Bridging Them and Us Divisions: A Focus Group Study of Identities in Clinical Psychology Training

Abstract

Background

The training of clinical psychologists is conducted by staff, trainees, service users and carers. Often those working in clinical psychology do so due to their own lived experiences. These stakeholders may require having to navigate both personal and professional identities. Whilst there is motivation to make visible their lived experiences, this action may differ dependent on the roles they are in. This study aimed to understand identities within UK clinical psychology training and to enable effective teamworking.

Method

Focus groups were used to socially construct and explore identity constructions of groups in clinical psychology training. The data were thematically analysed using a social constructionist lens.

Findings

Four themes were found. Theme 1 identified ‘dynamics of identity’ where personal and professional identities were ‘integrated’, ‘separated’, ‘permeable’ or ‘visible/invisible’. Theme 2 found the ‘impact of language and labels to rebalance power’, encompassing, ‘expectations and invalidation of a label’ and motivations to ‘rebalance the power’. Theme 3 constructed ‘learner’ and ‘expert’ identities for each group, and Theme 4 found ‘Them & Us divisions’ that speak to the ‘Barriers’, between groups that participants wanted to bridge through modes of ‘Connections’.

Conclusions

This is the first study to use focus groups to socially construct and explore identities in clinical psychology training. The research gives clarity to identities in clinical psychology training, identifying the unique and common ways different stakeholders negotiate professional and personal identities that can promote understanding between stakeholders and better collaboration.