Unveiling Therapeutic Thinking’s Impact on School Behaviour: A Realist Evaluation

Crooks, Eloise (2024) Unveiling Therapeutic Thinking’s Impact on School Behaviour: A Realist Evaluation. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis comprises three sections: literature review, empirical research, and reflective commentary. The literature review begins by defining school behaviour within the context of this work, followed by a historical overview of societal perspectives and legislative context, with a focus on punitive practices in UK schools. A systematic review of school behaviour initiative evaluations discusses 29 studies, identifying four key characteristics of successful programmes: theoretical underpinnings, a multi-tiered approach, explicit teaching curriculum, and school culture development. The first chapter justifies the necessity for an effective, evidence-informed programme, concluding with the introduction of Therapeutic Thinking as a potential candidate. In the subsequent chapter, a realist evaluation of Therapeutic Thinking looks beyond whether the programme works to discover what about it works, under what circumstances, and for whom. An initial theory, based on available literature, the programme website, and experiential evidence, is refined through qualitative analyses of focus group data from various stakeholders. The research culminates with eight middle-range theories and a final refined programme theory. Findings suggest that Therapeutic Thinking creates a network of complex causal relationships, which can reduce difficult behaviours in schools by the development of a therapeutic culture. Other associated outcomes include effects on staff and student mental health, professional self-esteem, local authority capacity, attendance, sense of belonging, and suspensions and exclusions. Results also show that Therapeutic Thinking is more effective in primary and specialist settings than secondaries, with a proposed explanation relating to differing presence of behaviourist perspectives. The empirical chapter concludes with suggestions for further research and practice implications. Lastly, the reflective commentary reviews the researcher-practitioner journey from design to dissemination, detailing personal and professional development with implications for future research and practice.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2025 10:22
Last Modified:	15 Jan 2025 10:22
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/98204
DOI:

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