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Developing reflexivity in systemic family therapy training: The experience of
trainees
Thesis · September 2015
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Dimitra Givropoulou
University of Thessaly
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Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MEd in
Adult Education
Hellenic Open University
September 2015
Title: Developing reflexivity in systemic family therapy training:
The experience of trainees
Dimitra Givropoulou
Supervisor A:
Supervisor B:
Eleftheria Tseliou
Nikolaos Makris
Abstract
Current developments in the field of systemic family therapy support the requirement
of therapist’s reflexivity. However, research investigating the actual processes involved
in the development of trainees’ reflexivity is scarce. At the same time, family therapy
training research has only recently acknowledged the perspective of trainees, partly due
to influences related to the field of adult education. The aim of the study was to explore
the experience of trainee systemic family therapists while developing their reflexive
abilities, in order to identify pertinent educational processes and their contribution. The
participants, ten third-year systemic family therapy trainees, were attending a training
programme which included reflexive processes among its teaching procedures.
Transcripts of semi-structured interviews and written reports were analyzed using
interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four super-ordinate themes emerged:
“Moving between reflexive processes”, “Developing reflexivity through challenges and
rewards”, “A conditional reflexive space within the training group”, and “Self and
reflexive processes: Encountering the dynamics of identity”. The results of the study
shed some light on the empirical aspects of reflexivity, which is broadly discussed at
the conceptual level. Therefore, the findings could serve to draw connections between
the conceptual and the empirical level and to broaden our knowledge base regarding
the effective support of trainees towards developing reflexivity.
Key words: reflexivity, systemic psychotherapy training, systemic family therapy, adult
education, trainees, interpretative phenomenological analysis
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