Mentalizing processes in psychological therapy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mentalizing processes in psychological therapy: a grounded theory study
IRAS ID
352784
Contact name
Helen Griffiths
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Mentalizing, the ability to make sense of the behaviour of self and others in terms of thoughts, feelings, desires and intentions, is thought to be an essential part of all psychotherapy. Within mentalization-based therapies (MBTs), therapists are thought to use mentalizing skills to establish safe environments in which their patients feel understood and can develop new perspectives on their experiences. However, whilst MBTs provide manuals for therapists on how to do this, how mentalizing processes are used in other psychological therapies remains unclear.
Our qualitative project seeks to incorporate therapist and patient perspectives on these social processes into a co-constructed grounded theory. We aim to develop an understanding of how they occur in the specific environment of psychological therapy carried out by experienced psychological therapists working with clients with complex psychological problems.
We anticipate recruiting up to 12 therapists from NHS Lothian and Lanarkshire, who will each be asked to identify a client participant, although recruitment will be guided by the data as the study progresses. Following informed consent from both parties, therapists will be asked to supply a taped therapy session. Therapists/clients will be interviewed independently about their experience of therapy processes, initially using interview schedules developed with expert therapist collaborators. Questions will be refined over the course of the project to deepen sensitivity to how processes unfold during therapy.
Sessions and interviews will be transcribed verbatim, coded and used to generate theory. Whilst mentalization theory provides an overarching framework for this analysis, the quality assurance processes we will adopt during the study will ensure the analysis remains grounded in the data and allow the researchers to remain open to other emergent social processes that may arise. Research quality will be continuously considered against relevant guidelines, paying particular attention to the researcher's position in relation to the research.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0412
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jul 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion