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research conference 2006 index of presentations | abstracts part 1 2 3 4 | programme | evaluation Abstracts part 3 Professional Role: Counsellor ABSTRACT: Poster What issues might arise from being ill with M.E. and can counselling help? Aim: To discover, using an on-line survey, whether counselling can help people with M.E./C.F.S. Method: Respondents completed online surveys. In order to take part, they had to have access to the internet and online patient support groups, and/or to organizations or forums which publicized the research. Data: Respondents with M.E./C.F.S who received counselling (n = 97) rated the value of exploring various items in counselling. These included issues relating to their illness, psychodynamic and existential items and efficacy items such as 'counselling helped'. Learning items were also included, e.g., 'I learned to explore my feelings'. Respondents provided subjective ratings of some counsellor qualities, such as compassion, patience and so on. Respondents with M.E./C.F.S who want to receive counselling (n = 37) rated how useful they think it would be to explore issues in counselling (including items listed above) and how importantly they rate counsellor qualities. Respondents with M.E./CFS who don't want counselling (n = 36) provided data regarding their reservations/objections. Respondents with M.S. who received counselling (n = 48) completed a similar questionnaire to people with M.E. Respondents submitted >30,000 words as comments. Analysis: Qualitative data was progressively analysed for themes, key words and phrases. The research includes 115 illustrative quotes from respondents. The research includes references from 85 published sources and a literature review of 35 textbooks and published research. Quantitative data was analysed using numerous sort criteria in Microsoft Excel and converted into graphs illustrating the data and trends. Analysis of data according to respondent demography showed little difference from overall results. Results: Those respondents with M.E./C.F.S. who rated efficacy items high, appear to value work and learning achieved in counselling. For many this included issues specific to having M.E./C.F.S. Respondents who rated these issues high often rated their counsellor's qualities highly and in particular trusted the counsellor. Respondents who rated efficacy items low sometimes thought that their counsellor did not understand their problems. They often rated work and learning items lower and had less trust in the counsellor. They sometimes rated their counsellor's qualities lower and some perceived 'psychologizing' of their illness. Dr Kathryn Kinmond and Mrs Lisa Oakley Professional Role: Senior Lecturers in Psychology ABSTRACT: Paper 'It really is time we all woke up and smelt the coffee'. Issues for counselling spiritual abuse Research Rationale: Spiritual abuse has been defined as 'someone using their power within a framework of spiritual belief or practise to satisfy their needs at the expense of others' (Hall, 2003:33). Recent research has demonstrated that it is also a form of abuse that affects many people in the U.K. Yet survivors comment upon a lack of understanding and support in today's secular society. It may be difficult for some to seek counselling for spiritual abuse with someone they may feel does not empathise with a core construct of their self. Certainly, it is acknowledged that a counsellor's lack of faith should not impact upon the client-practitioner relationship. Rather, if the essential 'core conditions' are created a therapist's lack of faith should be irrelevant. Yet, it can be argued that practically, some individuals may be hesitant about revealing the pain of abuse they fear may not even be recognised as abuse. Two factors that negated participation in counselling were fear and perceived counsellor lack of specific knowledge. This provides the rationale for the study. Research Design: A qualitative study using a narrative methodology was conducted. Ten narratives were taken from individuals who had experienced spiritual abuse in the U.K. These narratives were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Sample: The opportunity sample consisted of 10 individuals, from different denominational contexts holding a range of church positions, who had experienced spiritual abuse in the U.K. None of the participants had received counselling. Results/Findings: Participants noted a lack of understanding of spiritual abuse together with a perceived absence of counselling support. Conclusions: There is a need for a detailed understanding and acknowledgment of spiritual abuse. There is also a need for open dialogue within counselling practise about spiritual abuse. In this way clients may feel empowered to seek therapy from suitably informed counselling practitioners. The awareness raising of cultural and diversity issues has made counsellors more effective in supporting clients from different backgrounds. Similarly, raising awareness and knowledge of spiritual abuse may inform practice. Professional Role: Independent Counsellor ABSTRACT: Paper Client perspectives on counselling: a hermeneutic approach Aim: This four year study investigated the under-researched area of client perspectives on counselling: how clients perceived counselling before, during and after counselling and how such perceptions evolved. Background: As practitioners we often assume that we know and understand the client's perspective. Yet for many clients there remains a mystique surrounding counselling and uncertainty about what it entails. Method: Drawing on my professional contacts in Liverpool, London and Norwich I sought client and counsellor research participants from six settings within the user groups of university counselling services (London, Northern and Eastern England), the voluntary sector (Norwich) and primary care (Norwich and Norfolk). Using an interpretive hermeneutic framework based on thematic analysis I carried out 30 half-hour interviews. These were semi-structured, one-to-one, recorded and transcribed and related to counselling periods lasting from six weeks to 18 months. Eight client participants agreed to be interviewed at the pre-counselling stage, of whom seven were interviewed early on in counselling and six after completion of counselling. Their own counsellors were also interviewed during and after counselling and as close as possible to their client's interviews. Ethical approval was gained from the participating agencies and the Norwich NHS Research Ethics Committee. Results: At the outset all eight client participants were experiencing distress and urgently seeking counselling. Six were uncertain about the nature of counselling and what to expect. Six referred to stigma associated with peer influence and experienced varying levels of confusion about specialist language and duration issues. Seven believed that counselling should be widely available and one requested greater responsiveness to cultural diversity. Six desired advice. All completing client and counsellor participants experienced the researcher interventions as useful in highlighting the client perspective and similarities and differences in the client-counsellor viewpoint, and in facilitating dual review of counselling. Discussion: The research results raise key issues for practitioner consideration. These include wider client involvement in counselling research and policy-making; preparatory sessions for intending clients; training modules addressing the client socio-cultural perspective and issues of power and control underlying the value systems of the main counselling theoretical approaches; and the importance of networking and information sharing within and across user groups. Professional Role: Senior Lecturer ABSTRACT: Paper Reflexive research, counselling practice and the consumer Introduction: Most counselling and psychotherapy practitioners traditionally work in an introspective and reflexive way. However, the current emphasis on public accountability in the form of evidence-based practice and discussions about regulation also require an outward-looking approach to clinical practice which demonstrates the value and efficacy of the work. This inquiry looked at the impact of these developments on practitioner work. Aims: The inquiry had two aims. First, to look at existing practitioner skills and examine how they prepared practitioners for the current demands which are made on them by society. Second, to see how it is possible to both maintain the integrity of the traditional reflexive discourse of therapy practice and meet these outer requirements. Method: The research adopted the clinical case study method based on a single case study. The data was drawn from my experience of supervising an experienced general practice counsellor, who had given written consent. The data was collected retrospectively from memory and brief session notes. It incorporated four cycles of analysis with an emphasis on narrative analysis (Polkinghorne, 1995) and critical reflexivity (Freshwater and Rolfe, 2001). The research was limited by researcher bias, selectivity of data and the limits and distortions of memory. Results: The principal result showed that the supervisory process exhibited 'dissociative' defences characteristic of trauma. In relation to the two aims, it was not possible to determine whether this was due to the impact of discourses relating to accountability or some other cause, or a combination of causes. But it did demonstrate how the discourse of practitioner reflexivity can add to the discourse of accountability in a way that can be fruitful for both (e.g. developing epistemological breadth). Conclusion: The research was addressed to three primary groups – practitioners, clinical trainers/supervisors and health professionals. It demonstrated that practitioner reflexive methods can produce knowledge of value which supplements the knowledge produced by the dominant accountability discourse. However, in view of the fact that the impact of the dominant discourse on clinical work remains hypothetical, it is suggested that further research is conducted to examine this issue. References Freshwater, D., & Rolfe, G. (2001). Critical reflexivity: a politically and ethically engage research method for nursing. NT Research, 6(1): 526-537. Polkinghorne, D. (1995). Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. In J. A. Hatch and R. Wisiewski (Eds.) Life History and Narrative. London: The Falmer Press Professional Role: Counsellor Trainer/Lecturer ABSTRACT: Work in Progress Symposium Will your counselling training course help me get a job? Research Question: This is the first part of a larger study, funded by a teaching fellowship from the University of Plymouth through the HELP CETL national initiative. It examines which factors improve students' employability and what improvements could be made, on an HE level BACP accredited diploma, delivered in two locations in the South West. Background: Most students undertaking a diploma are hoping to gain employment in counselling. How well will their course prepare them? What factors are most helpful in reference to employability? There is a lack of research enabling tutors to help students prepare themselves for employment . Guidance as to what constitutes 'good practice' seems to be a matter of opinion. Method: The study uses mixed methodology yielding qualitative and quantitative data. Questionnaires were sent to all (110) students who had successfully completed the Diploma, asking them to rate those aspects of the course which had been helpful in promoting their employability, on a rating scale of 1 (least helpful) – 10 (most helpful). They were also asked to identify factors that they would like to have seen included. The questionnaires were followed up by focus groups (n=10), which were videotaped and transcribed and analysed by two researchers. The next stage of the study will use semi-structured interviews with employers and further former students. Findings: Fifty seven out of 110 questionnaires were returned (51%). Fifty (87.5%) respondents were counselling in either a full-time, part-time or voluntary capacity. In helping students gain future employability respondents rated client work and placements highly (9+). Supervision, personal counselling, the course reputation and academic aspects of the course were also scored as helpful (7.5 and above). Focus groups participants also identified networking as important in gaining employment. Respondents would like to have seen more emphasis on a number of professional aspects, and also on job seeking and transferable skills. Conclusions: Graduates perceive that BACP requirements for placements help them gain employment and that HE level courses can give them an advantage in the job market. Personal counselling and academic experience contribute to professional confidence. Courses could do more to support students e.g. new developments in the HE sector on 'personal development planning' and work based learning may be helpful. Professional Role: Professor of Counselling ABSTRACT: Friday Opening address Research into the outcomes of counselling and psychotherapy: refocusing the debate Investigation of the outcomes or effects of counselling and psychotherapy has remained a key focus of research activity within the profession since the 1950s. The importance of this domain of research has been heightened by the adoption of evidence-based practice policies by health providers in the U.S.A, U.K. and elsewhere. In the main, the trend has been for research that has been carried out into therapy outcome to have consolidated around the use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) as a preferred methodology, in which the effectiveness of different therapy models is compared using a comparison of pre- and post-therapy scores derived from standardised questionnaire measures. However, in recent years, the work of Bruce Wampold, Drew Westen and others, has suggested that the vast investment of time, money and effort into this kind of research has failed to provide a secure knowledge base that meets the needs of users and audiences of research. The key issues that have emerged within this debate will be briefly reviewed. A number of solutions to these issues have been put forward, including adoption of a practice-based evidence approach and accumulation of pragmatic case study evidence. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these research strategies will be outlined. It is argued that the counselling and psychotherapy community in the U.K. needs to decide where it stands in relation to the debate over outcome research. The important question of who are the consumers of outcome research needs to be addressed – up to now, this domain of research has been dominated by the perceived requirements of policy-makers, rather than other research audiences. Finally, it is suggested that it is essential for the profession to engage in deeper reflection, analysis and inquiry into the concept of outcome. Almost all of the research that has been carried out into the effects of counselling and psychotherapy has operationalised outcome as change in therapist/researcher-defined categories (such as depression or anxiety). It is likely that inquiry into user-defined outcomes has the potential to generate a new type of knowledge that would be of value to multiple audiences. Professional Role: Professor of Counselling (JM) ABSTRACT: Work in progress (abstract for joint presentation – also see Mick Cooper) Establishing a counselling research clinic in the UK based on a pluralistic model of therapeutic change One of the main reasons why counselling and psychotherapy research in the U.K. has lagged behind developments in the U.S. and Europe is because of the lack of dedicated research clinics. Not only do such clinics provide a unique opportunity to examine therapeutic processes and outcomes in an intensive and controlled way but they can serve as a hub of research activity, drawing together and strengthening a community of counselling and psychotherapy researchers. This paper will present the first-hand experiences of a group of academic-practitioners who have recently established a major new counselling research clinic in Dundee: The Tayside Centre for Counselling. The paper will discuss a range of practical issues involved in the setting up of such a clinic, including:
The paper will also discuss key issues surrounding the development and implementation of research protocols, introducing the Clinic's first major research initiative: an in-depth qualitative study of therapeutic outcomes. This presentation will be of particular value to researchers and practitioners interested in the possibility of setting up a counselling and psychotherapy research clinic. Professional Role: University Counsellor ABSTRACT: Paper Therapy beyond the counselling room – social constructionist action research to develop a student-focused self-help website for depression Aim: To spread therapy 'beyond the counselling room' by using action research to co-create a comprehensive self-help website perceived as relevant and helpful by a representative student user group, and as clinically valid by a professional expert group. Rationale: Nearly half of depressed people never access professional help (NICE 2004). Young men, a high suicide-risk group, in particular are often reluctant to seek help. The internet is a potential help medium accessible to young people, but a review of available depression-focused sites found little in-depth self-help information. Research Design: This action research, within a social constructionist framework, aimed to produce a multi-layered account of depression with a view to positioning website users with empowering perspectives and strategies, while challenging barriers to help-seeking. An evaluative action research spiral was used to analyse and act upon specifications and ongoing feedback from stakeholders; public health guidelines; students; student focus group commentary; and final expert group commentary. Sample: Thirteen students, chosen from 20 applicants to represent diverse demographics and depression experiences, attended semi-structured interviews to elicit 'coping' narratives. Ten interviewees then formed an ongoing email focus group. Triangulation was provided by other project stakeholders: the funding charity steering group (including heads of university counselling services); the university which provided programme/ethical approval; and the expert group (psychologists/psychiatrists) offering clinical validation. Results/Findings: In addition to the central coping narratives, the student group contributed to the developing site in several stages, passionately debating diverse details of format and content and in turn informing accommodation of steering and expert group feedback. The final site at www.studentdepression.org has nearly 100 pages of information and self-help resources cross-referenced with personal narratives, providing a rich, complex account of how depression may be tackled and resisted. Conclusions: Both student and expert groups were impressed with the final site quality and usefulness. Collaborative development with user-group representatives is likely to have produced a far richer, more accessible and more comprehensive resource than via counsellor authorship alone. Reference: National Institute for Clinical Excellence. (2004). Clinical Guideline 23 Depression: management of depression in primary and secondary care. Professional Role: Ex Director/Volunteer counsellor ABSTRACT: Paper Voluntary sector therapy: has inadequate research resulted in a misunderstood and underutilized resource? Background: Most counselling contacts in Britain every year are made through voluntary sector agencies (Armstrong & McLeod, 2003). Given the inability of the NHS to meet current demands for psychological therapies, many argue that the voluntary sector should offer even more. Little recent research has been done in this field, meaning there is inadequate 'evidence'. This study seeks answers to questions such as what sort of client presentations are voluntary sector practitioners able to work with, how effective is their work and what level of training have they had? Method: A generic, county-wide, not-for-profit counselling centre staffed by over 60 volunteer counsellors and a small paid staff was studied. CORE Therapy Assessment Forms (practitioner completed) and Outcome Measure Forms (client completed), collected between July 2000 and June 2005, provided data on presenting problems and levels of distress; Outcome Measure Forms (OMFs) from clients ending during the same period were used to measure outcomes; and the centre's volunteer counsellors were asked to complete questionnaires describing their training. Results: The 1,491-strong CORE database showed that the most common presenting problems at the centre were the same as those for the CORE National Database for Primary Care Counselling. 1,480 clients completed OMFs at assessment: the proportion below the CORE clinical cut-off level was low relative to national comparators. Ending OMFs, completed by 396 of the 601 clients ending during the period, demonstrated good outcomes compared with other therapy services. All 43 currently active volunteer counsellors returning questionnaires had considerable training in therapy, 74% already holding diplomas or better, and many having years of experience. Conclusions: This study suggests that therapeutic work comparable to that being done within the NHS can be done in the voluntary sector, with good results and by appropriately trained practitioners. More research in this field is needed and would be in the interests of clients and local and national mental health policy-makers. Reference: Armstrong, J., and McLeod, J. (2003). Research into the organisation, training and effectiveness of counsellors who work for free. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, Vol 3 No. 4. Professional Role: Research and Development Worker ABSTRACT: Paper Women's views of psychoanalytical psychotherapy: qualitative research carried out at the Women's Therapy Centre, London Research Questions: Can an organisation providing psychoanalytical psychotherapy gain useful information about the process and outcomes of therapy from its clients? Research Rationale: All health and social care organisations, including therapy providers, are now required to provide evidence that their interventions are effective (evidence based practice) and that they are responding to the feedback of their clients (service user involvement). To date psychoanalytical psychotherapy providers have rarely sought the in-depth view of their clients regarding their experience of therapy. Research Design: In-depth interviews with past clients of the Centre were carried out by two female researchers. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and then analysed using the Framework approach. Sample: Seventy six past clients of group and individual therapy at the Centre were approached. All these women had left the Centre during a pre-identified one-year period. Forty seven of these women were located, agreed to take part and were interviewed. Results/Findings: Women with positive experiences of therapy as well as those who were unsatisfied took part in the interviews. The analysis of the transcripts highlighted: the reasons why women initially sought therapy, what helped women engage with the "hugely challenging" process of therapy, why some women decided to leave therapy early, the wide range of ways in which many of the women benefited both internally and externally, and that women's time at the Centre was usually part of a wider personal journey of moving towards greater psychological well being or "healing". Conclusions: Psychoanalytical psychotherapy can equip women with sustainable emotional "tools and skills" that can help reduce mental health symptoms and enable them to progress in their lives. Clients can eloquently describe, in lay language, what takes place in psychoanalytical psychotherapy and whether or not they feel they benefited from the experience. Client-focused qualitative research can provide useful information for a wide range of 'consumers' of research: future clients, therapists, other health and social care professionals, funders and policy makers. The research was funded by the Big Lottery Fund with additional assistance from the Feminist Review Trust. Professional Role: Psychotherapist and PhD Student ABSTRACT: Paper A qualitative exploration into counsellors/psychotherapists' use and understandings of the term 'person-centred'. Background: This is part of a PhD study researching practitioners' understanding, meanings and employment of the term 'person-centred'. Aims: It has been recognised within the person-centred approach to counselling and psychotherapy that there exists externally a proliferation of misinterpretations and misrepresentations about the nature of this modality (Mearns and Thorne, 1988; 2002). The research looks at practitioners' understandings of person-centred theory and how this is manifested in their individual practice. Method: This is the first part of a PhD research project utilising a phenomenological and qualitative methodology. Fifteen respondents (out of 22 who responded) were recruited nationally who had undertaken a counselling/psychotherapy training labelled as 'person-centred'. Participants were interviewed both face to face and by telephone, using a semi-sturctured interview process. The interviews were recorded using both tape and mini-disc. The data generated was transcribed and analysed using NVIVO qualitative software. The project was approved by the University of Strathclyde Ethics Committee. Results: Many of the respondents talked about their decision to train within the person-centred model which they linked to their life or 'ethical' stance. The respondents also emphasised the political aspects of a person-centred practice. The term 'person-centred' was held in a uniform manner by the respondents and significantly, the concept of 'a way of being', underpinned their practical applications. The research showed that the respondents did feel that misinterpretations concerning the approach are still apparent. This was linked to deficits on training courses. Respondents felt that their understanding and application of their unique interpretations of person-centredness had a solid grounding in theory. Various aspects of theory were elaborated upon and some were noticed as central to claiming of 'person-centredness', notably the actualising tendency and a renewed vigour in terms of the centrality of the relationship. Conclusions: A practitioner's definition of 'person-centredness' was a central pillar to their practice. From this a practitioner's understanding of person-centred theory is also vital to how they understand themselves as 'person-centred'. These research findings are the first stage of an in-depth study. References: Mearns, D. & Thorne, B. (1988). Person-centred counselling
in action. London: Sage Dr Sue Pattison and Ms Antoinette Corr-Jack Professional Roles: (SP) Lecturer/Supervisor/Counsellor, (AC)
Head of Guidance and Counselling Unit ABSTRACT: Work in Progress Symposium Gambian children as consumers: how effective is school counselling for female students in the Gambia? Background: Counselling is high on the agenda for the Department of State for Education in the Gambia, supported by policies relating to Third World development nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. Aims: The aim of this paper is to present emerging results from a research project to evaluate school counselling for female students in the Gambia. Method: This study adopts a quasi-experimental approach to evaluate the effectiveness of school counselling (one to one) in the Gambia, along with collection of qualitative data to enrich the study. The sample consists of females aged 12-16 years across 10 urban and 10 rural secondary schools drawn opportunistically from the six regions of the Gambia. The data collection tool is the CORE-YP v1 administered for collection of before and after data. Data is analysed using the Young People's Core Scoring system and the SPSS software package. Qualitative data is analysed thematically using techniques from the grounded theory approach. Results: This paper will present emerging results, which will be reported nearer to the conference date. However, initial feedback from the project shows that children feel less alone, more able to cope with their difficulties, less likely to self-harm, less tense and anxious, less upset and less irritable following counselling. They also feel more optimistic about the future and able to share their feelings with others. Head teachers find the counselling provision useful in terms of knowing how to help distressed children and 'holding' strong emotions related to difficult family and social circumstances. School counsellors are positive about their interventions and provide case study examples supporting children's responses to the CORE-YP questionnaires. Children have responded positively to invitations to talk to researchers about their experiences. Conclusions: The counselling services that are provided in all Gambian state secondary schools seem to be a valuable source of support for girls, which is often the only support available when children are distressed and unable to cope. The effectiveness of counselling is yet to be confirmed by data. However, emerging results are very positive. Funded by BACP Seed-Corn Funding Research Grant, supported by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne UK and the Department for State for Education, Gambia. Professional Role: Clinical Psychologist ABSTRACT: Paper The delivery and evaluation of a psychotherapy group for women with significant learning disabilities who have been sexually abused Research Question: Will a psychotherapy group help seven female survivors of sexual abuse with a significant learning disability to improve sexual knowledge, trauma, self-esteem, anger, depression and challenging behaviour? Research Rationale: It is estimated that sexual abuse is more prevalent in the learning disabled population and has been associated with trauma, low self-esteem, anger, depression and problem behaviours. This pilot study builds on previous research by evaluating a 20 session psychotherapy (survivors) group, run weekly in the community over five months for women with a learning disability, and a concurrent support group for their carers. The model of group therapy is educational with session content informed by CBT and person centred counselling. Education is a prerequisite to psychotherapy, as people with learning disability tend to have poor sexual education (McCabe, 1993). The group hoped to improve sexual knowledge, trauma, self-esteem, anger, depression and challenging behaviour. Research Design: The group (seven women with learning disabilities and seven carers of these women) was evaluated using a repeated measures design (double baseline, mid treatment, post treatment and follow-up). Data were collected by independent researchers. We constructed our own sexual knowledge assessment and used standardised measures (Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Events Scale, Novaco Anger Scale, Culture Free Self-esteem Inventory and the Challenging Behaviour Inventory) which were simplified for this population. In addition, participants were interviewed about their experience and its effectiveness. Results/Findings: Sexual knowledge improved for the survivors group and carers group. The survivors group appeared to help the women reduce their trauma and depression. Neither self-esteem nor anger improved for most of the survivors group and challenging behaviour worsened at first before improving. Qualitative interviews with participants of both the SG and ESG supported the effectiveness of both groups and highlighted future needs. Conclusions: The psychotherapy group seemed to be successful in improving sexual knowledge and in reducing depression and trauma. Challenging behaviour may get worse before its get better as these clients needed considerable time to understand, reprocess and move on from their sexual abuse. Positively, the client and carer participants said they wanted more groups in the community. This is supported by the research literature, which indicates there is a need for more sexual abuse/sexual education groups for men and women with learning disabilities. Other authors: Cath Snape, Lesley Jones, Krys Shelmerdine and Nancy Rowland Professional Role: Counsellor (SP) ABSTRACT: Work in progress symposium An assessment of the impact of counselling over the longer term: a qualitative study to explore users' views Background: Provision of counselling in primary care has increased considerably in recent years. Counselling is one of the treatment options available for mental health problems. Little is known about the long-term impacts of time-limited counselling. If we are to assess its cost effectiveness and its value to patients and GPs we need more information – particularly about why and in what contexts users achieve and maintain improvements in life situation and mental health after counselling. Aims: To investigate whether there is any lasting treatment impact meaningful to service-users. To identify impacts that users consider important 1–3 years after counselling. To explore users' understanding of the processes by which psychological therapies achieve change. Method: Qualitative study using in-depth interviews, focus groups and written responses. User consultation has been important in the design of this study and this continues. NHS Primary Care counselling services in Northern England will invite feedback from people who attended counselling 1–3 years ago. Participants will be interviewed by a researcher using in-depth interviews: a number of areas will be explored, while maintaining a flexible approach. The emphasis will rest with the interviewees' understanding and interpretation of events. Lines of thought arising from earlier interviews will be added as the interviews proceed. Interviews will be tape recorded and the data generated transcribed and analysed. We will also utilise questionnaire responses from people who do not wish to be interviewed. These will be six open questions aiming to elicit answers in narrative form, as follows: 1) Please tell us what you know about the type of counselling you received and the counselling contract you were offered (number of session etc.); 2) Can you tell us a bit about how helpful or unhelpful the counselling was?; 3) Looking back on it, what was the most important thing you received from counselling?; 4) Have you found that the effects of counselling have lasted? If so, please tell us a bit about these; 5) Any other comments about your counselling experience?; 6) Any general comments about this study. Focus groups after completion of interviews will extend and develop conceptions from the interviews. Our user group will be consulted at all stages including interpretation of data. The project has been approved by the local NHS ethics committee. Results: At time of submission interviewing has not begun. We hope to begin interviewing in March and have some early data by the time of the conference. Funded originally by a Yorkshire Primary Care Research Network (YReN) research bursary. Currently funded by BACP's seed-corn funding research award. Professional Role: Co-Director ABSTRACT: Paper 'This is me-time': young people as a new generation of counselling consumers Research Question: The research upon which this paper is based is a set of interviews with young people who had used a young people's counselling service. The research question was: how do young people perceive the therapeutic effectiveness of their engagement in this counselling service? Research Design and Sample: All young people who had used the counselling service in the previous twelve months, who had attended for two sessions or more and who had completed their counselling (22 in total) were invited to take part in the interviews. Nine young people participated in a single one-to-one interview. The interview was semi-structured and focussed primarily on the young person's evaluation of therapeutic change, change in their relationships with others and in their situations, and their perception of the contribution of the counselling to these changes. The interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis undertaken. Results: All service users interviewed reported significant therapeutic benefits and expressed high levels of satisfaction with all aspects of the counselling service. Some young people described attending counselling as a life-changing experience. The theme of consumer awareness and consumer confidence emerges from the young people's narratives of their experience of counselling. It can be argued that the young people are expressing a sense of entitlement to the therapeutic space and relationship they have experienced, summed up in the phrase used by one interviewee: 'this is me-time'. Conclusion: With the gradual expansion of counselling services now proliferating into young people's education and social settings, a new generation of counselling consumers is emerging. The present analysis of young people's accounts of their experience of counselling supports the contention that, as young people have become an active and confident consumer group within the wider marketplace of goods and services, they have also become a group with a sense of entitlement to therapeutic services. Professional Role: Senior Lecturer ABSTRACT: Work in progress symposium Experiences of personal development: useful to the student consumer? Research Question: What are the participant's experiences of Personal Development (PD) Groups? Research Rationale: Within the humanistic perspective, PD groups are viewed as an integral part of counsellor training where the purported purpose is to develop personal awareness. Whilst several authors acknowledge the centrality of these groups to counsellor development, Izzard and Wheeler (1995) concluded that it was unclear if PD groups did indeed facilitate change in counselling trainees. Little is documented regarding participants' experience in PD groups, so this research aims to explore participants' experience of PD. Sample: Tutors and students participating in two counselling training programmes (Humanistic core model with person centred practice) were invited to keep an anonymous journal of their experiences in PD for 3-4 months. No attempt was made to differentiate the source of the data. Facilitated PD groups were held weekly for an hour and were differentiated from other areas of training by not having a defined task other than that of increasing awareness. Purposive sampling was used. Method: Because of my dual role as researcher and tutor, it was important to reassure students that anything they handed into me would not form part of any assessment. It was also important that I could not identify the participants. The 11 participants who participated handed in an anonymous disc via my pigeon hole. Journals were the only source of data analysed. Journals were read through many times and emergent themes were identified and connections between them sought. To triangulate the process and guard against bias from my dual role, some of the data were analysed by both my self and my research partner, Jenna Robson, and a comparison made as to themes identified. This is an ongoing process. Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee in the School of Psychology, Keele University. Preliminary Findings/Conclusions: Common themes that are emerging from the thematic analysis of the journals are: safety, feeling part of group, organisation of group, facilitator's role, physical surroundings, relationships with other group members, personal growth, anger, indicators of group working well and effects of past experience in groups. Safety, either feeling safe or not feeling safe, seems to have the greatest impact upon involvement in the group and links to emergent themes. References: Denzin, N., and Lincoln, Y. (Eds.). (1994). Handbook of qualitative research, Thousand Oaks: Sage Izzard, S., and Wheeler, S., (1995). Development of self-awareness: An essential aspect of counsellor training? 1st BACP Research Conference, February 1995. Counselling, Vol. 6, No.3: 227 |
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