Conceptualising Evidence-Based Practice in Educational Psychology

Abstract

This exploratory study describes the variation in how evidence-based practice is understood in educational psychology. The study is comprised of two phases, which were both designed, analysed and interpreted using qualitative methodology. In phase one, twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with educational psychologists from eight services in England. A phenomenographic approach to analysis was applied, resulting in a conceptual framework, representing the variation in understandings of evidence-based practice of a group of educational psychologists. In phase two, two focus groups were conducted with a subset of participants from phase one to elucidate the influence of evidence-based practice on decision-making in practice. A framework approach to thematic analysis showed that practice decisions of educational psychologists are influenced by evidence-based practice according to contextual factors, training and practice experiences and personal characteristics.

This study gives insight as to how educational psychologists experience and account for the role of evidence and evidence-based practice in their practice and informs how evidence-based practice might be conceptualised in educational psychology. The findings suggest that evidence-based practice is grounded on personal, internalised beliefs while being contextualised by the demands of specific circumstances. The findings have implications for providers of educational psychology training in terms of the curriculum for evidence-based practice and associated learning outcomes.