Tavistock and Portman E-Prints Online
Not a member yet
2774 research outputs found
Sort by
Views on psychotherapy research among members of the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
No full textAims and Method: Research drives innovation and improved practice in psychotherapy. We describe views of members of the Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) regarding their knowledge, experience and perspectives on psychotherapy research. We sent questionnaires to the Faculty membership emailing list.
Results: In total, 172 psychiatrists from all levels of training returned fully complete responses. Respondents considered knowledge of psychotherapy research to be important to clinical work. Many have qualifications and experience in research but lack current opportunities for research involvement and would welcome the Faculty doing more to promote psychotherapy research. Perceived obstacles to research involvement included lack of competence, competing demands and wider organisational factors.
Clinical Implications: The lack of research opportunities for medical psychotherapists may lead to their underrepresentation in psychotherapy research and a less medically informed research agenda. Providing support at academic, RCPsych and National Health Service organisational levels will allow more clinically relevant research not only in psychotherapy but in other psychiatric disciplines as well
Working psychotherapeutically with children
No full textThe essential goals of the child and adolescent psychotherapist are not dissimilar to those of the adult therapist: to understand and render meaningful troubled aspects of the personality. The process brings insight to bear on the nature of the internal world and its mixed population of figures, benign and persecutory. Mental development occurs not so much through ‘ironing out’ the difficulties, but rather through ‘an increase in the capacity to bear reality and a decrease in the obstructive force of illusions’ [1, p. 51]. Bearing reality lies in being able to reintegrate aspects of the personality that have been disowned, or disavowed as too threatening to psychic equilibrium. The process of integration involves taking back projections and bearing the discomfort of being brought into relation with the less manageable aspects of the self. The method is based on the observation and interpretation of the transference and countertransference relationship, the elucidation of dreams and, in the case of children and adolescents, the underlying meaning of play and enactments of whatever kind that take place both in and outside the consulting room
The evidence-base for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with children and adolescents: A narrative synthesis
Get PDFDespite a rich theoretical and clinical history, psychodynamic child and adolescent psychotherapy has been slow to engage in the empirical assessment of its effectiveness. This systematic review aims to provide a narrative synthesis of the evidence base for psychodynamic therapy with children and adolescents. Building on two earlier systematic reviews, which covered the period up to 2017, the current study involved two stages: an updated literature search, covering the period between January 2017 and May 2020, and a narrative synthesis of these new studies with those identified in the earlier reviews. The updated search identified 37 papers (28 distinct studies). When combined with papers identified in the earlier systematic reviews, this resulted in a combined total of 123 papers (82 distinct studies). The narrative synthesis of findings indicates that there is evidence of effectiveness for psychodynamic therapy in treating a wide range of mental health difficulties in children and adolescents. The evidence suggests this approach may be especially effective for internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as in the treatment of emerging personality disorders and in the treatment of children who have experience of adversity. Both the quality and quantity of empirical papers in this field has increased over time. However, much of the research demonstrates a range of methodological limitations (small sample sizes, lack of control groups etc.), and only 22 studies were Randomized Controlled Trials. Further high-quality research is needed in order to better understand the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy for children and young people
The Porcupine's dilemma: Couples and space during the lockdown
No full textThe events of the pandemic have had a significant effect on adult couple relationships, both positive and negative. Sustaining a couple relationship of whatever kind is never easy and presents many challenges, chief amongst them to create a relationship in which there is room for two people and to develop the capacity to manage intimacy, as well as managing a balance of dependency and separateness. What feels claustrophobic for one partner may feel lonely to the other. These issues have been made all the more acute by the pandemic, the effect of which has been to enforce proximity and for some separation, to unprecedented levels.
We will explore how the difficulties in simply sharing space have been further exacerbated by our recent lockdown experience, presenting clinicians with some significant therapeutic challenges
“I just thought I'm doing something wrong if she needs therapy”: A grandmother's experience
No full textIn this chapter, the complexities of grandparental kinship care are explored and the perspective of one grandmother is presented, who sought therapeutic help for her granddaughter through her primary school. In this case, the school were able to provide child psychotherapy sessions on-site for those children and families who needed this type of support, through their partnership with a local charity. The details of this family’s circumstances and the therapeutic intervention provided, were gathered through individual interviews with the grandmother, the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) and the child’s therapist, as part of a doctoral research study investigating the experiences of children in kinship care. Through their contributions and perspectives, it is hoped this will help to highlight the value of psychoanalytic psychotherapy for children living in kinship care, and the benefits of this being available within schools, where carers may feel more willing and able to access external support
Using systemic principles in the design of mental health and wellbeing services for looked after children and young people – Bringing together research, theory and practice
No full textI intend to enquire into the complex needs of looked after children and how services can meet these needs. I consider recent research and the evidence base for mental health and wellbeing interventions. I examine Tarren-Sweeney's (2014) proposed best practice principles for service design, which are a good fit with a systemic perspective. I then look at how systemic principles can work alongside these recommendations, describing a looked after children's emotional wellbeing and mental health service working with the entire looked after population in one inner-city local authority in England. This work is about supporting adult networks who care for children rather than direct work with children themselves. I show how this service fits within the domain of production, and speaks to the domains of explanation and aesthetics, in which we address social constructionist positioning and the activities of meaning-making, as well as the intentions, hopes and ethics of the work
Supporting looked after children: A mixed methods study exploring the role of the Educational Psychologist
Get PDFIn 2020, there were 80,080 looked after children (LAC) in the United Kingdom (UK) (Department of Education [DfE], 2020). Literature illustrates the range of difficulties experienced by this population, with particular reference to social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, and consequently the impact on factors such as academic attainment. The often long-lasting negative outcomes endured by this population make this an area of great concern. This is exacerbated by the increasing number of children entering the care system in recent years. The Educational Psychologist (EP) has long been recognised as well placed to support these children. However, research exploring EP support amongst this population is scarce, varied and out dated. The aim of this research was to explore how EPs can support LAC by understanding what influences this type of work. The study employed a mixed method design over two sequential phases. Phase 1 involved a national internet-based survey to gather information from 167 EPs. Statistical analysis demonstrated the range and extent of work in relation to EP support amongst LAC. In Phase 2, 15 EPs shared what they viewed to influence EP support amongst this population, via a qualitative questionnaire. Questionnaires were then analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA). Identified themes highlighted some of the challenges and barriers posed when working with this population. Key findings and implications for future EP practice are discussed
“The teachers, they try to understand, they say they understand, but they really don’t”: An exploration into the educational experiences of secondary school pupils from military families
Get PDFThe present study explores how service children and young people (CYP) experience education. Service CYP may experience multiple school transitions throughout their education as a result of frequent family relocations which can affect their academic attainment, emotional wellbeing and friendships. Some service CYP may also experience parental deployment with prolonged periods of separation from their deployed parent. Whilst there is a growing body of literature on the perceived experiences and support needs of service CYP in schools, qualitative research directly exploring the educational experiences of this population is scarce. To acknowledge the voice of service CYP themselves, the present study directly explores the educational experiences of seven service CYP attending secondary schools across England and Wales. Interview data was collected remotely and was analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis which led to the emergence of superordinate themes for each participant. Five overarching themes were then identified across the data set: ‘searching to belong’, ‘the impact of loss and separation’, ‘establishing a sense of self’, ‘adapting to changes’ and ‘the need for empathy and understanding’. Findings were discussed in the context of existing research and relevant psychological theory. Implications for educational professionals working with this group are explored and suggestions for future research are provided
Using Intersectionality Theory to explore the experiences of students from African Caribbean and South Asian heritage and who have a Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND) in Further Education
Get PDFThe coronavirus outbreak disproportionately affected ethnically minoritised groups in the UK and US. This health crisis coincided with mass Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in response to the killing of unarmed African Americans by the police. Both event series brought awareness to the impact of racial inequality, systemic oppression and raised further questions about the treatment of minorities within the minority such as women of colour. Comparatively, the UK has a growing body of research that explores the role of systemic factors in the disproportionate exclusion rates for Caribbean boys and students with SEND. Adapting key Intersectionality Theory concepts, Dis/ability Critical Race Studies explore the intersections of race and ability to platform those whose experience may otherwise be invalidated and/or under-researched. This study aims to gain insights into students who experiences intersect of their race, ethnicity and ability in Further Education (FE). The study recruited 4 students attending the same FE setting. Participants described themselves as being from either a Bangladeshi, African Caribbean or mixed Caribbean and White British heritage. All were born in the UK and had SEND. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse semi-structured interview data which produced overarching themes on ‘adverse early education’, ‘race, ethnicity and cultural connection’, ‘parental context and influence’, ‘broad and fluid identity’, ‘systems of power’ and ‘the power of self’. The findings are discussed in relation to the existing knowledge base and relevant psychological theory. The implications for the community of focus, FE sector and Educational Psychologists are also considered
Learning from the unconscious: Psychoanalytic approaches in educational psychology
No full textEach of us has an inner world, influenced by experience, environment and the people and places we encounter. As individuals engaged with children and those around them, educational psychologists enter a multitude of systems and relationships with the intention of helping. This often involves working in a context of confusion, conflict and creativity, a dynamic tension which is reflected in the chapters of this book.
Designed to give both students and practitioners access to the experience of engaging with a dynamic unconscious, this volume investigates some of the key tenets and principles of psychoanalytic theory and demonstrates ways in which educational psychologists have used both theory and practice in their roles. Each chapter approaches a recognisable activity from educational psychology practice and provides an account of how psychoanalytic theories about our unique inner worlds and our unconscious processes can inform and enrich these interactions