Deliberate Practice (DP) is widely associated with positive outcomes in skill-based contexts, prompting an investigation into its role in psychotherapists' management of challenging therapy...Show moreDeliberate Practice (DP) is widely associated with positive outcomes in skill-based contexts, prompting an investigation into its role in psychotherapists' management of challenging therapy scenarios for possible future implications into therapist training. This study delves into the intricacies of challenging therapy situations as recounted by psychotherapists and examines the influence of Deliberate Practice (DP) on the themes of these situations and therapists' sentiments. A total of 254 participants engaged in the study via an online survey, facilitated by various psychotherapy organizations, each representing different therapeutic frameworks. The survey, utilizing a mixed-methods approach, encompassed closed and open-ended questions. Participants DP levels were assessed using the Deliberate Practice Scale, while thematic analysis provided a rich comprehension of the qualitative data. The results indicate that there is no relationship between the number of hours a participant spent in DP and the themes they describe as challenging. Next to this, a relationship between confidence and number of hours in DP was found. The nature of the relationship revealed that the more hours a participant spent in DP, the less confident they were. Participants regardless of their DP engagement, described similar themes as challenging. However, a negative relationship between confidence and DP hours surfaced, prompting speculation about potential explanations such as impostor syndrome, burnout, and perfectionism. This correlation underscores the complexity of psychotherapists' experiences and asks for further in-depth exploration.Show less
Language learning has been a widely researched topic for many years. Most research that has been done on language learning focuses on the impact of external factors on language proficiency. However...Show moreLanguage learning has been a widely researched topic for many years. Most research that has been done on language learning focuses on the impact of external factors on language proficiency. However, no research has been done on the personal experiences of language learners and how these learners perceived these influences during this process. Therefore, this thesis researched the perceived impact of external influences on learners of English in the Netherlands, focusing on the perceived influences of education, engagement with media and participants’ own added perceived influences. This information can be helpful for educators and learners alike. The perceived impact of external influences was investigated with a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews using deductive and inductive coding. This study recruited recently graduated participants (1-4 years post-graduation) with different educational tracks. The interviews showed that Dutch participants with English as their second language (L2) perceived primary education to be of no influence because the participants received so little training during their primary education. Secondary education was perceived as incredibly helpful; additionally, it was perceived as rather boring. The influence of tertiary education depended on the subject of the degree rather than the participants' education level. Media engagement was perceived as a helpful tool that could add extra context and input to the training received during education. Negative influences of engaging with media pertained to content being generally addictive and desensitising to the real world. Media was also perceived as untrustworthy concerning the correctness of the language that is produced online. The oral proficiency of the 3 participants was also investigated by deductive coding of the transcripts using Communication Strategies (CS. These results were compared with the self-reports on their speaking abilities. This revealed that participants had a surprisingly accurate view of their speaking skills.Show less
