Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community

Purpose: This study aimed to explore staff and service users’ perceptions of therapeutic principles within a unique male high secure learning disability therapeutic community (LDTC). Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was adopted using deductive content analysis and inductive thema...

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Main Authors: Capone, Georgina, Braham, Louise, Schroder, Thomas, Moghaddam, Nima
Format: Article
Published: Emerald 2017
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43305/
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author Capone, Georgina
Braham, Louise
Schroder, Thomas
Moghaddam, Nima
author_facet Capone, Georgina
Braham, Louise
Schroder, Thomas
Moghaddam, Nima
author_sort Capone, Georgina
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose: This study aimed to explore staff and service users’ perceptions of therapeutic principles within a unique male high secure learning disability therapeutic community (LDTC). Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was adopted using deductive content analysis and inductive thematic analysis. Twelve participants took part in a semi-structured interview to explore their perceptions of Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles and any further additional therapeutic features in the environment not captured by the theory. Findings: All five quintessence principles were identified in the LDTC environment. Some limits to the principle of ‘agency’ were highlighted, with specific reference to difficulties implementing a flattened hierarchy in a forensic setting. Additional therapeutic features were identified including; security and risk, responsivity, and more physical freedom which appear to aid implementation of the quintessence principles. Research limitations/implications: The study was performed within a single case study design. Therefore results remain specific to this LDTC. However, the finding of these principles in such a unique setting may indicate Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles are evident in other TC environments. Originality/value: This is the first research paper that has attempted to test whether Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles are evident within a given therapeutic community. The research provides empirical evidence for the quintessence principles in a novel TC setting and suggests recommendations for future research.
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spelling nottingham-433052020-05-04T18:47:19Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43305/ Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community Capone, Georgina Braham, Louise Schroder, Thomas Moghaddam, Nima Purpose: This study aimed to explore staff and service users’ perceptions of therapeutic principles within a unique male high secure learning disability therapeutic community (LDTC). Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was adopted using deductive content analysis and inductive thematic analysis. Twelve participants took part in a semi-structured interview to explore their perceptions of Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles and any further additional therapeutic features in the environment not captured by the theory. Findings: All five quintessence principles were identified in the LDTC environment. Some limits to the principle of ‘agency’ were highlighted, with specific reference to difficulties implementing a flattened hierarchy in a forensic setting. Additional therapeutic features were identified including; security and risk, responsivity, and more physical freedom which appear to aid implementation of the quintessence principles. Research limitations/implications: The study was performed within a single case study design. Therefore results remain specific to this LDTC. However, the finding of these principles in such a unique setting may indicate Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles are evident in other TC environments. Originality/value: This is the first research paper that has attempted to test whether Haigh’s (2013) quintessence principles are evident within a given therapeutic community. The research provides empirical evidence for the quintessence principles in a novel TC setting and suggests recommendations for future research. Emerald 2017-05-30 Article PeerReviewed Capone, Georgina, Braham, Louise, Schroder, Thomas and Moghaddam, Nima (2017) Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community. Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, 38 (2). ISSN 0964-1866 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/TC-02-2017-0009 doi:10.1108/TC-02-2017-0009 doi:10.1108/TC-02-2017-0009
spellingShingle Capone, Georgina
Braham, Louise
Schroder, Thomas
Moghaddam, Nima
Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title_full Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title_fullStr Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title_full_unstemmed Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title_short Perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
title_sort perceptions of therapeutic principles in a therapeutic community
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43305/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43305/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43305/