Clients’ experiences of one-to-one low-intensity interventions for common mental health problems : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Amos, R; Morris, LE; Mansell, W; Edge, D

Abstract

Objectives: Common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are highly
prevalent and carry significant health care and economic burdens. The UK’s improving
access to psychological therapies (IAPT) initiative was developed as a cost-effective way of
reducing the pernicious effects of these disorders. IAPT interventions, such as guided
self-help, have been subjected to considerable quantitative evaluation. However, there
has been minimal investigation into clients’ experiences of the one-to-one low-intensity
interventions (LIIs), which form a key component of IAPT service provision. Qualitative
exploration could provide rich data regarding experiences of psychological change and
factors affecting therapeutic experiences. This will enable informative, client led insights
into how low-intensity therapy can be improved.
Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis of eight semi-structured interviews
was used to develop an idiosyncratic understanding of clients’ experiences of one-to-one
LIIs following entry into a randomized control trial (RCT).
Results: Four superordinate themes were identified from clients’ accounts: goals and
expectations of therapy, beneficial aspects of therapy, non-beneficial aspects of therapy,
and the experience of psychological change. A heuristic model of interrelationships
between factors is proposed.
Conclusions: Both therapeutic techniques and relationships contribute to beneficial
therapeutic experiences. The results reported here can be used to inform practice by
harnessing the most beneficial aspects of therapy, such as developing adaptive therapeutic
approaches to clients’ clinical needs and facilitating idiosyncratic processes of psychological
change. Due to limited qualitative research in this area, further research should be conducted
in different service settings to assess differences and similarities in clients’ experiences.

Citation

Amos, R., Morris, L., Mansell, W., & Edge, D. (2019). Clients’ experiences of one-to-one low-intensity interventions for common mental health problems : an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 92(4), 565-583. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12200

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 16, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Oct 29, 2018
• Publication Date: Nov 15, 2019
• Deposit Date: Mar 14, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 14, 2019
• Journal: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 92
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 565-583
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12200
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12200