This portfolio thesis consists of three parts: a systematic literature review, an empirical paper and a set of appendices. The thesis as a whole considers the meaning and experience of hope for clinicians and clients in psychological therapy, with emphasis on the context of waiting times. The first section is a systematic literature review that explores the role, experience and effect of client hope in psychological therapy. The review also considers the methodological quality of the evidence in this area. Thirteen papers were included and synthesised using a narrative approach. The findings are discussed within the context of the wider literature, including existing theoretical models of hope. The clinical and research implications for these findings are also considered. The second section is an empirical study that explores the meaning and experience of hopeful therapeutic relationships for clinical and counselling psychologists, in relation to long waiting times for therapy. The research used a qualitative method, gathering data using semi structured interviews, and analysed the data using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate and twelve subordinate themes emerged from the data. The results of this analysis are linked to literature relating to client hope and systemic models. The clinical and research implications for these findings are also discussed. The third section consists of a set of appendices which relate to both the systematic literature review and empirical paper. Included in these appendices are a reflective and epistemological statement, describing the primary researcher’s reflections on the research journey, and the philosophical position and underlying assumptions of the research.

This portfolio thesis consist of three parts; a systematic literature review, an empirical report and supporting appendices. Part one is a systematic literature review in which empirical papers that study the relationship between identity in adolescents and self-harm is reviewed. A systematic search of databases identified eight studies. A narrative synthesis of the findings was produced alongside the methodological quality of the articles. The implications of the review and directions for future research are discussed. Part two is an empirical paper which used a qualitative methodology to explore possible continua which exist in the narratives of university students who have experiences of self-harm. The paper used a categorical-content and holistic-form analysis to investigate the narratives. The findings are discussed and implications for future research proposed. Part three consists of the appendices which support the systematic literature review and the empirical paper. The appendices also include a reflective statement which focuses on the research process.

This portfolio thesis consists of three parts; a systematic literature review, an empirical study and a set of related appendices. The thesis as a whole considers the experience of stigma and factors that affect community integration following an acquired brain injury (ABI). The first section is a systematic literature review that explores the factors that affect reintegrating into the community after an ABI. It explores the relationship between numerous different patient, injury, psychological and external factors and community integration. Twenty two papers were reviewed and their findings synthesised using a narrative synthesis approach. Review findings were combined and integrated to generate new perspectives and highlight commonalities and differences within the literature. The findings indicate the complex and multi-dimensional relationship between numerous different factors and levels of community integration following brain injury. The majority of findings were inconsistent and with small effect sizes. However, the review provided interesting points for discussion and highlighted age, severity of injury and ethnicity as predictive factors of community integration. The findings are discussed within the context of wider literature, and recommendations for additional support and targeted interventions post injury are discussed. The second section of the portfolio is an empirical study that explores the experience of stigma in an acquired brain injury population. A positive psychology framework is adopted and the study also aimed to explore the dialectical nature of experiencing stigma, in line with second wave positive psychology principles. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to obtain rich information and experiences regarding individuals experience of stigma. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Six participants between the ages of 37 and 67 were interviewed, 3 of which had sustained a traumatic brain injury, 2 had experienced a stroke and one had contracted encephalitis. Three super-ordinate themes and 10 sub-themes emerged from the data. The findings indicate that participants perceived to experience stigma and discrimination from society but also experience those with a good understanding of their injuries. Post-traumatic growth in terms of developing resilience, empathy and empowerment to create social change was also evident. The interaction between both good and bad experiences may have contributed to the development of PTG and also highlights the dialectical nature of experiencing stigma. The findings are discussed in the context of wider literature and the implications for strategies to increase public understanding of brain injury and facilitate social contact between those with and without injuries. The third section consists of a set of appendices relating to both the systematic literature review and the empirical paper. A reflective statement and an epistemological statement can also be found within the appendices. The statements consider the researcher’s motivation behind the research, the positions and assumptions underlying the research and their experience of conducting the research.

This portfolio thesis comprises three parts: a systematic literature review, a quantitative empirical paper and supporting appendices. Part One is a systematic review of the literature regarding the role that social comparison plays in the relationship of social networking site use and wellbeing. This review builds upon evidence suggesting that social network site use impacts positively and negatively upon well-being, aiming to understand possible underlying processes. The psychological impacts of social comparison on social networking sites are also considered in the empirical investigation presented in the paper in Part Two. The empirical study focuses specifically upon appearance comparisons made when using social networking sites and considers the impacts upon body satisfaction. Furthermore, the empirical paper considers whether compassion is protective against the negative impacts on body image of appearance comparison when social networking. The empirical study used quantitative methodology and questionnaire data from social network site users to explore these relationships. Part Three comprises of appendices, including reflective and epistemological statements.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The effectiveness of paradoxical directives (PD) as a technique was compared to client-centered (CC), rational emotive therapy (RET) and wait-list control. Subjects who received PD treatment would (1) evaluate self-rated problem relief as more greatly improved than subjects in the CC, RET and/or control group (CG); (2) rate the quality of the relationship as measured by the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (RI) higher than subjects in the CC and RET groups; (3) express a greater willingness to reveal themselves to a counselor as measured by the Willingness-to-Disclose Questionnaire (WTD) than subjects in the CC, RET, and/or CG; (4) show self-reported lower symptom distress level in depressed, anxious, and/or hostile affect than subjects in the CC, RET and/or CG.;Sixty subjects were randomly assigned into one of four groups, CC, RET, PD, and CG. Nine counselors on the same level ability matched according to counselor familiarity, preference and belief in effectiveness were assigned to the three treatments, three-counselors per group. There were three weekly 50-minute treatment sessions.;Results indicated a statistically significant difference of all three groups when compared to the CG in self-rated problem relief. No significant differences were found among the treatments or control in the RI, WTD or the depression of hostility scale of the BSI. Statistically significant differences were found when the PD group was compared to the CG on the anxiety scale of the BSI. Though it may appear significant, inspection of the means reveals fairly consistent proportionate decreases of the affect in all of the treatment groups.;It was concluded that PD are as equally effective as CC and RET as evaluated by self-report outcome criteria and proportionate decreased in negative affect after treatment.

The effects of live supervision via telephone on therapists was explored. Three supervisors experienced in live supervision were each asked to supervise live, two family therapists until they had each made a minimum of three phone interventions per therapist. The therapists' behavior two minutes immediately before the interventions and two minutes immediately after the phone interventions were then rated by judges using nonverbal and scale measures. Therapists' behavior were rated on the following factors: anxiety, responsiveness, immediacy, and genuineness. The results did not indicate any significant differences between therapist's behavior before and after phone interventions, and only modest differences in behaviors between therapists using different supervisors. The findings are supportive of live supervision as there was no evidence the live interventions affect the therapists negatively on the above dimensions. The findings are discussed with implications for the field of supervision.

No description available.