Towards the Re-construction of a Clinical Psychologist and a Reflexive Body of Practice

Submitted by David R. Quinlan

for the Degree of PhD of the University of Bath

1996

COPYRIGHT

Attention is drawn to the fact that copyright of this thesis rests with its author. This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotations from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author

This thesis may be made available for consultation within the University Library and may be photocopied or lent to other libraries for the purpose of consultation.

Summary

In this thesis qualitative research methods are used to inquire into the author's practice as a Clinical Psychologist in a mental health setting. Questions are posed about the roles the author plays in relation to multi-disciplinary teams and the wider organisation, and about how these intersect with and inform clinical practice with clients presenting to the author's service.

Action research methods and related theory are considered as to their suitability for inquiring into these questions and are tried out in practice. Cooperative Inquiry (Heron 1981, Reason 1988) and Action Inquiry (Torbert, 1981a, 1991) are the two particular action research methods chosen and explored. Data is collected through participant observation and field texts are created in the form of field notes, diaries, reflective diaries and written accounts in 'storied' form.

Interpretive inquiry strategies based in constructivist theory are used to complement the action research methods and in particular, Narrative Inquiry is used as a framework for analysing field texts and for constructing the final thesis.

The research process is an emergent one in that it starts from the author's experience in the work setting, seeks to find theoretical and methodological frameworks which potentially offer answers to the research questions, then tests them out in practice. Outcomes from practice are used to refine the research questions and the methodology, which are then further tested out in practice. Cycles of action and reflection characterise this research process.

Over the course of the research, themes of gender and power emerge as being central to the personal learning of the author and to the simultaneous issues of organisational change and clinical practice with which the author engages.

The findings from the research are considered in relation to the author's conception of himself as a clinical psychologist and the implications for professional practice.

Thesis Overview - (16kb)
Section One Overview - (62kb)
1. Presenting myself, the research setting, and early research questions - (60kb)
2. Narrative Inquiry: a framework for writing and a methodology for inquiry - (69kb)
3. Stories from New Zealand - (89kb)
4. Engaging with new theory and methodology - (77kb)
Section Two Overview - (22kb)
5. Criteria for rigour and quality of knowing: informing practice and the writing about practice - (65kb)
6. Finding a focus for research and initiating a cooperative inquiry - (83kb)
7. Preparation for Action Inquiry - (77kb)
8. Seeking authenticity as a researcher - (97kb)
9. Gender and a feminist critique - offering a way through - (75kb)
Section Three Overview - (16kb)
10. Setting the scene for further inquiry - (60kb)
11. Towards 'good practice' guidelines for 'complex cases' - (59kb)
12. Co-creating 'good practice' frameworks: a 'downstairs' scenario - (59kb)
13. Seeking mutuality and confronting power: an 'upstairs' scenario - (92kb)
14. Re-conceptualising power and discovering restraining 'life scripts' - (92kb)
15. Towards the re-construction of a clinical psychologist: a pause for reflection. - (85kb)
References - (16kb)

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