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A Discourse Analytical Study That Explores the Discursive Constructions of Therapeutic Practice Within Educational Psychology

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A Discourse Analytical Study That Explores the Discursive Constructions of Therapeutic Practice Within Educational Psychology A Discourse Analytical study that explores the discursive constructions of therapeutic practice within educational psychology Charlotte Stiff Research Thesis submitted in part requirement of Doctor of Educational and Child Psychology of the University of Sheffield Department of Educational Studies Abstract This Discourse Analytical (DA) study explores the discursive constructions of therapeutic practice within educational psychology. These constructions are taken from the perspective of fifteen Educational Psychologists (EPs) who are new to the profession. Drawing on data from four focus groups, comprising of three to four participants, I used Discursive Psychology (DP) to analyse the psychological themes emerging from participant talk. My analysis indicated that five interpretative repertoires were used to talk about therapeutic EP work. These included: ‘therapeutic-as- skilled’, ‘therapeutic-as-eclectic’, ‘therapeutic-as-threatening’, ‘therapeutic-as-limited’ and ‘therapeutic-as-emerging’. A number of discursive devices such as disclaiming, excusing and blaming were also used. Participants were able to take up varying subject positions in relation to therapeutic practice, presenting themselves as both passive and active agents. When talking about therapeutic work participants positioned themselves as confused, reluctant and unconfident; as well as valuable, skilled and motivated practitioners. I concluded that the relational aspects of therapeutic EP practice are as important as the technical aids or tools used to facilitate this type of work. I have suggested that the uncertainty that exists around therapeutic work might reflect the uncertainty of participants’ emerging EP identity. My research indicates that EPs, who are new to profession, have the sufficient agency to negotiate therapeutic practices with educational psychology. However, this will require further investment from leaders within the profession. 1 Contents Abstract ……………………………………………………………………….…… 1 Chapter One ……………………………………………….……............. 6-14 The beginning • Introduction …………………………………………….………….…… 6 • The purpose of this study? ……………………………………… 7-8 • What’s in a word? ……………………………………………………. 9 • Definitions …………………………………………………………..…… 11 o Therapeutic or therapy ……………………..…………. 11 o Mental health ………………………………………………… 12 o Other points of reference ……………………………… 13 • Overview …………………………………………………………………. 13 o RQ1 ……………………………………………………….………. 14 o RQ2 ……………………………………………………………..… 14 o RQ3 ………………………………………………………………… 14 Chapter Two ……………………………………………………….…………. 15-32 The historical and social context of therapeutic practice within education psychology • Introduction …………………………………………………………… 15 • The beginnings of education psychology …………….. 15 • Child guidance movement ……………………………………. 16 • Increasing knowledge and widening role …………….. 17 • Reconstruction of education psychology ………………. 19 • Statutory assessment ……………………………………………. 20 • The focus on mental health ………………………………….. 21 • The therapeutic turn in education ……………………….. 23 • A role for the EP? ………………………………….……………... 24 • The application of therapeutic models …………….….. 26 • The therapeutic relationship ……………………………..... 29 • Conclusion ………………………………………………………….…. 30 Chapter Three …………………………………………………………….… 33-58 The turn to language • Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 33 • Theoretical assumptions ………………………………………. 33 • Language as data …………………………………………………. 34 • Discourse Analysis ……………………………………………….. 36 • Discursive Psychology ………………………………….………. 37 • Psychoanalysis as a form of self reference …………. 39 • Applications of psychoanalysis …………………………….. 40 o Projection …………………………………………………….. 42 o Defensiveness ……………………………………………… 42 • A note of caution …………………………………………………… 43 2 • Discourse in society …………………………………………….. 44 • Reflexivity …………………………………………………………….. 46 • Procedures ……………………………………………………………. 48-57 o Focus groups ………………………………………………. 48 o Participant selection …………………………………… 49 o Equipment ………………………………………………….. 50 o Group dynamics …………………………………………. 50-51 • Data analysis ……………………………………………………….. 52 • Steps of analysis ………………………………………………….. 53-57 • Ethical considerations ………………………………………….. 57 • Conclusion ……………………….……………………………………. 58 Chapter Four ….……………………………………………………………. 59-94 Making sense of the discourse • Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 59 o ‘Therapeutic-as-skilled’ ………………………………. 59-70 o ‘Therapeutic-as-eclectic’ …………………………….. 70-76 o ‘Therapeutic-as-threatening’ ………….…………… 76-85 o ‘Therapeutic-as-limited’ ………………………………. 85-88 o ‘Therapeutic-as-emerging’ ………………………….. 88-94 Chapter Five …………………………………………………………………. 95-111 Back to the beginning • Introduction …………………………………………………….……. 95 • We do it, we just don’t call it that………………………… 95-99 • You’ve got to be safe as a practitioner………………… 100-103 • It’s like there is something stopping us from doing it …………………………………….……………. 103-106 • It’s a great tool we can use ………………………………… 106-108 • It’s up to us to negotiate ……………………………………. 108-109 • Can psychoanalytical concepts aid my analysis? ……………………………………….…………. 109-112 • Concluding remarks and reflections ……….………….. 109-117 • Evaluation of my study ………………………….……………. 117-119 • Future research …………………………………….…………….. 119-121 o Activity theory …………………………….…………….. 119-120 o Action research …………………………………………. 120-121 • Implications for educational psychology.……………. 121-122 References …………………………………………………………………… 123 3 Appendices Appendix One ………………………………………………………………… 143 Email to Principal Educational Psychologist Appendix Two ………………………………………………………..…….. 144-145 Information Sheet Appendix Three …………………………………………………….……… 146 Consent form Appendix Four …………………………………………………………. … 147 Participant characteristics Appendix Five ……………………………………………………………… 148 Introductory Script Appendix Six ……………………………………………………………….. 149 Focus Group Prompts Appendix Seven ………………………………………………………. … 150 Transcription key Appendix Eight ……………………………………………………………. 151-154 A search for key words and phrases Appendix Nine …………………………………………………………….. 155 Clusters of words and phrases Appendix Ten ……………………………………………………………..… 156 Discursive devices Appendix Eleven ……………………………………………………….… 157-160 Interpretative repertoires and how they position Participants in relation to therapeutic practice Appendix Twelve …………………………………………… 161-170 Ethical considerations Appendix Thirteen …………………………………………. 171-279 Focus group transcripts 4 Tables Table One …………………………………………………………………….. 60 Intertextuality and Interdiscursivity: Summary of findings across all four focus groups Boxes Box one ………………………………………………………………………… 12 Psychological therapies Diagrams Diagram one ……………………………………………………………….. 52 Tool for analysis 5 Chapter One The beginning ‘When I use the word’ Humpty Dumpty said…. ‘it means just what I choose it to mean-neither more or less’. ‘The question is’, said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things’. ‘The question is’ said Humpty Dumpty ‘which is to be the master that’s all’. -Lewis Carroll, 1871, through the looking glass This Discourse Analytical (DA) study seeks to explore the discursive constructions of therapeutic practice from the perspective of Educational Psychologists (EPs) new to the profession. Introduction The beginnings of this research lie in my experiences as a secondary school teacher and a teacher for children in Local Authority (LA) care. These experiences made me more aware of the difficulties many children face as they progress through the education system and how ‘therapy’ was perceived as a solution to these difficulties. I became frustrated and disheartened by what difference I could make without formal training in ‘therapy’. After a particularly painful incident whereby a young person made a harrowing and unexpected disclosure of abuse in her childhood, I felt ‘captured by the emotions of the experience’ (Water, 2010, p.3). It is difficult to articulate such experiences, but I think Flickinger (1992) helps me to explain my initial construction of a therapeutic encounter when he states: ‘when people are hurting emotionally, there is a fundamental need for someone to hear them, to listen to the pain within the words’ (p.3). Thus, this research stems from an interest in how we might listen to people in need, the relationships we have with those to whom we are 6 listening, and how we might attribute meaning to the language that is spoken. As a Trainee Educational Psychologist (TEP) I more aware of the power of language and active listening to evoke the humanistic principles of empathy, respect and unconditional positive regard (Carl Rogers, 1951). I am also keen to use a range of psychological techniques, underpinned by theory from traditional therapies. These techniques allow me to engage and work with young people on a number of levels without the need for extensive training (Pomerantz, 2007). Billington (2009) would argue that any meeting with a child has the potential to be ‘therapeutic’ for either party. Lambert (1992) claims the ‘therapeutic’ relationship and the building of trust between two individuals are more important than the tools that are used. I have tried to make sense of the discourse on ‘therapeutic practice’ and the realities of EP practice. I have also considered the questions and issues arising from such practice and the implications for my future work as a qualified EP. Van Manen (1990) says: human science research is concerned with meaning - to be human is to be concerned with meaning, to desire meaning. Desire is not just a psychological state; it is a state of being, desire refers to a certain attentiveness
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