Use of Interviews in Clinical Psychology

Question 1

Study name

Answer 1

Vallentine et al (2010)

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

Investigated usefulness of psycho educational maternal as part of group work for patients in a high-security psychiatric hospital
(Give them insight into their condition to help manage ad cope with condition)

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

42 male patients referred to ‘Understanding Mental Illness (UMI)’ Psycho-educational group
Needed to be able to gain insight and learn about condition and not know about their condition
80% schizophrenic, schizotypical and delusional disorder
4 20 session over 3 years (in smaller groups)

Question 4

What were they assessed USING pre and post group

Answer 4

Clinical outcomes in routine evaluation (CORE-OM)
Self-concept questionnaire (SCQ)
Semi-structured interviews

Question 5

what did each of these quantitative methods assess them on

Answer 5

CORE-OM = subjective well-being, problems/symptoms, social/life functioning, risk to others
SCQ = self esteem

Question 6

What did the qualitative interviews assess

Answer 6

experiences of group
Identified themes using content analysis

Question 7

What inter rate reliability did the find

Answer 7

60% (very high)

Question 8

Findings for those who completed vs didnt

Answer 8

Non-completers vs completers showed no significant difference so you did not have to attend the full session to improve

Question 9

Findings of quantitative methods

Answer 9

CORE-OM = participants significantly improved
But only 1 participant showed gradual increase (got better each session, others were “up and down”)

SCQ = >50% reported improved self esteem but some showed negative shift (self esteem got worse)

Question 10

4 main categories of the interview

Answer 10

What participants faced and why
What was helpful about group
Clinical implications identified by patients
What was difficult/unhelpful

Question 11

Conclusions

Answer 11

Quantitative data found maybe it isn’t for the best as so many participants found negative changes and only 1 had gradual improvement
Qualitative = patients did value sense of hope and empowerment provided

Question 12

Evaluation

Answer 12

+ Construct validity = quantitative showed it was negative but qualitative interview showed how patients really felt about sessions and they enjoyed them
+ Inter rater reliability 60% but is still low
- Reliability = semi structured good at gathering but if repeated results may vary and others may not enjoy it