Therapeutic Work of Educational Psychologists, Including the Application of Motivational Interviewing-based Mentoring in Post-16 Education

Abstract

The promotion of the wellbeing of children and young people is of international importance. This thesis raises awareness of attending to multiple factors when offering therapeutic interventions with students and implores practitioners to report on therapeutic case work to build the collective body of qualitative evidence. The first paper is an evaluative systematic literature review of evidence for school-based therapeutic interventions delivered by school and educational psychologists, including the extent to which these emulate recent therapeutic practice guidance. The sixteen peer-reviewed, empirical studies identified a wide range of methodological and therapeutic practices that addressed mental health and wellbeing and affective factors in learning. The second paper is an exploratory mixed-method multiple case study, designed to analyse the mentor-mentee working relationship in a therapeutically-based intervention with three post-16 students considered to be at risk of not meeting their academic expectations. The third paper provides a critical appraisal of the overall research process, including implications of the work, wider context of the research and dissemination of evidence to professional practice. The literature review revealed that studies included a range of individual and small group interventions, involving diverse participants, foci, therapeutic modalities and formats. Interrelated benefits reported included favourable social/ emotional outcomes, academic gains and behavioural improvement. The prevalence of combined therapeutic techniques alongside skill acquisition to support academic inclusion or progress appears to increase effectiveness of interventions. The primary research found participants valued the mentor-mentee relationship which facilitated greater personal autonomy and increased academic engagement with post-16 students.

Date of Award	31 Dec 2019
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Kevin Woods (Supervisor) & Cathy Atkinson (Supervisor)