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BackgroundWeb-based counseling and support has become increasingly commonplace for children and young people (CYP). Currently, there is limited research that focuses on the mechanisms of change within complex telepsychology platforms, a factor that makes designing and implementing outcome measures challenging. ObjectiveThis project aims to articulate a theory of change (ToC) for Kooth, a web-based therapy and support platform for CYP. MethodsA collaborative qualitative research design involving professional staff, academic partners, and young people was used to develop the ToC. The following three major reflective phases were engaged: a scoping workshop involving professional staff and academic partners, a series of explorative projects were completed to inform the development of the ToC, and the draft ToC was reviewed for coherence by key stakeholders (young people, online professionals, and service managers). ResultsA collaboratively developed ToC was presented. This was divided into the conditions that lead to individuals wanting to access web-based therapy and support (eg, individuals wanting support there and then or quickly), the mode of service delivery (eg, skilled and experienced professionals able to build empathetic relationships with CYP), and the observed and reported changes that occur as a consequence of using the service (eg, individuals being better able to manage current and future situations). ConclusionsDeveloping the ToC helps to shed light on how web-based therapy and support services aid the mental health and well-being of CYP. Furthermore, it helps to understand the development of positive virtual ecosystems and can be used to devise evaluative tools for CYP telepsychology providers.

This paper draws on material generated from a qualitative study of educational impacts of a British welfare reform affecting housing rent subsidy, size and location commonly known as "the bedroom tax" (Bragg et al., 2015), which was partly taken as a topic for study specifically because of its iconic status as a controversial and unpopular welfare "reform" (or cut). The analysis draws on Foucauldian understandings of subjectification or subject-formation--as elaborated both from within and in relation to the social (Foucault, 1970; 1983; Ball, 1990; Olssen, 2006; Popkewitz & Brennan, 1998), read through new and newly available perspectives (Allen, 2015; Pêcheux, 2014). This approach is applied to discuss how those addressed by educational policy, and also as research participants, are both subject to prevailing political and practice-oriented discourses (of educational "problems", and of the neoliberal frameworks by which poverty and welfare cuts are discussed), but also--at times--how they can become the subject of--in the sense of reformulating--these discourses in their accounts of everyday activities. After outlining our approach and the context for the study, we focus on four examples drawn from the narratives of the various stakeholders in the study--parents/carers, school staff and other community-based organisations as illustrations of how this discursive approach can provide rich readings of relevance to educational policy debates. From these we not only take further discussions of the production and regulation of subjectivities via social and educational policy practices, but also offer indicative glimpses of resistance to this as expressed by those who are its primary subjects, and where in one case such resistance brings our own research commitments under critical scrutiny. As such, the contribution of this article is both topic-related (concerning the educational impacts of policy) but, crucially, also conceptual and methodological, in motivating for a Foucauldian-influenced discursive approach that is sensitive to struggle and resistance.

Background: Schools are commonly asked to take on roles that support the emotional well-being of students. These practices are in line with humanistic education theory and can be difficult to fulfil by schools. Broader ecological pressures, such as periods of austerity, are likely to add to the difficulty in meeting students' needs. Aims: To explore whether professionals in schools believe that their work supporting pupils' emotional well-being has changed as a consequence of the current period of austerity. Sample: This project reports the views of staff from three secondary schools in the North West of England. A purposive sample of 29 individuals, including members of the senior leadership team and newly qualified teachers, were involved. Methods: All participants were interviewed about their perceptions of the impact of a sustained period of austerity upon their work. The transcripts of these interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Educational professionals associated wider socio-political factors with a perceived increase in the need for emotional support of pupils. They reported taking on new roles and responsibilities to accommodate this and noted they are doing so with fewer resources and limited governmental support. Conclusions: This paper concludes that considering humanistic education theory alongside ecological theory helps to conceptualize how socio-political factors can impact upon the emotional well-being in schools. An ecologically informed humanistic framework is depicted based upon the findings of this project as a means of understanding how these two theories complement one another and interact.

This paper presents a novel conceptualisation of the school context by examining the 'personal' (emotional wellbeing), the 'political' (everyday political actions and power relations) and the 'Political' (the Political system, including electoral politics and governmental policy) and how these interrelate. Informed by literatures from a range of disciplines, the authors use this conceptual lens to consider data from two projects which explored the impact of austerity on schools. In their qualitative analysis of data from interviews with 82 participants they illustrate connections between the personal, the political and the Political. They conceptualise the work schools are doing in response to the impacts of the Political as quiet political activism, which appears to have knock-on effects for staff wellbeing. They consider the implications of this, concluding that the 'quiet politics' occurring in schools may bring a sense of control and create opportunities for community activism, but also has potentially worrying consequences.

A qualitative approach was used to explore young people's experiences of using synchronous and asynchronous online forums to gain insight into the use of online services for mental health. Nineteen young people took part in two online synchronous focus groups facilitated by the online counselling service, KOOTH.com. Inductive thematic analysis indicated that forums do not replace the role of a counsellor, they provide a valuable place for young people to gain additional, lower level support requirements. Individuals suggested the forums were supportive environments where they felt able to interact to share helpful advice and ask questions, making them feel less alone and more connected to others. Issues of concern were around the affordances of the site and technical issues.

Background: Despite the rise in therapist use of social media, current ethical guidelines have not provided clear guidance on how to use social media. Ethical guidelines commonly suggest therapists apply the same ethical principles advised for their offline work, without thorough consideration of differing potential ethical dilemmas online. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to explore the main ethical dilemmas encountered by therapists who use social media. Three databases were searched: PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL Plus. A total of 52 studies were screened by their titles and abstracts, with a subsequent 36 studies analysed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. The remaining 14 studies were assessed using quality standards and included within the thematic synthesis. Findings: Data analysis conceptualised three themes: therapist searches risking the therapeutic relationship with subthemes of loss and trust and power imbalance; therapist defensiveness in response to client searches with subthemes of self‐disclosure and self‐protection; and societal normalisation of social media with subthemes of familiarity and ease and blurred boundaries. Conclusion: The societal prevalence of social media use suggests it is now inevitable that therapists will experience some form of ethical dilemma regarding social media. Therapists need an awareness of how online searches for clients may impact the therapeutic relationship. The risk of boundary crossings from clients online can be minimised through increased privacy settings and reflexivity on what therapists self‐disclose online. Ethical dilemmas on social media should be discussed in supervision, with further guidance needed for the ethical use of social media as a therapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing in many areas of healthcare, including mental healthcare. The automated nature of such technologies has the potential to be developed to work with large numbers of people. This paper examines the way that student therapists experience using an interactive text‐based machine client as a training tool. Methodology: Chatbot technology has been used to develop an emotionally responsive interactive client (ERIC). This introduces individuals to concepts of person‐centred therapy (empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard) by using a series of pre‐programmed scenarios. Twenty‐eight student therapists evaluated ERIC's potential as a learning tool. Individuals were recruited from one university from a postgraduate and an undergraduate counselling programme. Findings: Feedback was generally positive, with all reporting that they enjoyed engaging with ERIC as a learning method. ERIC helped individuals consider their understanding of counselling skills in a non‐judgemental environment. Participants felt the scenarios were realistic and engaging, with many reporting that they felt they were engaging with a real client/person due to ERIC's ability to express emotions. Discussion: ERIC is at the proof‐of‐concept phase. From the feedback presented here, it is evident that it can be a useful learning tool. Further development of ERIC with feedback from a larger sample is, however, required. ERIC is currently a text‐based client, and further development would like to see the intervention be voice‐activated to enhance the experience. ERIC can be further enhanced and adapted to be a useful learning platform for student therapists, as well as for students in other (healthcare‐related) disciplines, whereby a client or patient is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Counselling within educational settings has now become commonplace. As with the advent of the use of new technologies in teaching, such developments are also impacting the broader support structures available to students. One development is the move of schools to offer pupils access to online counselling services. To date, such practices have received little attention, and this paper synthesises the existing empirical research literature in this area. Design: A systematic review of the literature was conducted which focused upon synchronous chat counselling for 11- to 25-year-olds. Method: Key bibliographic databases were searched for relevant papers. These were assessed for relevance and quality prior to being included into the analysis. The final selection of studies was analysed for key themes. Results: In all, 19 papers met the inclusion criteria. The thematic synthesis identified four higher order themes: (1) "developing safe and youth-friendly online services," (2) "online client characteristics," (3) "in-session online processes" and (4) "session alliance and outcome." Conclusion: These themes outline the varied challenges and opportunities present within this developing practice. Each is initially discussed alongside existing literature related to online counselling before the implications for educational providers are explicitly considered. Ultimately, it is concluded that online counselling for students has much potential, however, those commissioning such services need to be mindful of common pitfalls.

Online counselling is increasingly being used as an alternative to face-to-face student counselling. Using an exploratory mixed methods design, this project investigated the practice by examining the types of therapeutic goals that 11- to 25-year-olds identify online in routine practice. These goals were then compared to goals identified in equivalent school and community-based counselling services; 1,137 online goals (expressed by 504 young people) and 221 face-to-face goals (expressed by 220 young people) were analysed for key themes using grounded theory techniques. This analysis identified three core categories: (1) Intrapersonal Goals, (2) Interpersonal Goals, and (3) Intrapersonal Goals Directly Related to Others. Further statistical analysis of these themes indicated that online and face-to-face services appear to be used in different ways by students. These differences are discussed alongside the implications for professionals working in educational settings.

This paper puts forward a framework for supervising teaching staff whose roles involve supporting the emotional well-being of young people and young adults. Initially, the increasing focus upon the interface between education and health is outlined and the potential for this "emotional labour" to cause distress to those in helping roles is considered. Further, as a means of supporting these professionals, the rationale for, and importance of, reflexive practice is outlined. As such, self-care is promoted and clinical supervision related to this work is recommended. To account for the wide variety of ways of working with young people, a pluralistic framework for group supervision is outlined. This psychologically informed framework emphasises the importance of the supervisory alliance and breaks down the process into supervisory "goals", "tasks" and "methods". Each element is briefly described and the framework is suggested as a means of supporting those working in these contexts. This proposition is considered alongside a number of associated potential challenges and is outlined purposefully as a provocation to consider the implications of working in such a way within school settings.

Many young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) intend to go to college and/or university, yet research suggests that these individuals find aspects of college and university life challenging. To explore the views of individuals directly affected by these challenges, a systematic review of the existing qualitative literature in this area was conducted. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of these articles identified six superordinate themes: the involvement of professionals; academic, environmental, and social factors; wellbeing; communication; and understanding. The facilitators, obstacles, and needs of students pervaded these themes and are discussed alongside implications for counsellors and psychologists working in schools.

There are established links between education and well-being, and between poverty and education. This article draws on interviews with parents of school-aged children impacted by a policy in the UK commonly referred to as the 'bedroom tax'. A critical psychology perspective to education is put forward, acknowledging the complex interrelationships between psychological well-being, sociopolitical factors and education.

Objectives: The use of idiographic goal‐based outcome measures (GBO) to monitor progress in digital therapy with adults has received little research attention. This study aimed to identify broad patterns of GBO engagement in an anonymous digital therapy service for adults, including the extent to which goals are recorded as being met by the measures. Methods: The GBO measured the progress made towards goal achievement within the service, using a 0‐ to 10‐point scale. This paper analysed GBO data from 442 users of a digital therapy service, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Service‐user demographics were examined, along with the level of progress per goal topic, the patterns of engagement with self‐set versus collaboratively set goals and the influence of key presenting issues on goal progress. Results: One thousand two hundred and forty‐two goals were set, equating to a mean average of 2.23 goals set per person. Of those who engaged with the service in a sustained way, 31.6% of the goals were recorded as fully achieved, and the mean average progress was 4.35 points of a possible 10. Goals relating to signposting were frequently set. Goals set collaboratively with a practitioner were successfully achieved more often than those set independently, and those with a practitioner‐recorded presenting issue made the most goal progress. Conclusions: Although nuances associated with digital environments should be considered if the findings of this study are to be transferable to other therapeutic settings, our insights suggest that GBOs appear useful for monitoring therapeutic progress with adults within the digital context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mental health services for young people develop, the need for evaluation and audit to justify expenditure follows suit. Counselling is being provided in more and more schools and community settings across the country, and there is an increasing focus on evidence-based funding. Practice-based evidence has an important role to play in fulfilling this requirement, and there are calls for a single outcome measure to be utilised across services. The emerging frontier of online support is receiving steadily greater attention, but as yet it has had little attention with regards to its effectiveness. An existing routine evaluation and outcome measure (Young Person's Clinical Outcome Measures in Routine Evaluation) was incorporated within other routine evaluation systems within an online support service for young people (Kooth). The findings have been examined, with a view to recommending most suitable evaluation tools for this medium. Initial data suggest that the online service, when compared with equivalent face-to-face data, attracts a wide range of needs and levels of distress, with a high proportion of complex needs presented. Such findings may also reflect the complex nature of the support needs for the client group in question. Capturing appropriately rich data using a range of qualitative and quantitative measures that account for the complex online environment and client group needs to be carefully considered. (Contains 4 figures.)

This paper examines the quality of the working alliance in online counseling relationships with young people. A mixed method approach has been adopted which combines the completion of a self-report quantitative measure (the "Therapeutic Alliance Quality Scale") and qualitative interviews with service users of a UK-based service (Kooth.com). Findings are generally positive, with approximately three quarters of respondents reporting the working alliance to have been of a medium or high quality. To give a more detailed sense of what users found helpful or unhelpful in developing good quality online working alliances, key themes from the interviews are also presented. Finally the implications and limitations of the study are discussed before outlining some thoughts for future development. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)

Current ethical guidelines for therapists who make use of social media are very limited. As a consequence, they leave much open to interpretation by professionals, an openness that may place the public and professionals at risk. This is particularly of note as therapists are increasingly making use of social media and many professionals are taking on roles as mental health influencers, both purposefully and without realising. Such developments raise many important ethical issues including considerations around influencer competency, integrity, the maintenance of confidentiality and risk management. These issues are briefly discussed in this paper alongside related current research focusing upon them. It is concluded that, despite the existence of ethical guidelines focusing upon social media use by therapists, current research suggests that therapists are not consistently following these guidelines. Moreover, it is argued that researchers and professional bodies, and their associated good practice guidelines, need to keep abreast of new developments to account for changes in social media usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islamophobia across the western world appears to be on the rise yet very little is known about it. This review systematically examines qualitative literature to gain an in-depth understanding of Muslim minorities' experiences of 'Islamophobia', and how it may impact upon their psychosocial wellbeing. 180 initial studies were identified across six databases; PsycINFO, ASSIA, Humanities Abstracts (EBSCO), IBSS, CINAHL and MEDLINE, 9 of which met the inclusion and quality criteria. The studies included were analysed using Thematic Synthesis and four key themes were identified; 'Construction of The Other', 'Stigmatisation of Appearance and Attire', 'Homogeneity of Identity and Experience' and 'Concealing and Normalising Behaviour'. The findings of this review are consistent with previous literature and highlight the difficulties Muslims experience as victims of 'Islamophobia'. In conclusion, the implications for psychological research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]