How do clinicians from four different psychotherapy services understand the nature and significance of the assessment for psychotherapy with adolescents?

Objectives: This is a small scale study which explores how clinicians from four different psychotherapy services understand the nature and significance of the assessment for psychotherapy with adolescents. It seeks to understand how these services conduct this clinical work, the rationale behind this, as well as the challenges and dilemmas clinicians face. Methods: Semi-structured focus group interviews were held at each of the four participating services. There were a total 7 participants. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Results: The analysis of participants’ understanding of the nature and the significance of the assessment for psychotherapy produced four key themes: ‘task’, ‘the model’, ‘functions’ and ‘the lived experience’. Conclusion: The findings emphasise that clinicians from across the four services understood the nature of the assessment differently. Participants shared similar theoretical understandings; however, there were substantial differences in how this translated into their clinical practice. In particular, clinicians had different understandings of what the task of the assessment is and what the task of treatment is. The research also highlighted that how services conduct assessments is changing due to external pressures such as limited resources. The increased pressures and lengthening waiting lists has led services to adapt, and compromise, their clinical practice. The need for the assessment for psychotherapy to monitor risk and hold adolescents appears to have increased due to lengthening waiting times. These pressures limit the services’ abilities to provide specialised models designed for adolescents. The individual differences between how clinicians think about and approach the assessment for psychotherapy with adolescents is explored in relation to the assessor’s professional identity. Future research is indicated. Keywords: child and adolescent psychotherapy, assessment for psychotherapy, consultation, adolescent, young people, teenage.