City Research Online

Abstract

Various forms of blended digital therapy (BDT) have emerged for psychosis treatment overtime. A recent BDT intervention named ‘SlowMo’ was developed in the United Kingdom for individuals experiencing paranoia (IeP's), diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis.

Psychologists are at the forefront of delivering these interventions and play an important role in their uptake and dissemination. However, psychologists’ subjective experiences of using BDT’s with IeP’s lack the necessary representation in the evidence base. The current study therefore sits within the wider evidence base examining SlowMo and seeks to present an in-depth idiographic analysis of psychologists’ experiences of using BDT with IeP's.

Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this research studied eight clinical psychologists’ experiences of using BDT with IeP's. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews.

The analysis of data revealed three superordinate themes: (1) "Moulded by one's past", (2) "Struggles of co-facilitation with a digital platform", (3) "Achieving respite and enhanced practice". The themes overall portray how psychologists’ professional identity and ethos of practice before BDT impacted their initial views and attitudes toward BDT. Psychologists described an initial struggle in adapting to BDT, and with this, came the initial struggle of managing the triadic relationship in BDT. Psychologists continuously experienced the need to negotiate their autonomy over session facilitation with the digital platform. Overtime, psychologists experienced the numerous meaningful benefits of using BDT with IeP’s, both for self and for IeP. Psychologists organically reflected on their professional development after BDT, having learnt new, unexpected lessons to take into their own routine practice. Implications for practice, supervision, and training programs are emphasised.

Implications for policymakers within the realm of BDT’s and digital therapeutics are also highlighted.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Psychology School of Health & Psychological Sciences > School of Health & Psychological Sciences Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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