Experience of clinical psychology trainees working with older adults
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The experience of trainee clinical psychologists working with older adults on placement
IRAS ID
225030
Contact name
SJ (Ash) Summers
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Psychologists have been described as reluctant to work in older adult mental health services. Whilst this is an issue in its own right it becomes more problematic given an ever- increasing aging population. Research suggests ageist attitudes, fear of death and increased hopelessness as key reasons for psychologist recruitment difficulties within older adult teams. Research would suggest working with older adults leaves psychologists burned out, fearing their own mortality and feeling unable to make positive therapeutic change with the client group; however studies have used scales that have measured these constructs specifically rather than take a more data-driven approach. \n\tIn an attempt to better understand the experiences of working psychologically with older adults, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with trainee clinical psychologists (policy suggesting it is the initial recruitment into newly-qualified posts that is problematic). Interview transcripts will be analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to enable the identification of themes and to gain a better understanding of working as a trainee with the older adult age group.\n
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SW/0109
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion