Service users’ experiences of participation in clinical psychology training

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore mental health service users’ experiences of involvement in a clinical psychology course.

Design/methodology/approach

Five participants were recruited from a service user and carer group aligned to a university professional clinical psychology course. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and data were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Findings

Four superordinate themes, group processes, advocating, transforming and power, were drawn from the data, with ten subthemes emerging capturing experiences on the personal, professional and group levels.

Research limitations/implications

The study is not generalisable and has a small number of participants. However, many of the themes have resonance with existing literature.

Practical implications

Service user initiatives need to consider the personal and contextual issues that service users may have experienced prior to their involvement. The needs of service user initiatives may change over time. Such initiatives must evolve in conjunction with the personal and political journeys of participants.

Originality/value

Few studies have explored the experiences of mental health service users in clinical psychology training using a robust methodology. The current study suggests that eliciting these experiences highlights factors that facilitate involvement as well as the barriers.

Citation

Campbell, M. and Wilson, C. (2017), "Service users’ experiences of participation in clinical psychology training", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp. 337-349. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2017-0018