Virginia Eatough - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Virginia Eatough
Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of 14 students who received one-toone coach... more Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of 14 students who received one-toone coaching over one or two years, we formulated a list of eight tensions which the undergraduates experienced at university. These have been expounded in the Eight Tensions Framework, which is a roadmap for coaches and their student clients, for whom coaching at university may be unchartered terrain. The use of tensions highlights how it is not unusual for life to be fraught with tensions. The position taken on them will vary according to which areas of life they are applied, when they are applied over the undergraduates' degree and how the individual changes. Examples from the data are given to show how these tensions manifested for the students in our sample. Detailed strategies, techniques and examples of how the tensions might be applied in coaching sessions are given, including using them in scaling and 'wheel of life' exercises. The transferability of the model to other student populations is discussed. Finally, we highlight links between the Eight Tensions Framework and existential psychology.
Objectives: This paper examines the experience of nine undergraduates who had six coaching sessio... more Objectives: This paper examines the experience of nine undergraduates who had six coaching sessions over an academic year. It is part of a wider study which explores how young people experience and understand personal growth in the context of university life. Design: A qualitative, longitudinal design was employed and semi-structured interviews were used. The transcribed interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), an experiential approach which focuses on how individuals make sense of a particular experience in a specific context. Methods: A volunteer sample of nine students, across various Arts and Social Science subjects, was recruited in a Russell Group university and each student received six one-to-one professional coaching sessions in person and/or by Skype. Findings: The students felt that the coaching sessions sped up the growth that would have happened eventually and thus they could put into practice what they had learned much earlier than...
Cogent Psychology, 2016
This study reports on the experience of shame while learning an evidencebased approach to working... more This study reports on the experience of shame while learning an evidencebased approach to working with couples or families. Couple and family therapists were interviewed about their experience with learning and using an evidence-based practice (EBP) and the data was analyzed using a phenomenological approach called interpretative phenomenological analysis. The theme of shame emerged from a number of research participants as part of their development with the EBP they were integrating into their practice. Starting with an exploration of the participants' experiences and the impact of shame, the paper will then link these experiences with the psychological and sociological research literature about shame.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
In a neurofeedback paradigm, trainees learn to willfully control their brain dynamics. How this i... more In a neurofeedback paradigm, trainees learn to willfully control their brain dynamics. How this is realized remains an open question. We evaluate the hypothesis that learning success is associated with a specific phenomenology. To address this proposal, we combined quantitative and qualitative analyses of a short neurofeedback training (NFT) session during which participants enhanced mid-frontal alpha power and were then subsequently interviewed about their experiences. We analyzed the electrophysiological data to determine learning success and classify trainees as learners and non-learners. The subjective experiences differed between the two groups and are best described along a trying-sensing continuum, with non-learners engaging effortfully with the task (e.g., "I will it [the bar] to move") whereas learners reported more sensing of their inner (e.g., "Something inside my stomach") and outer environment (e.g., "I was aware of the sound of the beeps"). In the process of piloting this mixed-method approach, we developed a classification system for the verbal reports. This system provides an explicit analytic framework which might guide future studies that aim to investigate the association between subjective experiences and NFT protocols.
Gezinstherapie Wereldwijd
Phenomenology & Practice
Preliminary existential hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of data based on 24 protocols, and ... more Preliminary existential hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of data based on 24 protocols, and our own reflexive discussion, reveals how “kindred spirit connections” manifest in myriad elusive, evocative ways. These special connections are experienced variously from briefly felt moments of friendship to enduringly profound body-soul love connections. This paper explicates five intertwined dimensions: shared bonding; the mutual exchange and affirmation of fellowship; the destined meeting or relationship; immediate bodily-felt attraction; and the pervasive presence of love. A wide ranging literature around the theme of love is outlined and the concept of kindred spirit is briefly applied to the psychotherapy practice context.
British journal of health psychology, May 22, 2018
Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting young people and carries an excellent ... more Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting young people and carries an excellent prognosis. Little is known about the psychosocial issues that face young people diagnosed with a treatable cancer. This study explored how young people experienced diagnosis, treatment, and how they made sense of an experience which challenged their views on what it means to have cancer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight young people diagnosed with either papillary or follicular thyroid cancer, and analysed with interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two inter-related aspects of their experience are discussed: (1) the range of feelings and emotions experienced including feeling disregarded, vulnerability, shock and isolation; (2) how they made sense of and ascribed meaning to their experience in the light of the unique nature of their cancer. A thread running throughout the findings highlights that this was a disruptive biographical experience. Young people ex...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy
This research concerns itself with the experiences of couple and family therapists (CFT) learning... more This research concerns itself with the experiences of couple and family therapists (CFT) learning about and using an evidence-based practice. The engagement with evidence-based practice is growing across many aspects of the mental health and health care systems. The evidence-based practice model is now being applied in a broad range of health and human service systems, including mental and behavioral health care, social work, education, and criminal justice (Hunsley, 2007). The dialogue about the role of evidence-based approaches in the practice of couple and family therapy and research literature about same is also evolving (Sexton et al., 2011; Sprenkle 2012). Interestingly, while the research delves into what are the best approaches with different populations and presenting issues, little research has explored the experience of CFTs themselves, particularly while learning and adopting an evidence-based practice. Using a phenomenological approach called interpretive phenomenological analysis
The Humanistic Psychologist
Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID, Jan 19, 2016
An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young ad... more An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young adults (aged 19-32 years) was motivated by a dearth of research in this area (McKnight, PsyPAG Quarterly, 94, 2015, 10). Five fathers participated in semi-structured interviews which were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method, and Research. London: Sage). The final thematic structure comprises four inter-related themes. They demonstrate a high degree of concern for children's well-being; the joy adult children confers on their father's lives as well as the difficulties men experience in response to the limited opportunities available to their offspring. Importantly findings also illustrate the way in which men struggle to contend with painful emotions. Societal conceptions of masculinity, fatherhood and disability necessarily influence the way fathers experience the world (Yar...
British journal of health psychology, 2017
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a form of biotechnological surgery which has had considerable suc... more Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a form of biotechnological surgery which has had considerable success for the motor improvement of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Paradoxically, this observed motor improvement is not matched with improved psychosocial adjustment. This study contributes to a small but growing body of research aiming to understand this paradox. We conclude by discussing these aspects from a phenomenological and health psychology understanding of decision-making, human affectivity, and embodiment. A hermeneutic phenomenological case study. Semi-structured interviews with one woman with Parkinson's disease were carried out paying particular attention to (1) how the decision to have the procedure was made and (2) the affective experience in the time periods immediately prior to the procedure, shortly after and 1 month later. The thematic structure derived from the hermeneutic phenomenological analysis comprises the following experiential aspects: Makin...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 14780880903121491, Jul 1, 2010
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
British Journal of Social Psychology, Oct 1, 1997
Aggressive Behavior, 2002
This paper reports tests of the factor structure of the original and Revised Expagg scales using ... more This paper reports tests of the factor structure of the original and Revised Expagg scales using a confirmatory factor analytic approach. Current evidence regarding the dimensionality of the Expagg scale [Campbell A et al. 1992. Aggr Behav 18:95108] proposes that the scale ...
Psychology Health, Feb 1, 2007
What are the lived experiences of an individual with a chronic degenerative disorder? The aim of ... more What are the lived experiences of an individual with a chronic degenerative disorder? The aim of this study is to address this question by exploring one individual's personal experience of living with Parkinson's disease. The study reports data from semi-structured interviews with a female participant which was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Analysis established two super-ordinate themes which are described here. The first theme provides a detailed picture of the day to day ...
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2016
depression was caused by something inside them. Adolescents' causal beliefs are likely to have im... more depression was caused by something inside them. Adolescents' causal beliefs are likely to have implications for the way they seek help and engage in treatment, making it important to understand how adolescents understand their difficulties.
J Health Psychol, 2008
There has been little research into the impact of Juvenile Huntington&amp... more There has been little research into the impact of Juvenile Huntington's Disease (JHD) on the family, and the issues facing this group are poorly understood. The study reported here is part of larger project that aimed to address this. Ten semi-structured interviews with the main carer were carried out, and were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This article reports three themes arising from the study relating to the psychosocial impact of JHD on the family: (1) dealing with something so different; (2) lack of understanding (3) isolation. This information is useful in developing appropriate services for families affected by JHD, as well as being of relevance to other childhood conditions.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10683160802516273, Feb 9, 2010
To cite this Article Aresti, Andreas, Eatough, Virginia and Brooks-Gordon, Belinda(2010) 'Doing t... more To cite this Article Aresti, Andreas, Eatough, Virginia and Brooks-Gordon, Belinda(2010) 'Doing time after time: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of reformed ex-prisoners' experiences of self-change, identity and career opportunities', Psychology, Crime & Law, 16: 3, 169-190 To link to this Article:
Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of 14 students who received one-toone coach... more Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of 14 students who received one-toone coaching over one or two years, we formulated a list of eight tensions which the undergraduates experienced at university. These have been expounded in the Eight Tensions Framework, which is a roadmap for coaches and their student clients, for whom coaching at university may be unchartered terrain. The use of tensions highlights how it is not unusual for life to be fraught with tensions. The position taken on them will vary according to which areas of life they are applied, when they are applied over the undergraduates' degree and how the individual changes. Examples from the data are given to show how these tensions manifested for the students in our sample. Detailed strategies, techniques and examples of how the tensions might be applied in coaching sessions are given, including using them in scaling and 'wheel of life' exercises. The transferability of the model to other student populations is discussed. Finally, we highlight links between the Eight Tensions Framework and existential psychology.
Objectives: This paper examines the experience of nine undergraduates who had six coaching sessio... more Objectives: This paper examines the experience of nine undergraduates who had six coaching sessions over an academic year. It is part of a wider study which explores how young people experience and understand personal growth in the context of university life. Design: A qualitative, longitudinal design was employed and semi-structured interviews were used. The transcribed interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), an experiential approach which focuses on how individuals make sense of a particular experience in a specific context. Methods: A volunteer sample of nine students, across various Arts and Social Science subjects, was recruited in a Russell Group university and each student received six one-to-one professional coaching sessions in person and/or by Skype. Findings: The students felt that the coaching sessions sped up the growth that would have happened eventually and thus they could put into practice what they had learned much earlier than...
Cogent Psychology, 2016
This study reports on the experience of shame while learning an evidencebased approach to working... more This study reports on the experience of shame while learning an evidencebased approach to working with couples or families. Couple and family therapists were interviewed about their experience with learning and using an evidence-based practice (EBP) and the data was analyzed using a phenomenological approach called interpretative phenomenological analysis. The theme of shame emerged from a number of research participants as part of their development with the EBP they were integrating into their practice. Starting with an exploration of the participants' experiences and the impact of shame, the paper will then link these experiences with the psychological and sociological research literature about shame.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
In a neurofeedback paradigm, trainees learn to willfully control their brain dynamics. How this i... more In a neurofeedback paradigm, trainees learn to willfully control their brain dynamics. How this is realized remains an open question. We evaluate the hypothesis that learning success is associated with a specific phenomenology. To address this proposal, we combined quantitative and qualitative analyses of a short neurofeedback training (NFT) session during which participants enhanced mid-frontal alpha power and were then subsequently interviewed about their experiences. We analyzed the electrophysiological data to determine learning success and classify trainees as learners and non-learners. The subjective experiences differed between the two groups and are best described along a trying-sensing continuum, with non-learners engaging effortfully with the task (e.g., "I will it [the bar] to move") whereas learners reported more sensing of their inner (e.g., "Something inside my stomach") and outer environment (e.g., "I was aware of the sound of the beeps"). In the process of piloting this mixed-method approach, we developed a classification system for the verbal reports. This system provides an explicit analytic framework which might guide future studies that aim to investigate the association between subjective experiences and NFT protocols.
Gezinstherapie Wereldwijd
Phenomenology & Practice
Preliminary existential hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of data based on 24 protocols, and ... more Preliminary existential hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of data based on 24 protocols, and our own reflexive discussion, reveals how “kindred spirit connections” manifest in myriad elusive, evocative ways. These special connections are experienced variously from briefly felt moments of friendship to enduringly profound body-soul love connections. This paper explicates five intertwined dimensions: shared bonding; the mutual exchange and affirmation of fellowship; the destined meeting or relationship; immediate bodily-felt attraction; and the pervasive presence of love. A wide ranging literature around the theme of love is outlined and the concept of kindred spirit is briefly applied to the psychotherapy practice context.
British journal of health psychology, May 22, 2018
Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting young people and carries an excellent ... more Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting young people and carries an excellent prognosis. Little is known about the psychosocial issues that face young people diagnosed with a treatable cancer. This study explored how young people experienced diagnosis, treatment, and how they made sense of an experience which challenged their views on what it means to have cancer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight young people diagnosed with either papillary or follicular thyroid cancer, and analysed with interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two inter-related aspects of their experience are discussed: (1) the range of feelings and emotions experienced including feeling disregarded, vulnerability, shock and isolation; (2) how they made sense of and ascribed meaning to their experience in the light of the unique nature of their cancer. A thread running throughout the findings highlights that this was a disruptive biographical experience. Young people ex...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy
This research concerns itself with the experiences of couple and family therapists (CFT) learning... more This research concerns itself with the experiences of couple and family therapists (CFT) learning about and using an evidence-based practice. The engagement with evidence-based practice is growing across many aspects of the mental health and health care systems. The evidence-based practice model is now being applied in a broad range of health and human service systems, including mental and behavioral health care, social work, education, and criminal justice (Hunsley, 2007). The dialogue about the role of evidence-based approaches in the practice of couple and family therapy and research literature about same is also evolving (Sexton et al., 2011; Sprenkle 2012). Interestingly, while the research delves into what are the best approaches with different populations and presenting issues, little research has explored the experience of CFTs themselves, particularly while learning and adopting an evidence-based practice. Using a phenomenological approach called interpretive phenomenological analysis
The Humanistic Psychologist
Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID, Jan 19, 2016
An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young ad... more An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young adults (aged 19-32 years) was motivated by a dearth of research in this area (McKnight, PsyPAG Quarterly, 94, 2015, 10). Five fathers participated in semi-structured interviews which were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method, and Research. London: Sage). The final thematic structure comprises four inter-related themes. They demonstrate a high degree of concern for children's well-being; the joy adult children confers on their father's lives as well as the difficulties men experience in response to the limited opportunities available to their offspring. Importantly findings also illustrate the way in which men struggle to contend with painful emotions. Societal conceptions of masculinity, fatherhood and disability necessarily influence the way fathers experience the world (Yar...
British journal of health psychology, 2017
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a form of biotechnological surgery which has had considerable suc... more Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a form of biotechnological surgery which has had considerable success for the motor improvement of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Paradoxically, this observed motor improvement is not matched with improved psychosocial adjustment. This study contributes to a small but growing body of research aiming to understand this paradox. We conclude by discussing these aspects from a phenomenological and health psychology understanding of decision-making, human affectivity, and embodiment. A hermeneutic phenomenological case study. Semi-structured interviews with one woman with Parkinson's disease were carried out paying particular attention to (1) how the decision to have the procedure was made and (2) the affective experience in the time periods immediately prior to the procedure, shortly after and 1 month later. The thematic structure derived from the hermeneutic phenomenological analysis comprises the following experiential aspects: Makin...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 14780880903121491, Jul 1, 2010
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
British Journal of Social Psychology, Oct 1, 1997
Aggressive Behavior, 2002
This paper reports tests of the factor structure of the original and Revised Expagg scales using ... more This paper reports tests of the factor structure of the original and Revised Expagg scales using a confirmatory factor analytic approach. Current evidence regarding the dimensionality of the Expagg scale [Campbell A et al. 1992. Aggr Behav 18:95108] proposes that the scale ...
Psychology Health, Feb 1, 2007
What are the lived experiences of an individual with a chronic degenerative disorder? The aim of ... more What are the lived experiences of an individual with a chronic degenerative disorder? The aim of this study is to address this question by exploring one individual's personal experience of living with Parkinson's disease. The study reports data from semi-structured interviews with a female participant which was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Analysis established two super-ordinate themes which are described here. The first theme provides a detailed picture of the day to day ...
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2016
depression was caused by something inside them. Adolescents' causal beliefs are likely to have im... more depression was caused by something inside them. Adolescents' causal beliefs are likely to have implications for the way they seek help and engage in treatment, making it important to understand how adolescents understand their difficulties.
J Health Psychol, 2008
There has been little research into the impact of Juvenile Huntington&amp... more There has been little research into the impact of Juvenile Huntington's Disease (JHD) on the family, and the issues facing this group are poorly understood. The study reported here is part of larger project that aimed to address this. Ten semi-structured interviews with the main carer were carried out, and were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This article reports three themes arising from the study relating to the psychosocial impact of JHD on the family: (1) dealing with something so different; (2) lack of understanding (3) isolation. This information is useful in developing appropriate services for families affected by JHD, as well as being of relevance to other childhood conditions.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10683160802516273, Feb 9, 2010
To cite this Article Aresti, Andreas, Eatough, Virginia and Brooks-Gordon, Belinda(2010) 'Doing t... more To cite this Article Aresti, Andreas, Eatough, Virginia and Brooks-Gordon, Belinda(2010) 'Doing time after time: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of reformed ex-prisoners' experiences of self-change, identity and career opportunities', Psychology, Crime & Law, 16: 3, 169-190 To link to this Article: