Search

Estimates suggest that around a quarter of adults with learning disabilities living in the community have difficulties controlling their anger. Angry or aggressive behaviour can have serious repercussions, including loss of residential or day placements, admission to hospital and reduced quality of life. In addition, the psychological well being of both paid and family carers can be adversely affected. A previous review of this area (Whitaker 2001) suggested equivocal results for cognitive-behavioural (CBT) approaches. The current study provides an update to this review, considering papers published in the last 10 years and expanding its scope to include a variety of therapeutic interventions. A systematic search of peer reviewed journals identified 14 relevant documents, the majority of which were group-based and CBT in their approach. Overall, methodological weaknesses made it difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the effectiveness of the different approaches. Implications for clinical and research practice are discussed.

Content and Focus: The identity of counselling psychology in Britain has been described as nebulous and vague; this paper takes a provocative stance designed to initiate debate and goes quite a bit further in its critique. Beginning with an outline of how counselling psychology in Britain self-describes, the paper draws on research findings and practice examples to argue that counselling psychology in Britain has an overly rigid and often irrelevant identification with phenomenology and humanistic values. Next the paper explores the identity of counselling psychology in other countries to make two points; first, that there is actually more than one identity for the discipline and, second, that British counselling psychology is disappointingly insular in outlook. Lastly the paper outlines the commitment to diversity and multiculturalism which is becoming the defining feature of American counselling psychology. Conclusions: The paper concludes by arguing that a serious commitment to the agenda of diversity would create: (1) a strong platform for the type of critiques of mainstream psychology which British counselling psychology has historically engaged in; (2) a socially important research focus for the discipline; and (3) a special expertise in working with diverse others which would be hugely advantageous in terms of employability. More important, a commitment to this agenda would actually matter in a real world way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the recent history of LGBT psychology and psychotherapy in the United Kingdom, focusing on key publications, and the current terrain, highlighting similarities and differences between the UK and the US contexts. The paper is divided into four sections: the first focuses on the early development of the field in the late 1960s. The second section explores the 1980s--a decade that witnessed the publication of two key texts that had a strong influence on the development of the field and, in particular, on the development of critical and discursive approaches. The third section details the rapid changes that occurred in the 1990s including the establishment of a Lesbian and Gay Psychology Section within the British Psychological Society. The final section considers the current terrain and the similarities and differences in the theoretical commitments of researchers and practitioners working in the UK and in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces the papers included in the volume 31, number 2, 2005 issue of the "Journal of Child Psychotherapy, " a special edition on the theme of work with parents. Papers from Great Britain, U.S. and Australia; Similarities and differences in style, emphasis and approach to work with parents across different continents and between a variety of work settings; Psychotherapy of parenthood; Some of the 'cultural impediments' to parenting; Work of an under fives counseling service in Australia; Issues of parenting adolescents.

In response to the increase in Routine Outcome Monitoring and Clinical Feedback, the Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale (ppHMS) was developed to assess the helpfulness—as perceived by patients—of using measures in psychological treatment. Study 1: The construct of patient-perceived helpfulness of measures was explored using thematic analysis with 15 patients. Six helpful and three unhelpful themes were identified and informed item development. Study 2: 28 items were formulated and rated by experts. Ten items were taken forward for psychometric shortening in a sample of 76 patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) led to an adequately fitting six-item model with excellent internal consistency, and convergence with the Delighted-Terrible single item of product satisfaction and a single item of measure helpfulness. Study 3: In a stratified online sample of 514 U.K. psychotherapy patients, a five-item model constituted the best fit. The final ppHMS had excellent internal consistency (McDonald's ω =.90), convergent validity with psychotherapy satisfaction (r =.5; p <.001), divergence from social desirability (r =.1), and metric and scalar invariance across measures. Study 4: Analyses were replicated and confirmed in a stratified U.S. sample (n = 602). The ppHMS is a reliable and valid scale that can be used to assess and compare patients' perceptions of the helpfulness of different measures as part of their psychological treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social isolation and loneliness can occur in all age groups, and they are linked to increased mortality and poorer health outcomes. There is a growing body of research indicating inconsistent findings on the effectiveness of interventions aiming to alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Hence the need to facilitate the discoverability of research on these interventions. Objectives: To map available evidence on the effects of in‐person interventions aimed at mitigating social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups and settings. Search Methods: The following databases were searched from inception up to 17 February 2022 with no language restrictions: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, EBM Reviews—Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycInfo via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCO, EBSCO (all databases except CINAHL), Global Index Medicus, ProQuest (all databases), ProQuest ERIC, Web of Science, Korean Citation Index, Russian Science Citation Index, and SciELO Citation Index via Clarivate, and Elsevier Scopus. Selection Criteria: Titles, abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible articles identified were screened independently by two reviewers for inclusion following the outlined eligibility criteria. Data Collection and Analysis: We developed and pilot tested a data extraction code set in Eppi‐Reviewer. Data was individually extracted and coded. We used the AMSTAR2 tool to assess the quality of reviews. However, the quality of the primary studies was not assessed. Main Results: A total of 513 articles (421 primary studies and 92 systematic reviews) were included in this evidence and gap map which assessed the effectiveness of in‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Most (68%) of the reviews were classified as critically low quality, while less than 5% were classified as high or moderate quality. Most reviews looked at interpersonal delivery and community‐based delivery interventions, especially interventions for changing cognition led by a health professional and group activities, respectively. Loneliness, wellbeing, and depression/anxiety were the most assessed outcomes. Most research was conducted in high‐income countries, concentrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, with none from low‐income countries. Major gaps were identified in societal level and community‐based delivery interventions that address policies and community structures, respectively. Less than 5% of included reviews assessed process indicators or implementation outcomes. Similar patterns of evidence and gaps were found in primary studies. All age groups were represented but more reviews and primary studies focused on older adults (≥60 years, 63%) compared to young people (≤24 years, 34%). Two thirds described how at‐risk populations were identified and even fewer assessed differences in effect across equity factors for populations experiencing inequities. Authors' Conclusions: There is growing evidence that social isolation and loneliness are public health concerns. This evidence and gap map shows the available evidence, at the time of the search, on the effectiveness of in‐person interventions at reducing social isolation and loneliness across all ages and settings. Despite a large body of research, with much of it published in more recent years, it is unevenly distributed geographically and across types of interventions and outcomes. Most of the systematic reviews are of critically low quality, indicating the need for high quality reviews. This map can guide funders and researchers to consider the areas in which the evidence is lacking and to address these gaps as future research priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the use of psychotherapeutic approaches to treat individuals who have committed sex crimes and/or have problematic sexual interests (PSI); including types of psychotherapy used, descriptions of preventive and reintegration programmes, and highlighting specific theoretical controversies. In the second part, experts from Canada, the Czech Republic, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who participated in an International Consensus Meeting held in Prague (2017), summarize treatment programmes in their countries. The comparison revealed some general findings: each country has variability between its own programmes; most countries have different programmes for people who are in custody and who are in the community; the state-directed treatment programmes are primarily focused on criminal individuals, while non-criminal individuals are treated in preventive programmes and/or in special clinics or are untreated; the presence of PSI in patients is acknowledged in most programmes, although specific programmes exclusively for individuals with PSI rarely exist. Studies on effectiveness are difficult to compare due to methodologic, political, and cultural differences. Further communication between more countries to share knowledge about successful treatments and preventive approaches is needed, especially enhanced international collaboration between researchers and clinicians to verify the effectiveness of current clinical and experimental program, rs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The professional identity of counsellors and guidance practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand is currently under review as a result of the passing of legislation regulating health professionals and the proposed introduction of national registration of counsellors. In this paper I explore this debate, and examine the professional identities claimed by counsellors, counselling psychologists and psychotherapists. The current discussion in this country is both informed by and provides an illuminating lens on professional identity issues in Australia, the UK and the US. An alternative construction of professional identities that are localised and dynamic, yet distinctly of Aotearoa New Zealand, is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Formerly heterosexually partnered gay fathers raised with religion are an under-researched group of LGBTQ parents. This group have potentially complex coming out journeys, which can result in them seeking counselling. This research qualitatively explores the counselling experiences of 12 such men and offers suggestions for working therapeutically with them. The key finding of the qualitative analysis of the participants' interviews was that they wanted therapists to not assume a "best" outcome for them as either gay or "straight". Instead, they wanted therapists to respect and assist them to explore their own individual sense-making around their identities and to reject fixed notions from both ex-gay and gay affirmative therapy of what it means to be a "well-adjusted" gay father. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:Whilst a range of psychosocial interventions are used for people with dementia, there lacks evidence for the processes which underpin them. Systematic reviews focus on quantitative studies and there is a lack of qualitative reviews in the area. The review aimed to address this gap by exploring what existing qualitative studies reveal about the implementation, effects and processes of psychosocial interventions for dementia. Method:A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying 363 studies. Sixteen studies were found to meet the inclusion criteria and assessed for quality using pre-specified criteria. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the findings. Results:There were 10 descriptive themes. Despite the diversity of the psychosocial interventions, there were common themes in relation to (1) contextual and individual factors affecting implementation (2) perceived impact of the interventions and (3) the processes active in achieving these effects. Study quality was adequate but variable. Conclusion:Common processes may underlie different psychosocial interventions for dementia. The synthesis of qualitative findings can offer insight into what makes interventions ‘work’ and factors which may facilitate or impede their use. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Participation in personal therapy during training is required by British accreditation bodies for counselling psychology as well as by most psychotherapy trainings. By contrast, trainee clinical psychologists are not required to undertake personal therapy, although they may elect to. Prior research in Britain and the US suggests that practitioners have a wide range of motives for entering therapy as well as motives for not doing so (Norcross & Connor, 2005). This study addresses the fact that no research to date has specifically explored what individuals beginning their counselling psychology, clinical psychology and counselling training think and feel about participation in personal therapy during training. Data from open-ended questionnaires was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified. These consisted of: 'Personal therapy helps me to be a better practitioner', and 'Personal therapy costs me'. The study results are considered in light of the limited prior research and recommendations for training are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do clinical researchers believe they should be clinically active? In an on-line survey among 64 senior researchers from the United States (59%) and the United Kingdom (41%), there was a strong consensus that clinical practice is desirable, especially for psychotherapy researchers, but not absolutely necessary. The researchers were uniformly opposed to the idea that researchers should be required by professional organizations to engage in clinical practice. Four advantages of clinical involvement were identified: (1) it experientially grounds researchers in the complexities of clinical reality; (2) it inspires ideas and helps generate hypotheses; (3) it enables researchers to test the practical applicability of research-based models and interventions and (4) it enhances public credibility and confirms one's identity as a clinical psychologist. However, these benefits were balanced by two salient costs: (1) clinical work is associated with intensive time demands and can therefore potentially interfere with research productivity and (2) exposure to a small number of vivid but unrepresentative clinical cases can cloud one's judgment and interfere with scientific objectivity. The potential of these findings to improve the strained relationship between clinical researchers and practitioners is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative counseling and psychotherapy research produced in the United Kingdom and in Canada and the United States is examined. It is shown that the methods and methodologies in the British research have been influenced by postmodern epistemology more than in North American work, which reflects a greater effect of positivism. Correspondingly, it is shown that a higher value has been placed on methods in the latter region compared with the former. The differences are discussed in terms of the way the field of counseling has developed in the United Kingdom compared with the United States and Canada. Also discussed are the tensions between realism and relativism and, correspondingly, between positive valuing of method and skepticism. The article concludes with thoughts about the implications of qualitative research for the field of counseling and psychotherapy as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The current rush to professionalisation in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, and some of its deleterious effects, are examined. The parallels between this process and the experience of psychoanalysis in the USA in the 1940s and early 1950s are demonstrated, quoting from contemporary critics; and comparisons are drawn with the American phenomenon of managed care. An account is offered of what is happening in terms of the sociology of professions, suggesting that 'expert systems' are being substituted for 'local knowledges'--skills and wisdoms which cannot be fully systematised. The argument that this process is for 'the good of the client' is considered and rejected. Finally, some thoughts are presented about the likely future for counselling and psychotherapy, arguing that the victory of professionalisation and expertise is unlikely to be complete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]