Exploring narratives of psychological input in the acute inpatient setting

Journal article


Donaghay-Spire, E., McGowan, J., Griffiths, K. and Barazzone, N. 2015. Exploring narratives of psychological input in the acute inpatient setting. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12081
AuthorsDonaghay-Spire, E., McGowan, J., Griffiths, K. and Barazzone, N.
Abstract

Objectives
This research explored what happens when psychological input is offered in the inpatient setting and examined service users' and staff members' understanding and portrayal of these experiences.

Design
Narrative analysis, an interview design, was used to examine experiences of inpatient psychological interventions in National Health Service inpatient mental health settings.

Methods
Ten participants (four service users and six staff members; five males and five females; seven White British, one White Irish, one Black African, and one Black Caribbean) were recruited via clinical psychologists from an inpatient psychology department and participated in 18- to 90-min interviews.

Results
Evidence suggested that direct, indirect, and strategic psychological interventions were used in the inpatient setting, with formulation and the therapeutic relationship conceptualized as common features. Connections between inpatient psychology and change, evidenced in the stories, suggested that interventions can help people make sense of a crisis, improve relationships, and contribute to meaningful recovery. Evidence of barriers suggests that psychological input in this setting might not always be compatible with everyone's needs.

Conclusions
This paper explored service users' and staff members' experiences of psychological input in the inpatient setting. The analysis revealed that psychological provision in the inpatient mental health setting is varied and encompasses direct and indirect input, valued by service users and clinicians. It also identified that psychological input in the acute inpatient mental health setting is perceived as meaningful and can lead to changes at an interpersonal and intrapersonal level. There is a sense that providing psychological thinking in the inpatient setting can be challenging due to environmental constraints and individual factors. This highlights the need for further research focused on the costs and clinical effectiveness of providing psychological thinking within the acute inpatient mental health setting.

Practitioner points
Staff members and service users made connections between psychological input and change, suggesting that interventions can improve relationships, help people make sense of a crisis, and contribute to meaningful recovery.
There are significant barriers to and challenges of providing psychological input in this setting: Some participants suggested that this approach might not suit everyone.

Keywordsinpatient, acute mental health, inpatient psychology, change, narrative analysis
Year2015
JournalPsychology and Psychotherapy: Theory Research and Practice
PublisherThe British Psychological Society
ISSN2044-8341
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12081
Publication dates
Online04 Nov 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited02 Feb 2016
Accepted25 Jan 2015
Output statusPublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/87q05/exploring-narratives-of-psychological-input-in-the-acute-inpatient-setting

  • 229
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Investigating bullying as a predictor of suicidality in a clinical sample of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Holden, Rachel, Mueller, Joanne, McGowan, John, Sanyal, Jyoti, Kikoler, Maxim, Simonoff, Emily, Velupillai, Sumithra and Downs, Johnny 2020. Investigating bullying as a predictor of suicidality in a clinical sample of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Research. 13 (6), pp. 988-997. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2292
How does homelessness affect parenting behaviour? A systematic critical review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research
Bradley, C., McGowan, J. and Michelson, D. 2017. How does homelessness affect parenting behaviour? A systematic critical review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-017-0244-3
What lurks beneath?
McGowan, J. 2015. What lurks beneath? Discursive of Tunbridge Wells.
Blogs and social media: free attention?
McGowan, J. 2015. Blogs and social media: free attention?
Mental health in the movies
McGowan, J. 2015. Mental health in the movies.
Robin Williams, depression and the complex causes of suicide
Cooke, A., Gilchrist, A. and McGowan, J. 2014. Robin Williams, depression and the complex causes of suicide. The Guardian.
Psychos, cuckoo's nests and silver linings: madness in the movies
McGowan, J. 2015. Psychos, cuckoo's nests and silver linings: madness in the movies.
It’s not fair! How the human equality condition can hold some people back
McGowan, J. 2014. It’s not fair! How the human equality condition can hold some people back. The Conversation.com.
Is supporting populist political parties a mental disorder?
McGowan, J. 2015. Is supporting populist political parties a mental disorder? Discursive of Tunbridge Wells.
Is life a disease?
Cooke, A. and McGowan, J. 2013. Is life a disease? Discursive of Tunbridge Wells.
Is life a disease?
Cooke, A. and McGowan, J. 2013. Is life a disease?
Regulation of emotions in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures
Urbanek, M., Harvey, M., McGowan, J. and Agrawal, N. 2014. Regulation of emotions in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior. 37, pp. 110-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.06.004
How sickle cell disease patients experience, understand and explain their pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study
Coleman, B., Ellis-Caird, H., McGowan, J. and Benjamin, M. 2016. How sickle cell disease patients experience, understand and explain their pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study. British Journal of Health Psychology. 21 (1), pp. 190-203. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12157
Lance Armstrong: it's not about the doping
McGowan, J. 2012. Lance Armstrong: it's not about the doping. The Science of Sport.
Responding to suicidal risks: bridging between research and clinical practice.
McGowan, J. and Hickey, L. 2012. Responding to suicidal risks: bridging between research and clinical practice. 14th European Symposium of Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, Tel-Aviv, 2012.
Should there be greater access to psychological therapies in acute psychiatric care?
McGowan, J. and Hall, R. 2008. Should there be greater access to psychological therapies in acute psychiatric care?
Corner shops, NICE guidelines and mothers of invention: Clinical psychology and public policy
McGowan, J. 2009. Corner shops, NICE guidelines and mothers of invention: Clinical psychology and public policy.
Factors in outcome of cognitive-behavioural therapy for psychosis: users' and clinicians' views
McGowan, J., Lavender, T. and Garety, P. 2005. Factors in outcome of cognitive-behavioural therapy for psychosis: users' and clinicians' views. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory Research and Practice. 78 (4), pp. 513-529. https://doi.org/10.1348/147608305X52559
Working with personality disorders in an acute psychiatric ward
McGowan, J. 2008. Working with personality disorders in an acute psychiatric ward. in: Clarke, I. and Wilson, H. (ed.) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Acute Inpatient Mental Health Units: Working with Clients, Staff and the Milieu Hove Routledge. pp. 92-111
IAPT - More Pertinent Questions
McGowan, J. 2009. IAPT - More Pertinent Questions. The Psychologist. 22 (6), pp. 467-467.
Use your loaf: Open up choice
McGowan, J. 2009. Use your loaf: Open up choice. The Health Service Journal.
The role of psychological therapies in acute psychiatric care
McGowan, J. and Hall, R. 2009. The role of psychological therapies in acute psychiatric care. Clinical Psychology Forum. 196, pp. 140-148.
Do we need to be hearing this?
McGowan, J. 2010. Do we need to be hearing this? The Health Service Journal. 120 (6208), pp. 14-15.