Educational Psychology Practice Research Articles

Getting to the ‘Heart’ of Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL): Challenging Epistemology and Ontology in Emotion Theory

AbstractEducational psychology remains constricted by Westernised science’s universalising views. The teaching about emotions and their expression is a critical element at the core of educational psychology, but the underpinning ontology and theories appear to be largely unexamined. The importance of educational psychology was highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and with wellbeing initiatives accumulating, now, more than ever before, educational psychology research and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand must be called to account. Most existing programmes derive from anthropological, psychological and observation-based approaches, unquestioningly proposing that we all feel emotions because of, or in response to, certain occurrences in our lives. Dare we question this ‘given’ through a decolonising or cross-cultural lens? Māori values, holistic concepts and the diverse ways of knowing and being with emotion need to be considered as Aotearoa New Zealand looks beyond the dominant discourse of current SEL. In classrooms every day, practitioners discern how to discuss and respond to emotions, their own and those of the students in their care. This article invites educators to critique their own understandings of emotions and considers ways to challenge educational psychology and the practice of teaching about emotions to acknowledge the culturally diverse classroom contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand.

A bioecological systems review of ethical practice in educational and school psychology

ABSTRACT This narrative scoping review examines ethical practice in educational and school psychology from a bioecological systems’ perspective. A search of four databases yielded 34 articles in the final narrative synthesis. Informed by Bronfenbrenner and Morris’ bioecological systems theory, the ethical experiences of educational and school psychologists were analyzed using the concepts of Process, Person, Context and Time. The complexity, intensity and frequency of ethical dilemmas are reviewed in Process. The demand, resource, and force characteristics impacting on psychologists as Person are reviewed. Within Context, studies identified dilemmas that arose for psychologists across systems. In Time, issues including implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on psychologists’ ethical practice with the emergence of Artificial Intelligence are examined. This paper demonstrates the synergies and the interrelated influences on psychologists’ ethical practices arising from a systematic review of their experiences and their professional training needs.

Participatory Research (PR) Working With Adolescent Research Assistants in a Specialist School

The SEND Code of Practice (DfE & DoH, 2015) and a growing body of literature highlight the need to “unmute” the voices of children and young people (Alderson, 2008; Christensen & James, 2008; Kellett, 2010). For clarity, the terms “child” and “children” will be used throughout this introduction to represent all individuals under the age of 18. Within educational psychology practice, emphasis is placed on gathering the views of children and representing these views fairly. This brief report describes participatory research involving a small group of adolescent research assistants in the design, analysis, and dissemination phases of a larger research project. These research assistants attended a school for students with social, emotional, and mental health needs, and many had (or were in the process of being assessed for) an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Their feedback and recommendations for future researchers with regards to recruitment and participatory practices are of value to those within the educational psychology field and beyond.

Responsibility: The Ethical Discourse of Labelling Dyslexia for Educational Psychologists

Aim: To critically analyse the dyslexia label through an ethical lens adopting a focus on decreasing the risk of harm to service users. Rationale: The labelling rhetoric for Dyslexia has emerged as contentious for Educational Psychology practice, and the ethical responsibility of an educational psychologist is paramount to applied practice. Findings: There are no unambiguous criteria to quantify the dyslexia label which compounds the difficulty ascribing aetiology and highlights inequities of provision created from labelling. Limitations: Dyslexia is a socially constructed label with ambiguity surrounding theoretical perspectives therefore, it can be difficult to ascertain a fundamental truth regarding the dyslexia rhetoric (Boyle, 2014). Thus, it is vital EPs reduce the risk of harm as much as possible via transposition into different roles (Kelly, 2019). Conclusions: EPs have a fundamental ethical responsibility to CYP in light of the dyslexia rhetoric.

A Systematic Review on the Implementation of the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) Program in the Philippines: Implications on the Educational Psychology Practice

The purpose of this meta-synthesis is to gather issues about the implementation of the ALIVE program in Philippine public elementary schools based on the "Standard Curriculum for Elementary Public Schools and Private Madaris" (DepEd Order Number 51 Series of 2004) developed by the Department of Education. Based on a set of criteria, ten (10) research studies conducted between 2015 and 2023 were selected. The ALIVE Program's execution was examined through studies found in published articles from CrossRef, OpenAlex, and Google Scholar databases. The included studies were arranged using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 flow diagram. The concerns regarding the ALIVE Program's implementation was determined to be the meta-theme. Through the use of thematic analysis, seven sub-themes emerged, including: fostering cultural integration through the ALIVE program and collaborative leadership; modifying the program's implementation in diverse school settings; maximizing learning environments for the ALIVE program through strategic leadership; navigating educational challenges in historical and conflicting contexts for the ALIVE program; transforming education for inclusive perspectives in the ALIVE program; educating for inclusive social transformation; and holistic governance for educational equity. This systematic review provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent research, revealing the complex barriers impeding the effectiveness of the ALIVE Program. With the aid of educational psychology practice, the study seeks to provide a thorough knowledge of these issues in order to inspire focused interventions and reforms that will enable the program to be implemented successfully in the Philippines.

Exploration of supervisees’ experiences of a transcultural supervision activity

AimsRegulatory competences for educational psychologists (EPs) state specifications of understanding and acknowledging diversity and transcultural working within practice. This article explores the experiences of four trainee educational psychologists (TEPs) after participating in a Transcultural Supervision activity with their placement supervisors, which aims to promote culturally responsive working.MethodSupervisees’ views were gained through an online questionnaire and analysed using Thematic Analysis. The article explores the supervisee’s experience of the transcultural supervision activity and the impact of it on their cultural awareness and power dynamics within a supervisory relationship.FindingsFour superordinate themes were interpreted in the study, including: engagement, thoughts and feelings, developing cultural awareness and reducing power differential. The paper explores these themes in further detail alongside the subordinate themes constructed, before highlighting implications for educational psychology and supervisory practice.LimitationsLimitations of the research discussed including the sampling method, method of data collection used and the assumption made by the researcher that each participant has a similar understanding of the definitions of culture and power dynamics, limiting exploration of potentially contrasting discourses in practice.ConclusionsOverall, the transcultural supervision activity was reported to be beneficial in improving cultural awareness by supervisees and was also perceived as being influential in supporting power dynamics within new supervisory relationships. This complements previous research exploring the views of supervisors and their experience of the transcultural activity and has potential for further use in EP professional training and practice.

‘Every ending requires us to begin anew’: Endings and beginnings in supervisory relationships

Aim(s)Supervision has been characterised as a ‘signature pedagogy’ in the helping professions and an integral component of pre-service training for applied psychologists. Regulatory and professional standards for trainee and qualified Educational Psychologists (EPs) emphasise engagement in supervision as part of our discipline’s orientation towards learning and growth, as well as in enhancing safety and effectiveness for service users. This paper aims to provide a reflective account of evaluation and endings in supervisory relationships.Method/RationaleThere is an increasing interest in the place of supervision as a core component of lifelong professional learning and development. In contrast to beginnings, the evaluation and ending of supervisory relationships (SR) have received less attention in the literature and can be left unattended to in practice. This may reflect some uncomfortable feelings associated with giving and receiving feedback within professional relationships, as well as the multiple meanings endings may have for supervisee and supervisor. The Relational Model of Supervision for Applied Psychology Practice (RMSAPP) and associated supervisory process in evaluation and endings may support practice in this area. This paper outlines the model’s framework for evaluation and ending, and a reflective account of the ending and beginning of supervisory relationships is provided. The supervisee provided feedback on the SR to the original supervisor and this informed the ending made in that supervisory dyad. The supervisee then established a new SR with a different supervisor and the paper’s reflective accounts are from three perspectives: the supervisee, the former and new supervisors.FindingsA critically reflective account of evaluating, ending and new beginnings between a supervisee and two different supervisors is offered, with attention paid to the power differentials between supervisee and supervisors. The account illustrates some of the meanings made of evaluation, endings and beginnings. The benefits of the approach are highlighted, and some tentative ideas about how further developments could be made included.LimitationsThe meanings derived from the authors’ experiential learning arose within particular SRs and are unique to these relationships.ConclusionsThere are opportunities for development of reflective EP practice in this area, and for further research. The reflective accounts provided may be a stimulus for further reflection on personal and professional development of supervisory practice.

How educational psychologists use cognitive behavioural therapy interventions: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review explored how educational psychologists (EPs) use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions within school settings, with whom and to what effect. The information available on the intervention design and delivery was benchmarked against Fuggle et al.‘s framework that identified CBT competencies required for working with children and young people (CYP). Research into school-based CBT interventions involving EPs between 2013 and 2021 was systematically identified and assessed for quality using quantitative and qualitative frameworks. The aggregative analysis highlighted the heterogeneity of CBT interventions being used to support a range of outcomes. The heterogeneity of interventions made it difficult to draw decisive conclusions about the impact of CBT. Although intervention impact varied, overall a positive impact was observed particularly for CYP with anxiety. Benchmarking interventions against a CBT framework enabled competency profiling within EP practice, suggesting EPs could potentially work more collaboratively with school staff and parents. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

An exploration of developing the practice of educational psychologists with minority cultural and linguistic populations in England: A dynamic journey of understanding and change

Aim(s)To explore the experiences of educational psychologists (EPs) and support reflection and professional development in their work with minority cultural and linguistic (C&L) populations.RationaleEPs are called on to work according to principles of equality and diversity and inclusion in their support of all children and young people. There has been little exploration of EP practice with minority C&L populations in England. This research aimed to address this gap.MethodA participatory action research (AR) design, comprising four focus groups. Data was analysed inductively and collaboratively with participants.FindingsThe development of practice with minority C&L populations was conceptualised as a dynamic journey of understanding and change. Findings support concepts in the literature including developing cultural self-awareness, skills and knowledge; reflection; taking each case as an individual.Implications: are discussed for developing practice at individual and service level.LimitationsThis research was generated from participatory AR with one educational psychology service (EPS), readers can assess the degree of transferability to other contexts. The inclusive terminology of the research questions may have hindered participants from addressing specific dimensions of cultural difference such as class and race.ConclusionsDrawing on critical race theory and cultural humility a framework is offered for EPs and EPSs to support the on-going process of reflection and practice development with minority C&L populations, and redressing of power imbalances at individual, societal and institutional levels.

The optimization effect of the art course of educational psychology on the anxiety of college students

BackgroundAnxiety is a common mental health problem, especially among college students. Anxiety disorders seriously affect college students’ learning and quality of life and may lead to other mental health problems.Subjects and MethodsEducational psychology is integrated into the music appreciation course of public art education in colleges and universities, and an effective psychological intervention method is sought to optimize the psychological condition of students with anxiety disorders. In the experiment, 50 college students with anxiety disorders were studied, and 25 were treated for three months with art and music appreciation courses integrated with educational psychology. The other 25, as a control group, were treated for three months with a traditional art and music appreciation course.ResultsThe anxiety item of the Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) was used to evaluate the mental health status of the two groups of college students. The higher the score, the more serious the anxiety. The experimental results showed that the pressure of college students in the experimental group was significantly reduced, and their emotions tended to be stable, with a comprehensive score of 11. Some students in the control group still had anxious and impatient behavior, and the total score was 19 points.ConclusionsThe music course of public art education integrated with educational psychology can promote the mental health of college students and relieve anxiety. At the same time, this study provides a new perspective and reference for academic research and practice in educational psychology in universities.

Integrated collaborative education on mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder

BackgroundSocial anxiety disorder is a common psychological disorder, and patients often feel excessive tension and unease in social situations. This mental health issue can have adverse effects on patients’ lives and studies. Therefore, finding effective intervention measures to improve the mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder has important practical value.Subjects and MethodsSome patients with social anxiety disorder from several universities were selected as subjects, and the subjects were divided into an experimental group and a control group. Firstly, a questionnaire survey was used to analyze the psychological characteristics and troubles of the subjects, and then the participants were interfered with by the innovative integration and collaborative education mechanism to improve the mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder through psychological counselling and training. Finally, the intervention effect was evaluated by Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) and 3-Minute Delirium Diagnosis Scale (3D-CAM).ResultsThe results show that the collaborative education mechanism of creative integration has a good improvement effect on the mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder, which can enhance their confidence and help them better cope with social situations. Through psychological counselling and training, the patient’s level of social anxiety has significantly decreased.ConclusionsThe collaborative education mechanism of creative integration can effectively improve the mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder. The combination of educational psychology theory and practice provides effective support and assistance for patients with social anxiety disorder, and also provides good reference for various universities.Acknowledgement2022 Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Undergraduate Education and Teaching Reform Research Project (No. jgzd2022031).

Exploring views of physical restraint in schools: pupil experiences, relationships with staff, and alternative strategies

ABSTRACT Physical restraint is a restrictive practice used in schools, but there are no up-to-date statistics concerning the frequency of its usage in England and there are concerns as to whether it is being used appropriately and effectively. Pupils with special educational needs are more likely to experience physical restraint in school, but opportunities for them to share their views through research are limited. Through semi-structured interviews, four primary-aged pupils from a specialist social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) educational setting shared their experiences of physical restraint, its impact on their relationships with staff members, and alternative strategies. Overall, participants had negative experiences of physical restraint, highlighting that it should be used for safety, but not for minor incidents. All participants identified useful alternative strategies that helped them to feel calmer. The ability to separate negative emotions associated with physical restraint and supporting staff members varied between participants. The findings are discussed in relation to implications for educational psychology practice and future research.

Drawing and talking usage within primary schools: A phenomenological study of practitioners’ experiences

With the increasing awareness of the impact of life experiences upon children and young people’s (CYP) mental health (Vostanis, 2017) together with the suggestion that education systems provide a platform to provide CYP with emotional support (Hobbs et al., 2019), school systems are exploring the usage of therapeutic interventions. This phenomenological study gathered the experiences of five practitioners trained in one art therapy intervention who worked within primary schools to address the research question: ‘What are practitioners experiences of using Drawing and Talking within primary schools?’ Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, consistent with Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach. The researchers‘ analysis generated ten subthemes which were refined under three higher order themes: the value of intervention, challenges, and practitioner construct. Participants reported that this specific art therapy intervention supports children who have experienced trauma by allowing them to explore emotions, providing containment and an opportunity to build positive relationships with the practitioner. Challenges included practical and logistical issues. Further, the practitioners’ construct influenced how they delivered the intervention. This raised wider ethical questions of supervision, consent, the child’s voice and agency. Implications of these issues for the intervention and educational psychology practice are discussed in the report.

Re-examining attachment theory in Educational Psychology: A call for culturally responsive practice

Attachment theory is embedded in Scottish educational policy and practice (Education Scotland, 2017) and is considered an optimal framework for understanding children and young people’s social and emotional development (Furnivall et al., 2012). However, since its first conceptualisation (Bowlby, 1958), cross-cultural scholars have critiqued the theory’s lack of cultural sensitivity. Evidence from cross-cultural research illustrates how attachment theory represents a Western, middle-class perspective, which does not consider the diversity of parenting practices and values across the world (Keller, 2018). This consideration is relevant for the Scottish context given the diversity of cultures present in the country today (Scottish Government, 2020). Subsequently, this article is the product of our learning and experiences as Trainee Educational Psychologists (TEPs). Using cross-cultural literature, as well as our own experiences on placement, we re-examine the underlying assumptions of attachment theory and consider its implications for educational psychology practice. We propose that a culturally responsive lens to attachment theory must be applied in order to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all children and young people.

Delivering the promise: Embedding care experienced young people’s voices into education planning and service design

Educational Psychologists (EPs) play a key role in ‘Keeping the Promise’ by helping to ensure that care experienced children and young people (CECYP) receive all they need to thrive. The Independent Care Review highlighted that transitions can be scary and upsetting for CECYP and Scotland must work to ensure that transitions are limited, relational, planned, and informed. The lived experiences of three care experienced university students in relation to their transition out of high school in Scotland, were explored through semi-structured interviews using the online platform Microsoft Teams. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 2009) was used to identify themes. The key themes of ‘feeling a lack of control’ and ‘ambitions stuck in the side-lines’ highlighted that damaging stereotypes, organisational pressures, and feeling voiceless, were all barriers to a positive transition out of high school for the participants. The research findings are discussed in relation to the foundation of ‘Voice’, as outlined in The Promise Scotland. Implications for EP practice are discussed both in relation to the transition out of high school and into university for CECYP, but also with a broader lens of embedding CECYP’s views into educational practice.

Partnership working between educational psychology services and the virtual school

The education of care-experienced children and young people (CE CYP) has long been a focus for policy and legislation given the disparity in outcomes for this group of children in comparison to their peers. Following on from its conception in England, the Virtual School (VS) model has expanded across Scottish local authorities (LAs). This project looks to explore the views and experiences of Educational Psychologists (EPs) in one Local Authority (LA X) with a particular focus on partnership working. The implications of these findings have been discussed in relation to EP practice with suggestions for next steps.

Exploring risk and protective factors in kinship family environments: a systematic literature review of the views of children in kinship care

ABSTRACT Kinship care is care provided by members of a child’s extended family or friend network when they can no longer live with their parents. Kinship care is the most prevalent form of out-of-home care, both internationally and in the UK. Little is known about kinship care from the perspectives of children and specifically, the risk and protective factors which may be at play. To explore this gap, this systematic literature review appraised and synthesised qualitative research that gives voice to children’s experiences of kinship care. Twenty eligible studies were assessed for quality and relevance. A thematic synthesis of the studies’ findings was undertaken, and themes suggesting risk and protective factors for children in kinship care were generated. The theorised risk and protective factors for children in kinship care are presented. Implications of the findings for educational psychology (EP) practice are discussed and the need for further research identified.

Exploring social justice principles within an educational psychology service

ABSTRACT With an increasingly diverse UK population and differences in outcomes and experiences, educational psychologists (EPs) need actively to adhere to and promote principles of equality and equity. Although there is limited engagement with social justice issues in the professional and ethical guidelines in the UK, there has been a growing body of research exploring socially just EP practice. This small scale exploratory research aimed to add to the UK literature by investigating how social justice principles can be developed within one educational psychology service (EPS). Findings indicate that social justice is defined as a cyclical process. A model has been produced to conceptualise social justice in EP practice which illustrates the importance of understanding how it is defined, and how this impacts EP work with clients and the EP team. Safe spaces and supportive leadership are highlighted as key to enabling reflection; and relationships and sharing information to promote systems-level change are highlighted. Limitations of the research and implications for practice are considered.

Developing teachers’ capacity to support students’ assessment experiences: An exploratory participatory action research project in collaboration with high school students

ABSTRACT Involving young people in the co-production of whole-school wellbeing strategies is aligned with the United Nations rights of the child and current UK legislation. This exploratory participatory action research (PAR) project aimed to facilitate teacher-student collaboration in one high school to develop whole-school practice with a focus on assessment. Training videos were co-created focusing on students’ assessment experiences and ways to improve wellbeing and performance. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data identified key facilitators and challenges to the PAR process, alongside insights into students’ assessment experiences. The paper concludes that PAR has the potential to empower young people and open channels of communication between students and teachers. Implications for educational psychology (EP) practice and future research are discussed.

Enriching the educational psychologist’s researcher identity and role in collaborative research: A cultural-historical activity theory perspective

Aims and rationaleWithin the profession of educational psychology (EP), debates on the extent of EP research activity in the UK continue. Indeed, there may be a disconnection between the spectrum of EP research activity, its publication and its acknowledgement in academic and policy output. However, the focus of this article is not to elaborate upon this further but rather to consider the educational psychologist’s research identity. Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as an analytical and theoretical framework has been explored in EP practice (Leadbetter, 2017) but is instead presented here for the enrichment of EP research identity and skills, and to develop a more nuanced understanding of collaborative research.FindingsThe complexity of the nature of enquiry that underpins EP practice and systemic change processes is complimentary to the socio-cultural and historical factors in national EP practice.ConclusionsFurthermore, to bridge disconnects between academic and practitioner research, it is proposed that EP research identity can also be enhanced by locating this in the academic discourse of inter-disciplinary and collaborative research.