Tame clients: an evaluation of service users’ and trainee clinical psychologists’ perspective of service user involvement in teaching
| Date | 29 August 2019 |
| Published date | 29 August 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-11-2018-0068 |
| Pages | 327-338 |
| Author | Carl Norwood,Anna Tickle,Danielle De Boos,Roberta Dewa |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Tame clients: an evaluation of service
users’and trainee clinical psychologists’
perspective of service user involvement
in teaching
Carl Norwood, Anna Tickle, Danielle De Boos and Roberta Dewa
Abstract
Purpose –The involvement of service users within clinical psychology training is written into policy.
However, the practice of evaluating involvement from both trainees’and service users’viewpoint is
minimal. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate recent service user involvement in psychometrics
and formulation teaching on a clinical psychology training programme, from both service user and
trainee perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach –Focus groups were held with service users (n ¼3) involved in the
teaching, as well as trainees (n ¼3). Additional questionnaire data were captured from trainees (n ¼11).
Service user and trainee data were analysed separately using thematic analysis. Themes generated for
trainees were also mapped on to a competency framework for clinical psychologists.
Findings –Both parties found the teaching beneficial. Service users enjoyed supporting trainees and
engaged positively in their roles. They identified relational aspects and reflections on their own therapy as
other benefits. Trainees reported enhanced clinical preparedness, critical and personal reflection. Trainee
anxiety was evident. Learning mapped well to competency frameworks.
Research limitations/implications –The samples were small and somedata truncated. Findings speak to
broader issues and may transfer to other involvement contexts.
Practical implications –A good degree of meaningful involvement can be achieved through such initiatives,
to mutual benefit and enhanced learning.
Originality/value –Nature of the exercise and dual-aspect approach to evaluation described here helps to
minimise tokenism. The mapping of findings to competency frameworks supports evaluative processesand
helps to legitimise involvement initiatives that challenge the boundaries of existing practice.
Keywords Competency, Psychometrics, Service user involvement, Trainee Clinical Psychologists,
Formulation, Thematic analysis
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Involving service users in formal training of mental health professionals has received much
attention in fields including social work (Elliott et al., 2005; Kjellberg and French, 2011), nursing
(Forrest et al., 2000), and clinical psychology (Tickle and Davison, 2008). Indeed, it is now a
requirement that all educational programmes approved by the Health Care Professional Council
(HCPC, 2017) involve service users.
Service users have, traditionally, been involved in training in a passive role (Livingston and
Cooper, 2004), perhaps having treatment carried out by professionals whilst being observed by
trainees. This arguably reinforced an implicit power hierarchy within health care, with the service
user at the bottom. Such passive involvement has begun to change, with shifts towards greater
collaboration and co-production (Slay and Stephens, 2013).
Received 23 November 2018
Revised 22 February 2019
Accepted 22 February 2019
Carl Norwood is based at the
Department of Psychiatry and
Applied Psychology, University
of Nottingham,Nottingham,UK.
Anna Tickle, Danielle De Boos
and Roberta Dewa are all
based at the Department of
Psychiatry and Applied
Psychology, School of Health
Sciences, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-11-2018-0068 VOL. 14 NO. 5 2019, pp. 327-338, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE327
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