“A lightbulb moment all the way through” – An exploration into participant experiences of a novel Group Formulation Programme

Objectives

Despite its centrality to clinical psychology, research regarding psychological formulation has primarily focused on the perspectives of clinicians and researchers. ‘Bottom-up’ research into client experiences remains in its infancy. This study aimed to explore participants’ experience and understanding of their formulations before and after completing a group intervention designed to increase self-awareness and comprehension of personal formulations.

Methods

Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was used to analyse data and develop themes summarising essential experiences. Twenty-one adults attending two streams of a novel Group Formulation Programme participated in semi-structured interviews pre-programme, with fifteen taking part post-programme. The groups comprised 8 and 12 sessions between May 2022 and January 2023. Analysis produced five overarching themes across Pre/Post-Programme: Understanding, Coping, Self, Journey, and The Group. Analysis of pre-data produced four themes: 1) Challenging Life Experiences, 2) The Cyclical Nature of Coping, 3) At an Impasse, and 4) Fractured Self. Post-intervention data produced four themes: 1) New Understandings, 2) Repairing the Relationship with Self, 3) Peaks, Valleys, and the Road Ahead, and 4) Group Experience.

Results

Results indicated that pre-intervention, participants had a good understanding of potential factors contributing to their difficulties but reported confusion around coping and self-relating, which impacted psychological and psychosocial functioning. Post-intervention, participants reported an increased sense of how past and present related to difficulties and decreased self-blame.

Conclusions

Participants noted benefits in line with other research in this area but also noted challenges associated with formulation, including feelings of overwhelm and grief.