bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Taking your participants home: Self-care within the research process
Authors: McGourty Alison J. , Farrants Jacqui , Pratt Rebecca , Cankovic Marija 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundOn the long and often stressful road to qualifying as a counselling psychologist the issue of self-care is addressed early within the training. Yet this idea of self-care relates to therapeutic practice, with little consideration of self-care during the research process. With the training route now at Doctoral level, all practitioners will undertake a significant research project as part of the qualifying portfolio.Aims and scopeThis paper explores the process issues encountered in conducting research into the experience of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), and raises questions about the way self-care is addressed within the research process. The article reflects upon a content analysis of 202 personal accounts of CSA with the aim of exploring the presence of Stockholm syndrome and PTSD within CSA. Literature from selfcare within the clinical application of psychology and trauma-based work is discussed as a starting point for the development of self-care within a research context.ConclusionRecommendations are made for changes in research practice and ethical review, and a clear role for counselling psychologists to lead in this development.
The therapeutic relationship from an attachment theory perspective
Authors: Skourteli Marina Christina , Lennie Clare 
Published: January 2023

AimThe present study examined the view of the therapist as an attachment figure and the relationship between client adult attachment in close relationships and client attachment to the therapistMethod27 clients in ongoing therapy were asked to complete measures of adult attachment and client attachment to their therapists. In addition, five participants were interviewed with regard to their perceptions of their therapist and the therapeutic relationship.FindingsQuantitative analysis suggested that client attachment may be activated in the context of the therapeutic relationship. In particular, ‘Need for Approval’ was significantly associated with both ‘Fearful/Avoidant’ and ‘Preoccupied/Merger attachmentto the therapist’; ‘Preoccupation in Relationships’ was positively correlated to ‘Preoccupied/Merger attachment to therapist’. Qualitative findings further suggested that the therapist serves as an attachment figure for clients.Implications for practiceThe therapeutic relationship contains features of an attachment relationship and therapists are often seen by clients as a secure basis for exploration. In this context, the behaviour that clients present in therapy is seen as meaningful and its exploration can contribute to the deconstruction and re-appraisal of internal working models of self and others. Implications for the practice of counselling psychology are discussed.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A discussion of cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and mindfulness based cognitive therapy
Authors: Dayes Jennifer Ellen 
Published: January 2023

Content and FocusThis article explores the acceptability and usefulness of cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Issues specific to researching this particular group are discussed also. Both peer reviewed literature and surveys from support groups are considered.ConclusionsThe article argues that mindfulness and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy – an integration of mindfulness and cognitive therapy – may be acceptable and beneficial to people with ME/CFS. Particular advantages lie in a flexible and cost-efficient application. The author concludes that further research into mindfulness and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is warranted in this population. The article also highlights that a representative sample of people with ME/CFS is difficult to generate, and that findings can be hard to generalise.
Using the tacit dimension in qualitative research in counselling psychology
Authors: West William 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundThis paper explores how we make use, and access, the tacit dimension within qualitative research into counselling psychology.Aims and ScopeIt considers how to access the tacit dimension including its connection to the body, countertransference and Gendlin’s ‘felt sense’; how to use the tacit dimension within research planning; data gathering and research report writing – including a brief focus on the rhetoric of research report writing.ConclusionThe notion of the bricoleur is briefly introduced and considered as a model for involving the tacit dimension in research.
Research Paper Towards a schema level understanding of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A grounded theory approach
Authors: Stalmeisters Dzintra 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundCore beliefs or schemas have been proposed as a possible predisposing factor in the cognitive behavioural model of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) (Surawy et al., 1995). Additionally, in clinical practice, characteristics of early maladaptive schemas have been recognised in people with this debilitating illness (Kinsella, 2007), although research in this area is limited.AimsThe aim of the study was to develop an understanding of the relationship between early maladaptive schemas as described by Young, Klosko and Weishaar (2003) and ME/CFS.MethodThe study involved 13 people with ME/CFS who endorsed early maladaptive schemas; they were interviewed using a range of media (face-to-face, email and phone). The study adopted a mainly classical grounded theory approach.ResultsThe core category generated from the data termed ‘obscuring’ conceptualised the manner in which early maladaptive schemas and the coping style ‘surrender to the schema’ obscured the needs of individuals with ME/CFS. The theory proposed a subtle cycle of ‘obscuring’ within the illness context potentially exacerbating the illness, increasing fatigue.ConclusionThis study progresses knowledge in this area by providing a schema-level understanding of ME/CFS, offering insights into the behavioural process from schema to illness. Recommendations are made for clinical practice.
Research Paper Influences on Polish migrants' responses to distress and decisions about whether to seek psychological help
Authors: Selkirk Mhairi , Quayle Ethel , Rothwell Neil 
Published: January 2023

AimsThis study aimed to investigate the influences on responses to distress and decisions about whether to seek psychological help for Polish migrants in Scotland.MethodsA cultural psychology framework utilising Charmaz’s social constructionist method of grounded theory was adopted in the design of the research. Field work was conducted within the Polish community, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Polish community members and two key informants. Data were analysed using guidelines outlined by Charmaz supported by NVivo software.FindingsParticipants’ responses to distress were influenced by their sense of identity, family and community networks, cultural norms, and previous experiences with services in Poland and Scotland. Polish cultural values emphasising family closeness, traditional gender roles and discomfort with difference influenced participants’ help-seeking strategies. Participants who felt disappointed with Scottish primary care services felt reluctant to approach the NHS for help with emotional difficulties, while participants who were satisfied with their treatment were open to this possibility. Private Polish psychologist services may be preferable to state services in Scotland in some instances.DiscussionPsychology services in Scotland may not be well-placed to meet the needs of Polish migrants. Services should seek to become more culturally sensitive and develop ways of working with community organisations who migrants are more comfortable approaching.
Theoretical Paper To what extent can the core conditions of therapeutic change championed by Carl be present in an individual psychodynamic therapy encounter?
Authors: Hadjiosif Miltiades 
Published: January 2023

Content and FocusPerson-centred therapy (PCT) and psychodynamic therapy frequently comprise two of the modalities that counselling psychologists are exposed to during their training, while the key concepts drawn from these domains continue to inform the practice of chartered counselling psychologists. Rogers’ ideas came at a time when psychodynamic thinking had established a firm grip over therapeutic orthodoxy and challenged the practice of psychoanalysis, even as they circumvented its theoretical underpinnings. This paper explores the extent to which the six necessary and sufficient, or core, conditions of therapeutic change can manifest in a psychodynamic therapy encounter. The author reviews relevant literature that juxtaposes PCT and psychodynamic understandings of therapeutic theory and practice whilst examining each of the conditions sequentially in the light of some key psychodynamic concepts.ConclusionsThe question posed by this paper requires an idiosyncratic answer that can be neither authoritatively nor objectively obtained. It is argued that our discipline’s epistemological position might facilitate a diffusion of the core conditions into the implicit theoretical apparatus that Sandler (1983) has identified as guiding the practice of psychoanalysts. I reflect on my personal journey of grappling with this issue before tentatively arriving at the conclusion that the conditions can indeed be present in psychodynamic practice, even if noticeably absent from psychodynamic theory.
Theoretical Paper Working with the therapeutic relationship in cognitive behavioural therapy from an attachment theory perspective
Authors: Parpottas Panagiotis 
Published: January 2023

Content and FocusIn counselling psychology the therapeutic relationship is considered as one of the most fundamental aspects of psychological therapy. It can be argued that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic modality which has given more attention to techniques and ‘doing’ therapy, rather than the therapeutic relationship itself. Unsurprisingly, this raises some questions on the use of the therapeutic relationship, especially when working purely from a CBT perspective. The current paper aims to briefly review how the therapeutic relationship is operating in CBT, and furthermore to discuss how attachment theory can inform the practice of counselling psychologists who work with CBT. For the purpose of this paper, I will discuss a composite client presentation based upon my clinical work with an individual who I have named ‘Tom’.ConclusionsOn the basis of the existing literature, it can be understood that views such as ‘the therapeutic relationship in CBT is necessary but not sufficient to bring about change’, are continuously changing. Therefore, the need for counselling psychologists who practise CBT in having a more relational focus in their practice is essential and attachment theory can assist them in working more with the therapeutic relationship.
Research Paper Life transition with HIV: Some observations of the phenomenon of growing older with the infection
Authors: Lawrence Sacha , Cross Malcolm 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundThis research has attempted to gain an insight into the phenomenon of life transition with HIV. It attends to the experience of the first ageing HIV cohort and tries to understand what it means for the participants to grow older with this particular condition.MethodThe study was conducted using semi-structured interviews and findings were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The data was collected from a small sample of eight participants, seven gay men and one heterosexual female. The average age of the participants was 50 years old and they had a mean of 14 years of life with HIV infection.FindingsFour major themes emerged from the interview data. 1. All the participants recognised that they belonged to the first wave of long-term HIV survivors and that their experience of life transition was linked to anxieties of an unknown future. 2. Participants reported stigma as an ongoing experience of living with HIV and were concerned that this stigma seemingly increased with age. 3. Individual identities of the participants were affected by stigma and trauma of initial diagnosis. With age these identities were described as evoking a sense of not-belonging. 4. The research also reports upon a range of adaptive strategies of the participants. Although these strategies were likely to be initiated by the shock of the diagnosis, they do not appear to have become redundant over the years.ConclusionIt is argued that this study provides an insight into the lived experience of these individuals and can, therefore, be useful when working therapeutically with this particular group.
Theoretical Paper From strategy to process: Validation in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Authors: Hadjiosif Miltiades 
Published: January 2023

Content and FocusThis paper explores how Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) elaborates upon the concept of validation as a strategic intervention and therapeutic stance. It examines the rationale for validating the ‘grain of wisdom’ in every client communication and problematic behaviour and outlines levels of validation articulated by Marsha Linehan and her colleagues before linking them to counselling psychology practice.ConclusionsValidation is consistent with the humanistic underpinnings of counselling psychology that necessitate an appreciation of client phenomenology devoid of pathologising and pejorative assumptions. DBT’s focus on this intervention is illuminating yet conceptualising it as a strategy traversing the ‘acceptancechange’ dialectic might estrange us from validating our clients when attending to more process-oriented issues in therapy.
The nonsense of ‘Effectiveness’
Authors: Bannister Don 
Published: January 2023

I found this article byDon Bannisterwhen searching through literature on effectiveness whilst exploring current references on work with failing schools. It wasn’t what I expected to chance upon, but as a fan of Don Bannister and a constructionist in style and thinking, it was a short article that had an enormous impact upon thoughts about talking to children, parents and teachers. It would interesting to hear what readers think, ‘paying heed’, what does this mean to educational psychologists?The piece originally appeared inNew Forum, August 1980 and was reprinted inChanges1998, Vol. 16, 3 with the attached postscript from Miller Mair.
The medicalisation of normal healthy childhood
Authors: Traxson Dave 
Published: January 2023

This position paper contains a personal view of professional practice around the use of medication for children and was written to stimulate debate.‘There is clearly a growing willingness to offer young people drugs which have profound effects on the way they think and behave’, and also, ‘We should give more thought to changing the shape of our classrooms to fit our children, rather than trying to medicate our children to fit the classroom!’Baroness Susan Greenfield, Professor of Pharmacology, Oxford University and ex-Director of the Royal Institution. (Times Educational Supplement, January 2007)
Children with complex medical conditions and their school experiences – A tentative model
Authors: Bunn Helena , Robinson Mary 
Published: January 2023

This article is part of a larger scale UK-based research project focused on experiences and expectations of children with complex medical conditions and their families, and it focuses specifically on school experiences and expectations of children with complex medical conditions (CMC).The aim of the study was to develop an understanding of how children with CMC experience schooling, and to identify practical steps that can be taken to improve outcomes for children with CMC.The sample included three children with CMC and four parents of children with CMC. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using a grounded theory approach.A tentative model around the child’s experience of school was produced, which alludes to the influence and interaction of various systems, namely school, peers, medical professionals, and intrinsic features of the child. It appears that these systems can strongly affect either a vicious or a virtuous cycle of development for the children with CMC, with continued success or difficulty leading to an increased likelihood of future similar performance if no changes to these systems are made. Practical implications of this tentative model are explored, including what could be done to fill gaps in children’s educational provision, especially in considering the role educational psychologists could play in the context of the current national and international climate.
‘You have to stay in with the teacher and it’s a bit awkward’: Children’s views and experiences of the withdrawal of playtime as a sanction in a UK school
Authors: Clements Thomas , Harding Emma 
Published: January 2023

Aim(s):The purpose of this study was to explore children’s views and experiences of having playtime withdrawn as a sanction, with a view to increasing knowledge and understanding in this under-researched area.Method/Rationale:This study adopted an exploratory case study design, whereby 12 participants in a single school were interviewed virtually. These participants were aged 5–11 (Years 1–6) and were interviewed in year group pairs. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.Findings:Participants discussed direct and indirect experiences of having their playtime withdrawn, and also discussed reasons for why playtime might be withdrawn, including: misbehaviour, whole-class misbehaviour and not completing work. Participants reported that the withdrawal of playtime was a fair sanction, although there were disagreements about the conditions for when this sanction should be imposed. Furthermore, participants spoke about valuing their playtime and gave examples of potential alternatives to the withdrawal of playtime.Limitations:Conducting interviews virtually meant that the researcher was unable to develop a rapport with the participants, and that the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) was present with them during virtual interviews for safeguarding purposes. These factors may have impacted on what participants chose to share regarding their views and experiences.Conclusions:The withdrawal of playtime is a sanction still used in schools, and the children within this study understood the purpose of this sanction. However, it is possible that withdrawing play is counterproductive in terms of addressing the behaviours that result in it being imposed. Implications for professionals in schools, as well as further avenues for research, are discussed.
Emotional and behavioural difficulties: is this a useful category? The implications of clustering and co-morbidity – the relevance of a taxonomic approach
Authors: Kershaw Patricia , Sonuga-Barke Edmund 
Published: January 2023

Previous research has demonstrated that there is significant co-morbidity in different disorders of behaviour and emotion. It is also a common perception that the category of Special Educational Needs (SEN) collectively called Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) refers to those children who exhibit externalizing problems. The present study has explored these assumptions by analysing the range and type of behaviours found in the EBD population, proposing that the identification of different groups within the EBD category has a necessary impact on issues of assessment and intervention. The hypotheses propose that the category of EBD contains distinct sub-groups of children with similar characteristics; that although the category of EBD often suggests Conduct Disorder (CD), other factors are involved and finally, that many children with EBD have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with co-morbid Conduct Disorder (CD).The Teacher Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) (Achenbach, 1991) was completed by teachers of 254 boys attending schools for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in one local education authority.Cluster analysis yielded five distinct groupings of children within the EBD population in this sample. These were conduct problems; emotional problems; attentional problems; co-morbid conduct, emotional and attentional difficulties and a group with no apparent problems. The usefulness of the EBD label is questioned as it is clear that this is not a homogeneous population. The implication is that greater identification of typology is required if appropriate intervention is to be recommended and applied in order to meet the diverse needs of this group of children. The stated hypotheses were all supported.
The development of a computer-adaptive assessment in the early years
Authors: Tymms Peter 
Published: January 2023

AbstractComputers have long held out the promise of efficient assessments, but attempts to construct computerised adaptive assessments have been plagued by problems of implementation. Within the Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) project, we have successfully developed a computerised adaptive assessment for young children on entry to school and then a year later. The programme relies on ‘sequences with stopping’ rules rather than the more usual algorithms that come from item response theory. Using this procedure we have in place an efficient way of assessing young children. It is used in several thousand schools on a regular basis providing detailed baseline information on children. Its main purpose is not to identify individuals with special educational needs, but rather to provide data that can be used by the teacher for all children immediately and, by tracking their progress, for several years to come.
Learning and the use of ICT in the classroom
Authors: McCormick Robert 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper examines the context for the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in the classroom, through the development of the technology itself, the government’s policy of funding hardware and the Lottery New Opportunities Fund ICT training of all teachers in the UK. The paper suggests that ICT has the potential to open up new opportunities that may call into question traditional views of learning and knowledge. Participatory views of learning are examined as a basis for considering how ICT can be exploited to the full. An important result of a participatory view is collaborative activity, and this is examined as a reflection of the contemporary views of learning and the new kinds of activities pupils can carry out using ICT.