The Trustworthiness of Narrative Analysis (Is This Valid/True Knowledge?)

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THE PRE-CONCERT TALK

This research report will be presented in the form of a musical programme that consists of a preconcert talk, three duets and a conclusion. The pre-concert talk serves as a listening guide to the audience. The use of a composition for the genre of representation was influenced by the fact that my academic career includes training both as a professional musician and as a counselling psychologist and therefore brings together two important themes in the construction of my own identity – that of music and psychology. Composition can be defined as an activity as well as the result of that activity, and is not an exclusively musical term. Applications to prose, poetry, painting, architecture and a variety of other media are common and in all cases it describes a process of construction, a creative putting together, a working out and carrying through of an initial conception or inspiration (Arnold, 1983). This research report will be presented in the form of a musical programme that consists of a pre-concert talk, three duets and a conclusion. The preconcert talk serves as a listening guide to the audience. The use of a composition for the genre of representation was influenced by the fact that my academic career includes training both as a professional musician and as a counselling psychologist and therefore brings together two important themes in the construction of my own identity – that of music and psychology. Composition can be defined as an activity as well as the result of that activity, and is not an exclusively musical term. Applications to prose, poetry, painting, architecture and a variety of other media are common and in all cases it describes a process of construction, a creative putting together, a working out and carrying through of an initial conception or inspiration (Arnold, 1983).

A Qualitative Social Constructionist Inquiry

Research from a qualitative framework makes inquiry in a natural setting possible, in an attempt to make sense of, interpret or create experiences in terms of idiosyncratic meanings that people hold (Creswell, 1994; Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; McLeod, 2001; Mertens, 1998; Parker, 1994). The emphasis of the research process, including data analysis, is therefore on meaning making in context as opposed to the attempt by many quantitative methods to decontextualise data (Gredler, 1996; Parker, 1994).

The Research Process

It is important for me to invite the reader into the research process as Bateson (cited in Harries-Jones, 1995) says that it often requires two studies to present one in qualitative research: one is the results or research report – the official study, and the other is the study about the study that shares with the reader the choices that were made regarding the setting, participants and data management. Bonner (2003) also states that “knowledge that is packaged as a result, without reference to the way procedures and theorising produced that result, is in an alienated relation to that knowledge” (p.5).

Introductory Comment

The reason for using the word counselling and not therapy in this text is that the research setting is a training programme for counsellors. The successful completion of the BPsych programme leads to the registration as counsellor at the HPCSA and this registration category, as explained in chapter 1, differs from the registration category of psychologist, both in duration of project required, practical work requirements as well as in the practice frameworks that are possible after registration. This relates to Wilkins’ (1997) statement that the issue of the difference between counselling and psychotherapy has been the topic of an ongoing debate and usually refers to differences relating to the nature of the work with clients and then, by implication, the training that leads to the qualification.

ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 1 THE PRE-CONCERT TALK
Your Guide to Listening (Part I)
The Researcher as Composer
Academic and Training Background
Composing in a South African Context – The Changing Role of the Psychological
Service Providers in South Africa
Style of Composing
A Qualitative Social Constructionist Inquiry
The Research Process (Part II)
The Purpose of the Study
Creating a Referential Context
Introductory Comment
Position 1 – Narrative Counsellor
Position 2 – Trainer
Position 3: Researcher
A Personal- Experience-Through-Narrative Research Inquiry
Production of Texts
Written Stories
Journals
Visual Projects
Literature
Analysis of Texts
Internal Conditions
External Conditions
Analysis of Written Narratives and Journals
Analysis of Visual Data
Process of Analysis
The Trustworthiness of Narrative Analysis (Is This Valid/True Knowledge?)
Credibility
Correspondence
Coherence
The Pragmatic Use of Research Report
Conclusion
CHAPTER 2 POSITIONING IN LEARNING AND COUNSELLING
Stories in the Literature
Introduction
Postmodernism and Social Constructionism
Postmodernism and Social Constructionism in Psychology
Acknowledging the Constructional Quality of Language Through Narrative and Discourse
Anti-individualism and a Multiversal Human Nature
An Acceptance of the Historical and Cultural Specificity of Truth
Questioning the Objective Science of Psychology Through Self-Reflexive Practices
Postmodernism and Social Constructionism in Education
The Metanarrative of Progress
The Metanarrative of Knowledge Transmission
The Postmodern Turn – The Valuing of Other and Different Accounts of Knowledge
Possibilities and Limitations in Social Constructionism
Five Students’ Stories
Participant: « Challenge » – Externalising Narrative
Story Grid: “Challenge”
Narrative Core
Participant: “A-Thought-Provoking-Alternative” – Externalising Narrative
Story Grid: “A Thought Provoking Alternative”
Narrative Core
Participant: “Snooky” – Externalising Narrative
Story grid: “Snooky”
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Guide” – Externalising Narrative
Story grid: “The Guide”
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Coin” – Externalising Narrative
Story Grid: “The Coin”
Narrative Core
Duet: Training and Counselling as Contexts for Repositioning
Introduction
Positioning in Uncertainty
Repositioning Trainers and Counsellors
Co-Creating Knowledge Through Collaborative Practices
Repositioning Students and Clients
Conclusion
The Writing Story of Chapter 2
A Student’s Reflections on Chapter 2
CHAPTER 3 TRAINING COUNSELLORS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT
Stories in the Literature
Introduction
History of Psychology as Profession in South Africa
The Training of Psychologists and Counsellors
Orientations to the Training of Psychologists: An International Perspective
The Scientist-Practitioner Model
The Professional-Practitioner Model
The Training of Psychologists: A South African Perspective
The Training of Counsellors: An International Perspective
The Training of Counsellors: A South African Perspective
The Purpose of the BPsych Qualification
Specific Outcomes for this Qualification Relevant to this Study
The Professional and Personal Development of Counsellors
Models for Counselling Skills Training: An International Perspective
Models for Counselling Skills Training: A South African Perspective
Life Line
Counselling Skills Training Within the BPsych Programme at the University of Pretoria
Narrative Counselling in the South African Context
Models for Personal Development of Counsellors: An International Perspective
Concluding Remarks
Five Students’ Stories
Participant: “Challenge” – Journal
Story Grid: “Challenge”
Narrative Core
Participant: “A-Thought-Provoking-Alternative” – Journal
Story Grid: “A-Thought-Provoking-Alternative”
Narrative Core
Participant: “Snooky” – Journal
Story Grid: “Snooky”
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Guide” – Journal
Story Grid: “The Guide”
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Coin” – Journal
Story Grid: “The Coin”
Narrative Core
Duet: Narrative Counselling as Training Model for the Personal and Professional
Development of Counsellors
Introduction
Orientation to Training
Personal and Professional Development of Counsellors
15 February: First class/Starting the Conversation
22 February: Deconstructing the I
1 March: Thick and Thin Descriptions
8 March: Externalising the Problem and Tracing the History
15 March: Exploring the Effects of the Problem
12 April: Tracing the History and Exploring the Effects of the Problem (Again)
19 April: Deconstructing Discourses
19 July: Taking Responsibility
26 July: Alternative Stories and Unique Outcomes
2 August: The Thickening of Alternative Stories
16 August: Final Session
The Writing Story of Chapter 3
A Student’s Reflections on Chapter 3
CHAPTER 4 THE CONSTRUCTION OF COUNSELLOR IDENTITY
Stories in the Literature
Introduction
Changing Identities: Moving From Premodern to Postmodern
Postmodern Reflections on the Self
Introduction
Self as a Multilevelled Text
Self as Narration
Construction of Counsellor Identity
Five Students’ Stories
Participant: « Challenge »(Chappie) – Visual Project
Story Grid: “Challenge” (Chappie)
Narrative Core
Participant: « A-Thought-Provoking-Alternative » – Visual Project
Story Grid: “A-Thought-Provoking-Alternative”
Narrative Core
Participant: « Garden of Eden »(Snooky) – Visual Project
Story Grid: “Garden of Eden” (Snooky)
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Guide » – Visual Project
Story Grid: “The Guide”
Narrative Core
Participant: “The Evolution” (The Coin) – Visual Project
Story Grid: “The Evolution” (The Coin)
Narrative Core
Duet: Narratives of Counsellor Identity (Construction in Process)
Introduction
Self as Multilevelled Narration
Narrative 1: Capacity for Uncertainty
Narrative 2: Increased Self-Knowledge
Narrative 3: Self-Reflection
Narrative 4: Growth
Narrative 5: Change and Hope
The Writing Story of Chapter 4
A Student’s Reflections on Chapter 4
CHAPTER 5 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAMME
Introduction
Training Context
An Alignment of Epistemology and Practice
Repositioning in the Trainer/Student Relationship
Language Practices
Process-based Evaluation
A Melody for the Drive Home
REFERENCE LIST