Exploring Educational Psychologists’ views and experiences of the Power Threat Meaning Framework

The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) was developed by Clinical Psychologists Johnstone and Boyle (2018a; 2018b, 2020) as an alternative to the psychiatric diagnostic model.

A small, emerging research base suggests that the PTMF has had utility for practitioners in a range of disciplines. However, little is known about the use of the PTMF by Educational Psychologists (EPs).

The current research took a critical realist and contextualist 'big Q' qualitative approach to explore EPs' views and experiences of using the PTMF.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven EPs and the data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021).

Seven themes were generated: 'context as an underacknowledged cause', 'need for collaboration', 'striving for professional identity', 'the power and influence of EPs is constrained', 'importance of storytelling', 'empowered individuals can be agents of change?' and 'it's easier for individuals to change than systems'.

These themes were organised under two overarching themes: 'it takes a village to raise a child' and 'the individual matters'.

The PTMF was considered to enhance the empowerment and agency of clients and, for practitioners, to promote reflection about the nature and purpose of the EP role and the dilemmas present within it.

While the PTMF facilitated reflection about the systemic causes of clients' problems, it did not consistently lead to a focus on systemic solutions. Implications for these findings have been discussed.