TY - JOUR
T1 - ‘Like walking with someone as opposed to trying to catch up to them’—Dynamics at play when clinicians and young people formulate together
AU - Douglas, Laura J.
AU - Aherne, Cian
AU - Ryan, Patrick
AU - Coughlan, Barry
AU - Fortune, Donal G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the social process of formulation in talk therapy between young people and clinicians. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interview study. Method: Ten young people (male = 6, female = 4, age range = 16–23 years) and nine clinicians from various disciplines within a youth mental health service were interviewed. Constructivist grounded theory was used for the analysis. Results: Four themes were constructed from the data; a ‘level playing field’ between young person and clinician enables formulation, formulating is a constant process of getting it right and getting it wrong, emotional expression and attunement get us closer to each other and to understanding, and ‘formulation versus diagnosis’ can create tension in the therapy room. The constructivist grounded theory devised demonstrated how the dynamics of power, collaboration, openness, and the therapeutic relationship are constantly in flux during the process of formulation. Conclusion: The paper presents a constructivist grounded theory which incorporates dynamics relating to power, collaboration, and openness. The importance of the therapeutic relationship is also emphasised. The theory encourages continuous and recursive personal reflection by the therapist as to how they can be optimally attuned to the dynamics of power, collaboration, and openness with young people.
AB - Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the social process of formulation in talk therapy between young people and clinicians. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interview study. Method: Ten young people (male = 6, female = 4, age range = 16–23 years) and nine clinicians from various disciplines within a youth mental health service were interviewed. Constructivist grounded theory was used for the analysis. Results: Four themes were constructed from the data; a ‘level playing field’ between young person and clinician enables formulation, formulating is a constant process of getting it right and getting it wrong, emotional expression and attunement get us closer to each other and to understanding, and ‘formulation versus diagnosis’ can create tension in the therapy room. The constructivist grounded theory devised demonstrated how the dynamics of power, collaboration, openness, and the therapeutic relationship are constantly in flux during the process of formulation. Conclusion: The paper presents a constructivist grounded theory which incorporates dynamics relating to power, collaboration, and openness. The importance of the therapeutic relationship is also emphasised. The theory encourages continuous and recursive personal reflection by the therapist as to how they can be optimally attuned to the dynamics of power, collaboration, and openness with young people.
KW - case conceptualisation
KW - formulation
KW - psychotherapy
KW - therapeutic processes
KW - transitional aged youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85203278715&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/papt.12543
DO - 10.1111/papt.12543
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85203278715
SN - 1476-0835
JO - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
JF - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
ER -