{"title":"Young people's experiences of setting and monitoring goals in school-based counselling: A thematic analysis.","authors":"Charlie Duncan, Jacqueline Hayes, Mick Cooper","doi":"10.1111/papt.12581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To understand young people's experiences of setting and monitoring goals in the context of school-based counselling.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Qualitative interview study of young people aged 13-16 years old who had undertaken school-based counselling and who had explicitly set and monitored goals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nineteen young people who were predominantly female (89.5%) and around half of whom were of white/European and/or British ethnicity (52.6%) were recruited from 4 secondary schools in London, UK. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken to identify themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen themes were identified, which reflected both helpful and unhelpful aspects of working with goals. For some young people, goals were motivating, provided a tangible representation of progress, and focused the therapeutic work. For others, goals could mirror a sense of \"stuckness\" and elicit negative emotions when not progressed towards in a linear fashion. Assigning a number to goal progress meant that some young people felt it did not fully capture the context of their experience, although some did find this practice helpful. Similarly, not all young people found it helpful to monitor progress at every session.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings align with the wider adult literature in that experiences of working with goals are mixed. Recommendations for practice include offering choice in the frequency and way goal progress is monitored, and using clinical judgement when working with goals. This might include noticing when goal setting or monitoring is contributing to young people's feelings of low self-worth and adjusting practice accordingly.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"What I share is not the same as therapy\": Psychologist experiences of Instagram use as a mental health influencer.","authors":"Ella White, Terry Hanley","doi":"10.1111/papt.12585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Psychologists are increasingly using social media to share their therapeutic knowledge. Despite this, social media guidelines devised by professional bodies remain limited in content, with the focus typically on personal use rather than professional use as a mental health influencer. Therefore, this study aimed to explore practitioner psychologists' experiences of Instagram use with an influencer presence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twelve UK-based practitioner psychologists were interviewed who had an Instagram account that they used as a mental health influencer. The semi-structured interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three themes were developed, each with four subthemes. The first theme '\"I'm a psychologist, but I'm not your psychologist\" explored psychologists' experiences of trying to input boundaries on Instagram around self-disclosure, risk management, time management, and client work. The second theme '\"anxiety about not wanting to do the wrong thing\" highlighted the impact of an influencer presence on psychologists' own mental health. The third theme '\"I share what I think is going to be helpful for other people and myself\" considered the psychologists' motivations for Instagram use for social justice advocacy and business promotion, and the contradictions between these.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Psychologists can use their training to share evidence-based research as a free widely accessible form of psychoeducation potentially acting as a first step into therapy. However, there are still many ethical ambiguities thus updated guidance specifically for an influencer presence can reduce psychologists' anxieties and potential risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143470141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Mastin-Purcell, Amanda L Richdale, Lauren P Lawson, Eric M J Morris
{"title":"Associations between psychological inflexibility processes, pre-sleep arousal and sleep quality.","authors":"Lisa Mastin-Purcell, Amanda L Richdale, Lauren P Lawson, Eric M J Morris","doi":"10.1111/papt.12584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12584","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Psychological inflexibility, the model of psychopathology underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), has been linked to a broad range of psychological problems, but its link with sleep quality is not well understood. This study aimed to identify relationships between psychological inflexibility processes (cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, limited perspective-taking, lack of present moment awareness and inaction) and sleep quality, investigating pre-sleep arousal and anxiety symptomatology as mechanisms mediating these relationships.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A correlational, cross-sectional design was used to test two statistical models.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants (N = 704) from a general population sample completed an online survey, reporting on sleep quality, pre-sleep arousal, anxiety and measures of psychological inflexibility. Data were analysed using correlations and path analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All psychological inflexibility processes were moderate to strongly correlated with sleep quality. Path analysis showed cognitive fusion, lack of present moment awareness and experiential avoidance, mediated by pre-sleep cognitive and somatic arousal, explained 49% of the variance in sleep quality (Model 1). Cognitive fusion via pre-sleep cognitive arousal had the largest effect. Anxiety preceding pre-sleep arousal (Model 2) explained no additional variance, and model fit was poorer than Model 1.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings highlight the role of psychological inflexibility processes in disrupting the de-arousal process needed for healthy sleep, supporting evidence for ACT as a treatment for sleep disturbance.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143460612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rui Hu, Sisi Ma, Yuan-Jie Lin, Yi-Wei Feng, Xiang Li, Wei Shi, Li Zhao, Daniel T L Shek
{"title":"Changes in the predictive effects of family function and depressive symptoms of suicide-related behaviours in Chinese adolescents during COVID-19.","authors":"Rui Hu, Sisi Ma, Yuan-Jie Lin, Yi-Wei Feng, Xiang Li, Wei Shi, Li Zhao, Daniel T L Shek","doi":"10.1111/papt.12573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global mental health crisis, with increased rates of depression among adolescents, exacerbated by interventions such as social distancing and school closures. While widespread anti-epidemic experiences may have strengthened social cohesion and improved adolescents' mental health, the long-term impact of the pandemic on mental health remains a concern, particularly regarding suicide-related behaviours.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study explored changes in suicide-related behaviours among adolescents with depressive symptoms during the pandemic. A cohort of 4245 students aged 10-19 participated in a school-based survey in 2020, followed by a follow-up in 2021. Cross-lagged panel analysis was used to examine associations between depressive symptoms, suicide-related behaviours and family functioning over time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Depressive symptoms increased from 2020 to 2021, with a significant rise in mild symptoms (95% CI: 15.53%, 17.78%), whereas severe symptoms decreased (95% CI: 10.24%, 12.14%) (p < .05). Suicide-related behaviours, except suicidal plans, showed a decreasing trend (p < .05). Significant correlations were found between family functioning, depressive symptoms and suicide-related behaviours.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While some aspects of adolescent mental health, such as depressive symptoms, showed improvement during the pandemic, depressive symptoms remained a strong predictor of suicide-related behaviours. The findings underscore the importance of addressing depressive symptoms as a key risk factor for suicide and highlight the role of family functioning in mitigating these risks. Continued attention to adolescent mental health, especially in the context of prolonged pandemic-related stressors, is essential.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143442787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First do no harm: Client and staff experiences of negative effects from dialectical behaviour therapy.","authors":"Zazie Lawson, Lorna Farquharson","doi":"10.1111/papt.12578","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Research has shown that dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is effective in reducing self-harm and suicidal ideation, but there is also some evidence of negative effects with differences in the reports from clients and staff. However, no research has focused on both groups' understandings of negative effects. This study aimed to explore client and staff experiences of the negative effects from DBT, investigate how their understandings compare, and how staff address any negative effects that arise.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eight client participants and seven staff participants, who had experienced or witnessed negative experiences from DBT, engaged in semi-structured interviews, the transcripts of which were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four themes relating to client experiences were generated: 'I'm the problem', 'DBT can do no wrong', 'No understanding of trauma' and 'An unhealthy \"blueprint for relationships\"'. Five themes relating to staff experiences were generated: 'It's not me, it's the client', 'DBT or nothing', 'We don't do 'why' in DBT', 'We did make some changes' and 'Organisational \"restrictions\"'.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Both staff and clients understood negative effects from DBT to include pathologisation and re-traumatisation. However, whilst clients related negative effects to the therapeutic relationship, staff highlighted the impact of organisational restrictions. The findings support a number of changes to practice, particularly the need to recognise potential negative effects and provide meaningful informed consent procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143426709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Wood, Claire Williams, Leah Luxon, Ajvir Kumary, Anthony Roth
{"title":"Developing a psychosocial competency framework for adult and older adult acute mental health inpatient care.","authors":"Lisa Wood, Claire Williams, Leah Luxon, Ajvir Kumary, Anthony Roth","doi":"10.1111/papt.12575","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12575","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Acute mental health inpatient settings care for those with acute and complex mental health needs. This study aimed to develop a psychosocial competency framework for use by multidisciplinary professional practitioners working in adult and older adult acute mental health inpatient settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The competence framework was developed through an iterative developmental process. Initially, the relevant literature was reviewed to draft the framework. A multidisciplinary Expert Reference Group provided their expertise to refine and develop the framework and provide professional advice on areas with a weaker evidence base.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A competency framework was produced and nine key areas of competency were developed; 'Basic knowledge of issues related to acute mental health inpatient care', 'Communication skills', 'Professional competences for all healthcare workers', 'Generic relationship competences', 'Assessment, formulation and planning', 'Structured care and intervention', 'Psychosocial interventions', 'Meta-competences', and 'Professional competences for organisations'.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This competency framework will enable stakeholders to understand which competences are needed for high-quality acute mental health inpatient care provision. It can be used to underpin training packages in this field. Our framework has been recommended as a best-practice resource in the NHS England Acute Inpatient Mental Health Care guidance for adults and older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143416426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yang Liu, Pengfei Wang, Liangfan Duan, Qingxin Shen, Lei Xu, Tiancheng Zhang
{"title":"The mediating effect of social network sites addiction on the relationship between childhood psychological abuse and depression in college students and the moderating effect of psychological flexibility.","authors":"Yang Liu, Pengfei Wang, Liangfan Duan, Qingxin Shen, Lei Xu, Tiancheng Zhang","doi":"10.1111/papt.12580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Experience of child psychological abuse in college students is likely to increase their risk of depression, but the potential psychological mechanisms between the two require further exploration. This study supplemented the risk and protective factors between child psychological abuse and depression in college students by introducing social network sites addiction (SNSA) as a mediating factor and psychological flexibility as a moderating factor.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 655 college students from two universities in Hunan Province, China. Self-reported measures included childhood psychological abuse, depression, SNSA, and psychological flexibility. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed on these variables, followed by the establishment of a structural equation model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Child psychological abuse was positively associated with depression (r = .507, p < .001) and SNSA (r = .208, p < .001) in college students and negatively associated with psychological flexibility (r = -.293, p < .001). SNSA played a mediating role between childhood psychological abuse and depression (β = .170, SE = 0.035, p < .001) in college students, while psychological flexibility attenuated the strength of the relationship between the latter two (β = -.095, SE = 0.031, p < .01).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study further elucidates the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood psychological abuse and depression in college students. SNSA may mediate the relationship between the two, while psychological flexibility may buffer the strength of the relationship between them. Future research should explore interventions enhancing college students' psychological flexibility after childhood psychological abuse to cut the risk of depression.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143383998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Petra Lichvárová, Bronislava Šoková, Nina Linderová
{"title":"Can self-compassion mitigate the negative consequences of insecure attachment on the incidence of self-harm in young adults? The relationship between self-harm, attachment and self-compassion.","authors":"Petra Lichvárová, Bronislava Šoková, Nina Linderová","doi":"10.1111/papt.12577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12577","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study explores self-compassion as a mediator in the relationship between attachment and self-harm. Self-harm represents a maladaptive coping strategy, meanwhile suicidal self-harm is the third most common cause of premature death among young people worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to expand research on self-harm and explore potential protective factors. Our main research hypothesis was that self-compassion mediates the relationship between attachment and self-harm based on the empirical and theoretical evidence presented.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Four hundred and two participants recruited online completed a questionnaire consisting of scales measuring self-harming behaviour, adult attachment and self-compassion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance positively predict self-harm and negatively predict self-compassion. The results also revealed that self-compassion negatively predicts self-harm and mediates the relationship between self-harm and both anxious and avoidant attachment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We believe that this paper creates further ground for future research on protective factors involved in the dynamics of self-harm and has the potential to provide interesting findings for professionals working with insecurely attached self-harming clients.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exposed, scaffolded and connected - Foster carers' experiences of dyadic developmental psychotherapy: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.","authors":"Amy Murphy, Yvonne Melia, Gabija Srejic","doi":"10.1111/papt.12572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Research is required to better understand the experience and effectiveness of dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP), a promising intervention developed to meet the complex needs of developmental trauma-experienced children in substitute care. DDP is a systemic intervention, within which the child's carer plays a significant role. Given their significant role and the lack of existing research, this study aimed to explore how foster carers experience DDP.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with 10 foster carers was implemented.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Interviews conducted via Microsoft Teams and telephone were recorded, transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four group experiential themes and 11 subthemes were formed; 'from disbelief to clarity', 'scaffolded and safe', 'attuned and connected' and \"It's worth it\". From initial confusion and disappointment, came clarity of self-understanding and a more attuned, connected attachment relationship. DDP was experienced as both fulfilling and demanding.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Though the need to explore DDP's effectiveness remains, this study suggests foster carers experience DDP as a demanding yet worthwhile intervention. Implications for practice, especially an increased need for relational safety and carer support are explored, as well as avenues for future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143191440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leanne Fahy, Linda Lee, Liberty Newlove, Lisa Wood, Ciarán O'Driscoll
{"title":"Barriers and facilitators to engagement in psychological therapy in first episode psychosis: A meta-ethnography and qualitative comparative analysis.","authors":"Leanne Fahy, Linda Lee, Liberty Newlove, Lisa Wood, Ciarán O'Driscoll","doi":"10.1111/papt.12576","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12576","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Disengagement from psychological therapies in first-episode psychosis (FEP) is a common occurrence, with personal costs associated with untreated problems. This study aimed to establish the barriers and facilitators of people experiencing FEP to engagement in psychological therapies by undertaking a meta-ethnography and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of existing qualitative literature.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search was conducted in multiple databases including Psychinfo, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, EthOs, OPENgrey and Procrest in July 2021 (updated in July 2024). The search identified 6966 titles and 71 full texts that were reviewed for eligibility. Twenty-three studies were found to meet eligibility and were critically appraised. Data was systematically extracted and synthesized in a meta-ethnography and QCA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven themes were identified as barriers to engagement in psychological therapy (Ambivalence to therapy, Emotional distress, Fluctuating symptoms, Negative expectations, Physical capacity, Service limitations and Therapy preference unmet) and six themes were identified as facilitators (Destigmatizing, Accessibility of digital therapy, Positive expectations of therapy are met, Service factors, Therapists interpersonal approach and skills and Therapy preferences met). The QCA identified a model with the Therapists interpersonal approach and skills, as sufficient (i.e. whenever that condition is present, the outcome is also guaranteed to be present) for engagement in psychological therapy, while Emotional distress was a sufficient barrier to engagement.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Engagement is a multifaceted construct with many factors unique to an individual's experience, impacted by emotional, social, practical and service-level factors. Strengths, limitations and recommendations of the findings are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":54539,"journal":{"name":"Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143081598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}