided to it.
The challenges of equipping care home staff with psychosocial skills: Reflections from developing training in a novel approach to communication
Authors: Astell Arlene J. , Ellis Maggie P.
Published: January 2023

Evaluation of staff training in psychosocial approaches to dementia typically reveals good knowledge at the end of the training but poor adoption and translation into practice after training ends. Here we describe our experiences piloting a training package designed to equip nursing home staff with the skills to communicate with residents with very advanced dementia who can no longer speak. We have previously described in this publication (PSIGE Newsletter 105, 2008) our first tentative attempt to use this approach to communication, which we call Adaptive Interaction, with a lady with very advanced dementia. Adaptive Interaction is based on Intensive Interaction, which uses the nonverbal fundamentals of communication as the basis for non-speech based interaction. We consider the challenges of enabling and supporting care home staff to adopt this approach and use it confidently and the lessons learnt for delivering similar psychosocial interventions in care settings.
The ‘little things’ that make a big difference on an older adults psychiatric ward
Authors: Watson Ross , Jones Charlie
Published: January 2023

We aimed to explore the psychological needs of patients and staff, within an older adults psychiatric ward. We used an ethnographic approach to explore the ‘little things’ that contribute towards psychological well-being.
Mapping the provision of psychological therapies to older people in primary and secondary care, across Durham and Teesside
Authors: Dexter-Smith Sarah , MacDonald Helen
Published: January 2023

This paper outlines the results of a project exploring what psychological therapies older people were able to access across a large geographical region. We also looked at governance themes such as training and supervision supporting the therapy provided.
Working with care homes to increase the use of non-pharmacological interventions in managing challenging behaviour in people with dementia
Authors: Thwaites Susannah
Published: January 2023

A two-year project worked with care homes in the Hartlepool and Easington localities. The project aimed to decrease the use of anti-psychotic medication and increase the use of non-pharmacological interventions to manage challenging behaviour in dementia.

A range of standardised outcome measures were taken before the project commenced input, at the end of the 10-week input period and at a six-months follow-up to measure sustainability. Input was agreed with the care home to ensure that a bespoke approach was taken.

Skills to implement person-centred dementia care and environments that support people with dementia improved in most of the care homes but sustainability is limited. A decreasing trend of anti-psychotic use was observed, particularly at the six-month follow-up.
The NECVN PIN-T study: A time-limited service development programme in stroke
Authors: Grant Fiona
Published: January 2023

The North East Cardiovascular Network (NECVN) Psychological Intervention by Nurse/Therapist (PIN-T) study was conducted over a 12-month period. The primary aim was to improve the assessment of psychological problems post-stroke, for patients in the Gateshead locality. In line with the NICE guidelines for stroke, the aim was to conduct standardised assessments for both mood and cognition for all patients within six weeks post-stroke. Additional aims were to improve the psychological knowledge of the inpatient team and to improve the appropriateness of referrals to the Clinical Psychology service.

A high proportion of patients were inappropriate for assessment within the time-frame (49 per cent) due to factors such as severity of physical health problems. Of those who were deemed appropriate to assess, the number of stroke admissions who received a standardised cognitive assessment within six-weeks post-stroke was 75 per cent, with 71 per cent for standardised mood assessments. Subsequently, there was a 300 per cent increase in referrals to the Older Person’s Psychology department.
Cognitive stimulation therapy in community health, social and voluntary care settings
Authors: Marriott Charlotte , Sincock Caroline
Published: January 2023

This article describes an evaluation of a collaborative project with Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Adult and Community Services and Voluntary agencies to provide an evidence-based psychological therapy. This joint working venture is influenced by the National Dementia Strategy (2009) to improve intervention and quality of care in dementia services. This article contributes to the recent, limited evidence base reporting client and carer feedback, service provision and implementation of cognitive stimulation therapy.
Suicide in older adults: Risk factors, interventions and clinical considerations
Authors: Richardson Thomas
Published: January 2023

Suicide represents one of the main causes of death globally, with nearly a million suicides a year (WHO, 2002). This paper will review recent research on the epidemiology of suicidal behaviour and suicidal ideation in older adults, focusing on risk factors and resulting clinical implications. Unless specified otherwise all of the research discussed here relates specifically to older adults.
Barriers to older people participating in mental health focused clinical research (Part 1): A review
Authors: Hiskey Syd , Edwards Donna
Published: January 2023

We review the literature for evidence of barriers to older people’s participation in clinical studies and specifically those related to mental health research. Of 17 articles identified only two focus on researching psychiatric difficulties in later life. We discuss the points raised in the two mental health papers and summarise data from six interview/survey studies drawn from our search. Results are discussed in terms of how the general barriers featured might apply to mental health, with an emphasis on qualitative differences between the two fields. We conclude that there is a clear need to conduct further research into this topic so that future studies more systematically represent this population, thus better informing services and treatment.
Barriers to older people participating in mental health focused clinical research (Part 2): Solutions
Authors: Hiskey Syd , Edwards Donna
Published: January 2023

This paper attempts to overcome barriers to older people’s participation in mental health focused clinical research. Ten barrier themes are identified and the general literature is summarised before a number of practical solutions are offered. We conclude that a partnership model is vital in ensuring study success and suggest there is a need for work into specific fears that might exist or interact with poor mental health, when researching such issues among older people.
That’s Just Life: Older adult constructs of trauma
Authors: Hiskey Syd , McPherson Susan
Published: January 2023

An awareness of older people’s perspectives on trauma may be important, given the potential for historical and cultural features to shape how the term is conceptualised among this group, thereby influencing related help-seeking behaviour. Older people living in Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk were interviewed about their perceptions of the term, as was a group of mental health professionals who work with the elderly. Many older people regarded significant adversity as just part of life, with collectively understood methods of avoidance or limited support seeking pointing to emotional management through non-disclosure. The concept of trauma seems to be relative, with stigma and shame appearing to influence the way that responses to adversity are managed by this age group.
Action research: A method for including people with dementia in the research process
Authors: Pipon-Young Fiona
Published: January 2023

This article discusses my experiences of conducting an action research project with people with dementia. It is not meant to be a comprehensive overview of the methodology but rather an example of carrying out this type of research with people with dementia in order to inspire others, whilst also highlighting some areas in need of further consideration.
‘The end as a beginning’: Life story work on an older adult in-patient dementia ward
Authors: Hacking Michelle
Published: January 2023

The following is a reflection on my experiences of completing life story work on a hospital in-patient dementia care ward. I hope to share some of the rich qualitative examples of how life story work can be used to give people a sense of regaining their identity and feeling valued. I will reflect on the importance of life story work in improving the quality of life and wellbeing for older people as well as giving staff a sense of pride and meaning to their work. I will also reveal some of the challenges I faced in embedding life story work into the ward and how I overcame some of these difficulties.
An evaluation of a CBT-based psychoeducation group for anxiety disorders delivered in routine practice in an Older Adult Community Mental Health Team
Authors: Bettney Laura
Published: January 2023

Aim:To determine the effectiveness and acceptability of a brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based psychoeducation group for anxiety disorders delivered in a National Health Service (NHS) Older Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) setting.

Method:Clients referred from the caseload of a local NHS Older Adult CMHT, who were found suitable for CBT, and who had an anxiety disorder, were invited to a psychoeducation group delivered in an outpatient mental health clinic by an Occupational Therapist (OT) and a Clinical Psychologist. Outcomes were measured using the Depression/Anxiety/Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), which was administered at the first and final sessions of the five-week group. Participants also filled in an Anxiety Psychoeducation Group Feedback Form at the final session.

Results:16 people took part in the group intervention overall. The participants had a mean age of 74.7 years (6.94), they were all White British and four participants (25 per cent) were male. There were statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention means for all DASS-21 subscales, with post-intervention scores for Depression, Anxiety and Stress being significantly lower than pre-intervention scores. Data collected from the Feedback Form at the final session of the group suggests good levels of participant satisfaction with the intervention.

Conclusion:The intervention appeared to be effective at reducing scores on measures of Anxiety, Depression and Stress and was also acceptable to all participants who attended. The results are supportive of further evaluation and refinement of alternative systems of delivery, such as group interventions, with this client group.
‘Beating the Lows in Later Life’: Evaluation of a mental health awareness raising campaign aimed at OAs
Authors: Hughes Mary , Edgar Fionnuala
Published: January 2023

Prevalence rates for mental health difficulties among Older Adults (OAs) are high, with over a third experiencing symptoms of mental illness (Age Concern, 2007). Within Dumfries and Galloway OAs are under-represented, relative to working-age adults, in referrals to the psychology service. Under-referral has been suggested to arise as a consequence of direct and indirect stigma and ageist attitudes towards mental health problems in OAs. This study aimed to explore perceptions of OAs in relation to mental health stigma and barriers to treatment. We also aimed to evaluate the impact of a pilot local mental health awareness raising campaign: ‘Beating the Lows in Later Life’ on referral rates to Psychology and Guided Self-Help services. Surveys were made available in both an electronic and print format to community-dwelling OAs, via general practitioner (GP) surgery waiting rooms, public libraries and electronic distribution to members of two local branches of the University of the Third Age (U3A: a national organisation supporting life-long learning). Referral rates in the period following the awareness raising campaign (May-July 2013) were compared with those in the same period the previous year. Thirty-two respondents completed the survey. Despite no significant difference in referral rates following the campaign, respondents reported increased confidence in help-seeking and decreased perceptions of mental health stigma. Lack of awareness about services available, acceptance of anxiety/depression as normal, mobility issues and stigma were reported as being key barriers to treatment-seeking by OAs.
Holding the individual in mind: Containing challenging behaviour in dementia care
Authors: Butterfield Rachel
Published: January 2023

Psychological approaches to challenging behaviour such as the Newcastle model (James, 2011) have conceptualised this behaviour as a communication of unmet need. In our implementation of this approach in residential homes in London we have noticed that the success of our interventions appears to hinge around the ability of care staff to recognise and respond to the emotional needs of the person with dementia. This can be understood in terms of containment; specifically, the way in which care staff can manage their clients distressing and disturbing states of mind (and associated behavior) through their understanding. This capacity is, in turn, related to the support available for staff within the organisation. I describe our adaptation of the model to highlight the emotional experience of the person with dementia. This is illustrated with a case example of a gentleman whose aggressive behaviour caused such anxiety it was initially almost impossible for staff to think about his needs. The intervention included a framework for staff to understand his fluctuating internal states and a needs-based care plan through which to engage with him.
Are we prepared for the new old people?
Authors: Martin Carol
Published: January 2023

This brief paper outlines some of the changes in thinking about ageing, drawn primarily from a comparison of two texts on adult development and ageing, published over 20 years apart. The aim of the article is to encourage clinicians to think about how and if models of ageing have changed, and what implications this may have for service development and clinical practice.
The evolution of the Leeds Care Homes Service – from Nurse-Led Team to MDT
Authors: Hallworth Emily , Heffer-Rahn Phillip , Atkins Kathryn , Setchell Ruth , Wilson Sue , Ispan Caroline , Budd Julie
Published: January 2023

Since its inception, the Leeds Care Homes Team has consisted of community mental health nurses working as lone practitioners into three care homes sectors across the city. In 2011 a pilot multidisciplinary team (MDT) was introduced with a specific remit; that being to reduce antipsychotic prescriptions for people with dementia by working intensively with a small number of care homes using an MDT approach. The results of this pilot project will be described first, followed by subsequent developments within the Care Homes Service.
Reflections on psychology provision in an Older People’s Mental Health Service
Authors: Cooper Antonia
Published: January 2023

This article is a reflection on my experience of entering a new Clinical Psychology service (where there had been a gap in provision and historically, provision had not been viewed as particularly positive). I believe it is important to acknowledge that there is a developing shift in service structure in newer services, given the economic climate in which we have to deliver services. This piece considers the challenges of delivering a responsive service that is patient-centred, whilst maintaining the integrity of our profession in a multi-disciplinary setting.
‘Understanding and awareness of dementia in the Sikh community’ (Uppal, Bonas & Philpott, 2014): Implications for clinicians working in memory clinics.
Authors: Philpott Helen , Uppal Gobinder Kaur
Published: January 2023

It is well recognised that people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are poorly represented within dementia services (Daker-White et al., 2002), are often diagnosed at a later stage within the disease process than those with a White ethnicity (Bowes & Wilkinson, 2003), and are likely to under-utilise services in comparison with other groups (Badger, Cameron & Evers, 1988). Uppal, Bonas and Philpott (2014) described a qualitative study that attempted to add insight to these issues by exploring the beliefs about dementia held by a sample of Sikhs living within the community. This article discusses the clinical implications of that study.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and sub-threshold symptoms: Prevalence and help-seeking among community dwelling older adults
Authors: Hiskey Syd
Published: January 2023

Accurate knowledge of the prevalence and expression of trauma-related problems among community dwelling populations is needed. Older people living in England were surveyed about traumatic events and current related symptoms. Of the 312 participants, 48 per cent had experienced a trauma. An estimated 3.9 per cent screened positive for current post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a further 7.4 per cent reporting sub-diagnostic threshold trauma-related symptoms. Most people seek support from friends and family or professionals in relation to their distress, yet a significant minority (27 per cent of those with PTSD and 14 per cent of those with sub-diagnostic threshold symptoms) do not seek help at all. Services must continue to encourage help-seeking among this vulnerable subset of the older adult population.
The carers innovation project: Supporting inpatient dementia caregivers
Authors: Cawley Rosanne , Dykes Kathryn , Drummond Gill , Watson Ruth
Published: January 2023

The carers innovation project aimed to provide individualised support for inpatient carers to Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s (GMW) dementia care wards. If a carer ‘opted in’ to this service, they were offered either face-to-face meetings on the ward, home visits or telephone support with an assistant psychologist. Between May 2013 and December 2013 97 carers were referred. Of those carers contacted and offered the service, 78 per cent accepted support. The common areas of support wanted were: (i) psychological and emotional support; (ii) support and information about dementia; (iii) support understanding the hospital assessment; and (iv) support with self-care and future decisions. The project aimed to promote a community within the hospital environment for carers to feel valued and well informed.
Assistant Psychologists’ experience of a reflective practice group in an Older People’s Psychology Service
Authors: Rankin Lenita , Bush Justine , Wilson Hannah
Published: January 2023

The SEPT Older People’s Psychology Service serves a population of approximately 120,000 older people and is delivered from five bases in South Essex, each staffed by one Clinical Psychologist and one Assistant Psychologist. The Assistant Psychologists are employed on a 12-month fixed-term contract. Every six weeks the Assistants meet for a reflective practice group facilitated by a designated qualified Clinical Psychologist in the team. The group is two hours long and involves one of the Assistants presenting a case study upon which the group reflects. Case presentations have included discussions of neuropsychological assessments and therapeutic work on both an individual and group basis. This is followed by a discussion of a journal article or book chapter relevant to the delivery of psychological services to older people.
‘Living Together with Dementia’ A multi-family group for people recently diagnosed with dementia and their family – our experience of providing large group interventions
Authors: Field Elizabeth , Culverwell Alison , Oliver Ian
Published: January 2023

‘In the month or so after Trevor’s assessment I felt a sense of isolation – we had decided to face the new challenge and told our friends but realised that some seemed not to be able to cope with it. When meeting us they wouldn’t mention it, even avoiding conversation indicating a sense of embarrassment. Then we were both invited to participate in the Living Together with Dementia course…’Julia Seath, Participant.

‘I feel I can now face the future with a far more optimistic approach to as “normal” a life as possible. He feels less frightened about the future. Met lovely people and realised life is for living.’Participant.
A cognitive behavioural therapy group for carers of people with dementia
Authors: Addison Sarah
Published: January 2023

The prevalence rate of those with dementia is rising. The impact on informal carers of someone with dementia is well documented and there is increasing recognition of the need to support informal carers for their own quality of life, the quality of life of the person they are caring for, and to prolong the time that someone with dementia is able to remain living at home. Evidence and national guidance have supported the provision of interventions for carers. However, there is limited detail of the precise nature such interventions should take. This article reports on a group programme of cognitive behavioural therapy for carers of people with dementia delivered in routine care. An outline of the programme content is provided and the results of an audit evaluating seven years of data are presented. Finally, the challenges in delivering such an intervention are discussed.
The British Psychological Society Dementia Advisory Group
Authors: Clare Linda , Bradbury Nicky , Dodd Karen , Guss Reinhard , Woods Bob
Published: January 2023

This article summarises the presentation about the work of the British Psychological Society’s Dementia Advisory Group (DAG) that was given at the FPOP Conference 2015 at the start of the panel discussion, held with a panel consisting of several members of the DAG, and the main points that emerged during the discussion.
Addressing social care needs and wellbeing of older migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK
Authors: Hussein Shereen
Published: January 2023

Population ageing is a phenomena happening all over the world. In the UK, all groups of the population are growing older. These include people from different background, migration history, life experience and culture. Many studies highlight the relationship between the experience of people during various stages of their life, including childhood and adulthood working lives, on their health at older age. It is not a surprise then to observe an increasing policy and practice interest in migrants ageing in the UK. The latest UK census (2011) shows that more than half of London’s population identified their ethnicity not to be ‘White British’ and one in six people in the UK aged 65 or over. However, older people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups vary considerably between themselves and cannot be viewed as a homogenous group. How people migrated, their level of involvement in the labour market, their education and their participation in various activities are some of the factors that impact on their experience of ageing. Additionally, culture norms and perceptions are directly related to expectations from family, community and the wider health and social care system in providing care support. In this presentation I will draw on various studies related to ageing among different groups of older people from BME background, reflecting on some strengths and challenges that different groups may encounter. The paper aims to provide a more sympathetic understanding of subjective and structural barriers that some groups may face when accessing and receiving health and care services. It will conclude by a discussion of various strategies that materialise on various cultural norms to facilitate more effective communications and service acceptance.
Some Ideas on the Hidden Aspects of Care Work in Present-Day Society
Authors: Leech Nigel
Published: January 2023

The notion that a society might be considered as having a ‘mind’ just as an individual can be considered as having a ‘mind’ will be looked at in this paper. Some basic and primitive mechanisms of this ‘mind’ could serve to control quite dominant aspects of society. This is looked at in relation to aspects of the role of care work that tend to be ‘hidden’ from public awareness and is then briefly examined in relation to ideas within postmodernism and globalization and overt aspects of society. Acknowledging these possible hidden and more painful aspects might make care work more manageable; not only at an individual and an institutional level, but also at a societal level.
The Psychology of Explanation
Authors: Richards Graham
Published: January 2023

While there are extensive literatures on the nature of scientific explanation, ‘psychological explanation’ and the logical character of ‘good’ explanations, relatively little has been written that considers the seeking and offering of explanations as psychological phenomena in their own right. In this paper it is suggested that, fundamentally, explanations are responses to specific puzzles and that a ‘good’ explanation is, operationally, simply one that leaves the person requiring it no longer feeling puzzled. (To achieve this it may of course have to meet all kinds of criteria set by the individual in question.) What we need, therefore, is a taxonomy or analysis of the way in which things become puzzling, and of the strategies appropriate in each case for dissipating the puzzle. A tentative exercise of this kind is presented. Adopting this apparently straightforward approach, however, does seem to raise more profound epistemological issues, only hinted at here.
Psychology and Religion: What are they?
Authors: Radford John
Published: January 2023

Psychology and religion would appear to be related in principle. But religion does not feature largely in mainstream psychology. Richards (1988) and Buchanan (2003) draw attention to the historical importance of the relationship. A prior question, it is suggested, is what we do or should mean by the two terms. Different types of definition are discussed: stipulative, reportive, essentialist and operational. A special case of the last can be considered to be ‘family resemblances’, characteristics shared in unequal measure by members of a class. This seems most appropriate to religion, but the lists of most writers appear too short. A longer set of characteristics is suggested. But for psychology a lexical approach seems more helpful, an example being the author’s distinction between discipline, subject and profession. These points suggest two entities which do have something in common, but which are in fact essentially different in significant ways affecting assumptions, content, methodology and modes of thought. Nevertheless psychology should engage with religion. Some reasons why it has not done so more completely are discussed. There are currently signs of a more comprehensive approach.
The Role of the Poor Law in the Care of the Insane in the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Miller Ed
Published: January 2023

Where writings in abnormal and clinical psychology refer to the ways in which the ‘insane’ were dealt with in the past, they almost universally assume that the two dominant features were the asylum and the asylum doctor. The large, nineteenth century public asylums were built for the ‘pauper insane’ and the vast majority of those regarded as insane were pauper insane. As a consequence of this the Poor Law played a crucial role in the care of the insane and it was the local Poor Law officials who, together with magistrates, determined who were to be regarded as the pauper insane and whether such individuals were to be sent to the asylum or dealt with in other ways. Even at the end of the nineteenth century about 20% of the pauper insane were resident in workhouses and not asylums. There was also considerable local variation in how officials handled the problem of insanity. Many of the pauper insane retained in workhouses remained there for long periods and their treatment was often unsatisfactory.
Pragmatism and the concept of truth
Authors: Thoma Niki
Published: January 2023

Pragmatism is a philosophical model, which appealed to the 20thcentury Western world. W. James, C. S. Peirce and E. Durkheim, among others, formulated a model to replace ancient and other earlier models. The criterion of meaning or value of an idea is judged by its consequences. James referred more to practical consequences; Peirce referred more to logical consequences. Reference to truth was made by all, especially Pierce. The relationship to truth will be questioned here (what is the meaning of truth?), while the model itself is positively evaluated. Applications can be traced in psychology, sociology, education, politics, management and other areas.
Divine Madness: Evolutionary and Historical Dimensions of Schizophrenia
Authors: Ziolo Paul
Published: January 2023

Despite ongoing neo-Kraepelian strategies to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis of schizophrenia, the shifting and complex aetiology of the syndrome continues to elude classification and therefore any consistent and long-term efficacy of treatment. This paper discusses some recent studies that propose a polygenic origin for schizophrenia far back in the human evolutionary past. Such an archaic origin would account for the current worldwide prevalence of schizophrenia-related behaviours across all cultures. Reasons are considered as to why the schizophrenic genotype has not been eliminated through natural selection – an indication that it may have had certain group selection benefits. A brief description is given of the neurobiological and psychodynamic factors involved in the timing of onset, followed by a discussion of some historical and transcultural manifestations of and responses to, the syndrome. It is concluded that identification, diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia-related symptoms are critically dependent on historical, political and sociocultural factors. Given the demonstrated inadequacy of psychopharmacological treatment and the clear necessity for multiple therapeutic strategies tailored to the needs of individual patients, how do these non-clinical factors deepen our understanding of schizophrenia in relation to the type of society in which we live?
C.K. Ogden’s Basic Role in Inter-War British Psychology
Authors: Richards Graham
Published: January 2023

The role of C.K. Ogden (1889-1957) in British Psychology between the two world wars, while considerable, has now become almost invisible to historians of Psychology. The present paper attempts to redress this, and suggest some explanations. While enduringly remembered as co-author with I.A. Richards ofThe Meaning of Meaning(1923), the central reason for his neglect in the history of Psychology context has, it is suggested, been that his contribution lay at the editorial level. In this role he created and oversaw Kegan Paul, Trench & Trübner’sInternational Library of Psychology, Philosophy and Scientific Method, as well as the journalPsyche, two spin-off series from this, and the popularToday and Tomorrowseries. Moreover, Ogden’s passionate interest in language had a deep effect on the character of post–1945 British Psychology via the support which he gave to ‘the linguistic turn’ in British philosophy and the resulting appreciation of the importance of conceptual analysis.
Discourse Analysis as a Method in the History of Psychology
Authors: Lament Peter
Published: January 2023

This paper suggests the use of discourse analysis (DA), as proposed by early discursive psychologists, as a method in the history of Psychology. It points out some key differences between such an approach and typical historical analyses, and argues that the analysis of scientific discourse, from which this form of DA emerged, continues to be relevant to our understanding of the history and nature of psychological knowledge. Given the importance of scientific status to Psychology, and the absence of a clear demarcation between science and other forms of knowledge, there is a need to understand better how bodies of psychological knowledge came to be seen as ‘scientific’. An example is given of how DA can be used to examine how versions of science and scientific expertise have been deployed in debates over scientificity; in this case, in order to present experiments that led to the discovery of a ‘psychic force’ as legitimate science. It is hoped that this will show how DA can offer both a complementary approach to more conventional historical studies and a way for psychology students to explore historical and conceptual issues.
Emotions without Psychology
Authors: Zielinska Anna
Published: January 2023

Psychological (or further, neurological, etc.) examination of emotional states in order to understand what they really stand for is not the most interesting way for a philosopher to take them into account from his/her specific point of view. This is not how the expressions denoting those states become valuable for us.

In ethics, i.e. the discipline which, among others, analyses what is said, thought or felt about something from an evaluative point of view (meta-ethics), or suggests what should be said, thought or felt about it (practical ethics), emotions may play various roles. I shall propose a project of the grammar of emotions, which aims at preserving a specific normativity of philosophical, or moral, discourse. This very notion of grammar must get a further analysis, since even if it has a double normative and descriptive dimension proper to its linguistic equivalent, it does not have (or should not have) systematic ambitions.
Ranald Macdonald (1945–2007) and the Subjectivity of Statistics
Authors: Lovie Sandy
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this paper is, first of all, to provide a brisk review of Ranald Macdonald’s recent seminal contributions to statistical inference, which he has characterised as an essentially subjective process as distinct from the usual academic narratives. This account will then be used as a springboard to examine such issues as the nature of subjectivity (in science), and its role in modern statistics and related areas of methodology. I will also include some supportive historical work by key statisticians such as Student (William Gosset) and Ronald Fisher, both of whose modus operandi was far from the axiomatic methods expected of textbook mathematicians. The general approach adopted by this paper is that both statistics and data analysis are the product of extensive, subtle and reciprocal negotiations between a wide range of knowledgeable and expert practitioners.
The Question of Free Will, Determinism and Responsibility in the Social Sciences
Authors: Thoma Niki
Published: January 2023

Starting with the definition of free will within the compatibility notion, and with the experiential/everyday meaning of the concept, we can examine what we really mean by “free will”, which is a necessary precondition for responsibility. Free will is the feeling and the possibility that having personal needs on the one hand and morality or “my principles” on the other, one can choose between the two.

In this paper, historical notions of free will and determinism are examined, including the atomic/materialistic theory of Democritus, the empiricism of D. Hume, the practical reason of Kant, the Existentialism of J.P. Sartre, and the panoptic eye of M. Foucault. An analysis is attempted, proposing that there is a misunderstanding of the term free will, as various concepts from different levels of analysis are confused in the literature. A brief analysis of responsibility is also attempted, in which I focus on the difference between responsibility as possible choice and lack of responsibility when heavy influences and pressures are applied to the individual by social/psychological factors.

The term (lack of) responsibility can be viewed as responsible for some of the hopelessness in individuals (and students!), whom we influence on the side of morality and healthy citizenship, putting forward the need for moral choice, cultivating healthy choice in citizenship curricula or infusing social responsibility in the latent curriculum for behaviour.
James Sully (1842–1923) and his family: A commentary
Authors: Maliphant Rodney
Published: January 2023

Recently discovered information on James Sully’s life and that of his immediate family is presented, integrated as far as possible with established sources but focussing primarily on the biographical information he presents in two of his publications,My Life and Friends(1918) andStudies in Childhood(1895). The new information has been collated from a wide variety of sources, including census returns, legal documents and university archival records, as well as from library records, local historians and persons related in some way to the extensive Sully family. No attempt is made to evaluate Sully’s contribution to Psychology as such. The aim has been to provide a fuller personal, social and educational context in which to consider his life and achievements and to identify gaps in current knowledge meriting further exploration.
Karl Jaspers (1883–1969): Was he a psychologist?
Authors: Wetherick Norman
Published: January 2023

In 2006 the Royal Institution (London) sponsored a meeting to determine who was the ‘greatest mind to have changed our minds’. Four candidates were proposed and a vote taken. Freud (49 votes) and Eysenck (58) seem plausible candidates. I had not heard of Beck (62) but he turns out to be the founding father of cognitive behaviourism – a currently fashionable method of psycho-therapy. Naturally Beck won. The fourth candidate was Karl Jaspers (12), which surprised me as I had not thought of him as a psychologist.

In 1910 Jaspers was commissioned by a publisher to write a new textbook for use in German medical schools.Allgemeine Psychopathologie(General Psychopathology) appeared in 1913 and Jaspers was responsible for several revised editions up to the fourth (1942), which he was not allowed to publish but which almost certainly appeared as the seventh in 1959, which was translated into English in 1962. Jaspers had appalling health and was never able to accept a full-time post in psychiatry. His (1913) work was accepted as Habilitationschrift for a post in the Heidelberg philosophy faculty, where he remained until 1948.

This paper asks whether, though still highly regarded as a philosopher and public moralist, he can be regarded as a psychologist as the term is now understood.
Mixing Business with Pleasure – An Evaluation of Nigel Balchin’s Twin Careers as Industrial Psychologist and Writer
Authors: Collett Derek M.
Published: January 2023

The novelist and screenwriter Nigel Balchin (1908–1970) was originally employed as an industrial investigator by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology between 1930 and 1935. His early writing was largely comic, satirizing his work as a psychologist, although his job also provided him with some of the material for his first two novels. He is remembered today as the author of best-sellers such asThe Small Back RoomandMine Own Executioner, both of which were made into critically acclaimed films. This paper describes Balchin’s varied career and looks at the way in which his early experience as a psychologist continued to influence his writing for much of the rest of his life.
FromThumosto Emotion and Feeling. Some Observations on the Passivity and Activity of Affectivity
Authors: Zaborowski Robert
Published: January 2023

The aim of this paper is to examine several philosophical interpretations in order to show how affectivity has been considered in its relations to activity and passivity throughout the history of European philosophy. The major problem is that there is a tendency to conceive affectivity either as exclusively active or as exclusively passive. On the other hand there is often a coincidence between a term used in order to describe affectivity and the passive or active nature ascribed to affectivity as a whole. Besides the termspathos, passio, passion, affectus, there are more recent categories ofemotionandfeelingon the one hand, andthumosused before Aristotle on the other. The solution in order to avoid downwards as well as upwards reductions is to interpret affectivity as a multifaceted phenomenon and to acknowledge that affectivity presents different features on several levels.
Saving Ecopsychology from Itself: The Need for Scientific Enquiry
Authors: Hoelterhoff Mark
Published: January 2023

The rise of environmentalism as a cultural ethos has had an impact on psychology. The field of psychology has witnessed the emergence of ecopsychology. At the foundational level, there has been significant writing that roots ecopsychology theory with transpersonal psychology. Roszak’s (1992) pioneering workThe Voice of the Earthhas envisioned ecopsychology as a further exploration of humans’ spiritual link with nature. Such writings have resulted in a field of study heavily influenced by New Age and Eastern mystical traditions. But as a consequence, does that put ecopsychology in the domain of spirituality rather than psychology? This paper suggests ecopsychology would be better served by rooting itself in experimental scientific psychology. Even when science is challenged as lacking depth, “Existential Experimental Psychology” (XXP) may build the bridge between the scientific methods and the need for deeper meaning. This paper concludes that the theoretical foundations for ecopsychology must move beyond philosophy and spirituality and suggests XXP as a solution to maintaining scientific rigour while not losing meaning.
Child Guidance in Scotland 1918–1955: Psychiatry versus Psychology?
Authors: Stewart John
Published: January 2023

This paper analyses the emergence of child guidance in Scotland from its origins in the 1920s through to the mid-1950s, by which time it was legislatively embedded in the post-war welfare state. It argues that the Scottish experience of child guidance was predominantly based on psychology rather than, as elsewhere in Great Britain, psychiatry; and that this was to have policy implications particularly as legislative provision came to be widely discussed during the Second World War. On one level, therefore, the Scottish version of child guidance won out over the medically based and psychiatrically oriented version which had been strongly promoted in the inter-war era. This was not unproblematic, however, as psychiatrists continued to lay claim to the field and psychology itself suffered a crisis of confidence just as it appeared to be gaining ownership of the child guidance project.
William Boyd and the Research Committee of the Educational Institute of Scotland in the 1920s
Authors: Brett Caroline E. , Lawn Martin , Deary Ian J. , Bartholomew David J.
Published: January 2023

This paper discusses evidence for a unique vision to involve teachers in educational research in Scotland by the Educational Institute of Scotland in the 1920s through the work of its Research Committee. Led by William Boyd, the Committee thought that involvement in research was a crucial stepping stone towards achieving professional status for teachers. They conducted a number of detailed investigations involving teachers, thereby introducing research into the consciousness of teachers and paving the way for Scotland to make significant contributions to educational research on the international stage. Although Boyd himself was an educationist and did not call himself a psychologist, he was essentially working in the field of educational psychology and the co-opted membership of the Research Committee included James Drever, David Kennedy Fraser, William McClelland and others. This paper will explore something of the circumstances, substance and influence of this movement.
Little Albert: Gone But Not Forgotten
Authors: Hobbs Sandy
Published: January 2023

A recent study appears to have established the identity of the child referred to as “Albert B” in the famous study by Watson and Rayner (1920). That child died only a few years after participating in the research. This paper deals not with “Little Albert’s” personal history but his subsequent role in what may be termed the lore of psychology. In the late 1970s, several papers pointed out that secondary accounts of the experiment frequently contain errors. A decade later Paul and Blumenthal (1989) found that misrepresentations of the experiment were still common. A further twenty years on, this paper examines the extent of reporting and misreporting of this “classic” study in psychology textbooks. Possible reasons for the continued prominence of Watson and Rayner’s study and for inaccuracies in psychologists’ recall of that work are explored.
Trauma Reaction in the Light of Kierkegaard’s Concept of Self
Authors: Hoelterhoff Mark , Chung Man Cheung
Published: January 2023

The aim of this paper is to explore the theoretical and philosophical connection between trauma reaction and Søren Kierkegaard’s concept of self. This philosophical exploration into Kierkegaard’s ideas will include a case evaluation. Using a fictitious case study from the unfortunately real event of the Marchioness disaster, this paper examines how Kierkegaard’s concept of self can help to conceptualize trauma reaction via immediate man and despair. This paper will also address further areas for development within Kierkegaard’s theory as related to this specific case.
Characteristic Features of the Formation of Developmental Psychology in Russia during the Second Half of the Nineteenth and the First Third of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Minkova Elena
Published: January 2023

This article traces the history of developmental psychology in the works of Russian psychologists from 1862 to 1936. Its main aim is to provide characteristic features of its development in chronological order and at the same time underline general ideas. Three stages are outlined, based on the predominant research methods used during each period. A quantitative analysis of books on developmental psychology, categorised according to subject, is presented; and reasons for the elimination of pedology explored, in terms of social and ideological changes.
Towards a Better Understanding of the Philosophy of Psychology
Authors: Jastrzebski Andrzej
Published: January 2023

Over the past few decades, we have witnessed the dynamic development of a new philosophical discipline, which has been calledthe philosophy of psychology. Although it is relatively new as a formal discipline, the subject matter with which it concerns itself has a much longer history. In the following paper I intend to sketch an outline of the history ofthe philosophy of psychology, the changes it has undergone, and to offer a few proposals to widen its horizon of study, to include those elements of psychology that, in my opinion, merit attention. With this goal in mind and based on appropriate examples, I will present four hypotheses regarding the beginnings of the philosophy of psychology, its present state and possible future. My aim is to arrive at a proposal for a more inclusive approach to the philosophy of psychology.