An exploratory study investigating the experience of a group of Irish social workers undertaking an applied training in mentalization-based thinking and practice.

This qualitative study explored the potential relevance of mentalization-based theory (MBT) and its corollary reflective functioning (RF) within social work practice. A bespoke MBT-informed psychoeducational programme emphasizing a novel tripartite model, comprising MBT, Attachment Theory and Regulation Theory was delivered in two hourly groups over twelve weeks. In addition to the provision of psychoeducational information, the groups incorporated a Tavistock style Work Discussion Group to support the participants’ applied use of MBT to one of their own cases. The study aimed to explore the participants’ own experience of engaging with and acquiring a working knowledge of mentalization, its relevance, both personally and professionally, as well as garnering any learnings from this first attempt to research the provision of introductory MBT training to a group of social worker practitioners. Nine of the eleven social workers, recruited from a large metropolitan area in Ireland completed the programme. Utilizing a thematic analysis in conjunction with a psychoanalytic lens, the transcriptions of the groups were analyzed within a critical realist world view, using Braun and Clarke’s six-stage model. The case studies were subjected to close scrutiny and reflexive considerations from which three central themes emerged for further analysis. The study advances our knowledge by indicating a strong consensus amongst the participants that MBT was a relevant and beneficial theoretical and practice gyroscope to support the social work task. Participants warmly welcomed the new language and ‘Thinking Tools’ of MBT which supported their ability to conceptualize and articulate a level of complexity of their clients and their own intersubjective process which they had previously struggled to enunciate. This novel tripartite model offers significant potential as a centralizing theoretical and practice framework; as such, it warrants further development and research. Future social work practice development could be beneficially advanced in light of these findings.