Engaging a family’s support network in non‐violent resistance: the experiences of supporters

Abstract

Non‐violent resistance (NVR) is a systemic approach which aims to build parent agency and a positive support network around children who display destructive behaviour. Supporters play a key role in NVR, but there is limited research on how to engage them in NVR. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the members of a family’s support network on the implementation of NVR. These experiences were then interpreted in line with theories of motivation and change in order to understand how the NVR practitioner and parents can best engage with supporters in future. Eight supporters were interviewed and themes developed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The study analysis found five themes: contemplation, committing to action, looking for change, needing to cope and working within a social context. These are interpreted in line with theories of change and motivation. Clinical recommendations and recommendations for further research are discussed. Practitioner points Practitioners need to consider that taking part in NVR can be experienced by supporters in both positive and negative ways Practitioners may improve supporters’ engagement and motivation in the process by considering areas such as understanding NVR, positive communication and impact on relationships

Staff experiences of using non‐violent resistance in a residential care home for young people with high‐risk behaviours

“…Overall, the findings here suggest that NVR creates a liminal role between professional and parent, and it is interesting that a similar experience of shifting boundaries has been reported by supporters (Hicks et al, 2019). This third space, which challenges normative ideas of best practice, invites further investigation to understand the therapeutic function and personal implications for practitioners and young people alike.…”

“…The challenge of engaging with the wider system is a repeated difficulty (Attwood et al, 2019; Hicks et al, 2019; Jakob, 2018b; Omer et al, 2013). Participants echoed recommendations made elsewhere that all organisations around the young person should be trained in NVR (Van Gink et al, 2017, 2020), which speaks to the tensions of transforming practice in the context of underfunded and fractured services.…”

“…Given this finding, it is perhaps surprising that the ‘reconciliation gestures’, a key process by which caregivers demonstrate their unconditional love (Jakob, 2018a; Omer, 2004), were forgotten by some. Since parents have reported finding ‘reconciliation gestures’ particularly helpful (Hicks et al, 2019), this ‘forgetting’ may point to the complexity of translating NVR into the workplace, where parenthood is consciously constructed and necessarily framed by conditions of employment. Further consideration may therefore need to be given to the meaning of ‘reconciliation gestures’ for professionals and how these are integrated into their NVR practice.…”

How do adoptive mothers make sense of their experiences of using non-violent resistance therapy with their children? An interpretative phenomenological analysis

“…Yet violence in adopted children is a significant problem (DfE, 2014), and the needs of adoptive families are distinct and different from typical foster care in terms of their legal basis, the sense of permanency offered and the statutory support that is provided post-placement (which is less for adoption). Moreover, studies of NVR are dominated by key researchers and therapy developers (see Omer and Lebowitz, 2016) with qualitative explorations limited to case examples and theoretical reviews (Jakob, 2018a;Omer and Dolberger, 2015); one exception is the detailed study of the experience of NVR supporters, which used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) (Hicks, Jakob and Kustner, 2019). The present study aims, therefore, to explore how mothers experienced using an NVR intervention with their children, using a systematic qualitative methodology.…”