An exploration of the use of projective techniques by educational psychologists in the UK A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities 2017 RACHAEL KING School of Environment, Education and Development 1 List of Contents List of Tables ...........................................................................................................5 List of Figures ..........................................................................................................6 List of Appendices ..................................................................................................7 List of Acronyms .....................................................................................................8 2 Abstract ....................................................................................................................9 Declaration .............................................................................................................10 Copyright Statement .............................................................................................11 Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................12-15 Chapter 2: Literature Review ...........................................................................16-37 2.1 Chapter overview ............................................................................................16 2.2 Literature search ........................................................................................16-18 2.3 Terminology ...............................................................................................18-19 2.4 Evaluation of the literature .........................................................................19-36 2.4.1 Psychodynamic theory.......................................................................19-25 2.4.1.1 Psychodynamic theory in the EP role ......................................19-21 2.4.1.2 Psychodynamic approaches with professionals............................21 2.4.1.3 Psychodynamic approaches with children...............................21-23 2.4.1.4 Training ....................................................................................23-25 2.4.2 Educational psychology approaches to assessment ........................25-28 2.4.2.1 Approach taken by UK educational psychologists ..................25-26 2.4.2.2 EPs as scientist-practitioners ..................................................26-28 2.4.2.3 The changing role of educational psychologists ..........................28 2.4.3 Projective techniques (PTs) ..............................................................28-33 2.4.3.1 History of PTs .........................................................................30-31 2.4.3.2 Prevalence of PT usage .........................................................31-32 2.4.3.3 Uses of PTs ............................................................................32-33 2.4.4 Potential factors in the use of PTs in the EP role in the UK..............34-35 2.4.4.1. Supervision .................................................................................34 2 2.4.4.2 Voice of the child ....................................................................34-35 2.4.5 The toolbox .......................................................................................35-36 2.5 Summary ...................................................................................................36-37 2.6 Research Questions .......................................................................................37 Chapter 3: Methodology ...................................................................................38-53 3 3.1 Chapter overview ...........................................................................................38 3.2 Research design .......................................................................................38-39 3.2.1 Epistemological position...................................................................39-40 3.3 Participant selection and criteria ...............................................................40-44 3.4 Data gathering methods ............................................................................44-45 3.4.1 Qualitative methods ...............................................................................44 3.4.2 Semi structured interviews ....................................................................45 3.4.3 Phase 2 procedure ................................................................................45 3.4.4 Phase 1 procedure ................................................................................45 3.5 Data analysis methods ..............................................................................46-48 3.5.1 Partial transcription................................................................................46 3.5.2 Thematic Analysis ............................................................................46-48 3.6 Critique of method .....................................................................................48-50 3.7 Ethics ..............................................................................................................50 3.8 Time line and risk analysis ........................................................................51-53 3.8.1 Timeline ................................................................................................51 3.8.2 Risk analysis ....................................................................................52-53 Chapter 4: Findings ..........................................................................................54-92 4.1 Introduction and outline of findings ...........................................................54-55 4.2 Organising theme: Psychodynamic framework.........................................58-64 4.2.1 Basic theme: Reputation ..................................................................58-60 4.2.2 Basic theme: Barriers .......................................................................61-63 4.2.3 Basic theme: Psychodynamic factors ..............................................63-64 4.3 Organising theme: Employment ................................................................65-76 4.3.1 Basic theme: Employment ...............................................................65-68 3 4.3.2 Basic theme: Use of PTs .................................................................68-73 4.3.3 Basic theme: Broad approach .........................................................74-76 4.4 Organising theme: Professional issues ....................................................76-87 4.4.1 Basic theme: Professional practice .................................................76-79 4.4.2 Basic theme: Role of the EP ............................................................79-81 4.4.3 Basic theme: Supervision ................................................................81-82 4 4.4.4 Basic theme: Training ......................................................................82-86 4.4.5 Basic theme: Research ....................................................................86-87 4.5 Organising theme: Standardisation ...........................................................88-92 Chapter 5: Discussion ....................................................................................93-107 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................93 5.2 Summary of findings in relation to RQ1.....................................................93-94 5.3 Summary of findings in relation to RQ2 ....................................................94-96 5.4 Implications for theory ...............................................................................96-99 5.5 Implications for practice ...........................................................................99-101 5.6 Limitations of research ..........................................................................101-103 5.7 Implications for future research .............................................................103-105 5.8 Reflexive account ..................................................................................106-107 Chapter 6: References ..................................................................................108-117 Chapter 7: Appendices .................................................................................118-187 Word Count – 41,106 4 List of Tables Table 2.1: Literature review questions and keywords ................................................17 Table 3.1: Methodology summary ..............................................................................39 Table 3.2: Pen portraits of participants .................................................................42-44 5 Table 3.3: Timeline ....................................................................................................51 Table 3.4: Ethical Risk analysis ............................................................................52-53 Table 3.5: Operational Risk analysis .........................................................................53 Table 5.1: Possibilities for future research ...............................................................105 5 List of Figures Figure 4.1: Overall thematic map.................................................................................55 Figure 4.2: Psychodynamic