LAUSR

ABSTRACT Objective: Self-reflection is widely recognised as an essential skill for health professionals across the world. Models and accreditation standards highlighting psychology competencies have shared the view that self-reflection sits alongside other competencies such as assessment and intervention. However, there is limited research to date exploring the experience of self-reflection for psychologists, particularly research through a cognitive and metacognitive lens. This study aimed to explore the cognitive and metacognitive processes, and barriers, for psychologists when engaging in self-reflection.Method: Reflexive thematic analysis with a hybrid inductive/deductive approach was used to analyse 12 interviews with psychologists who shared their experience of self-reflection.Results: The analysis identified an overarching theme of interaction between the personal and professional self, and five subthemes of 1) attentive and responsive to cues, 2) personal and contextual barriers to self-reflection, 3) intentionally overcoming barriers, 4) meeting immediate motivations and 5) reflection for learning.Conclusion: This research adds to the current literature on self-reflection, with added depth of understanding through a cognitive and metacognitive lens, and provides evidence for the applicability of elements of existing models of self-reflection to psychologists. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Self-reflection has been recognised as crucial for effective clinical practice across health disciplines, including applied psychology (e.g. Cooper & Weickowski, 2017; Knapp et al. 2017; Prasko et al. 2012). Self-reflection is thought to play a role in the broader professional development of psychologists and interacts with other psychological competencies for continued skill development (Rodolfa et al. 2005). Self-reflection is also believed to facilitate therapy through the development and maintenance of a strong therapeutic relationship (Prasko et al. 2012) and to assist practitioners with navigating clinical decision-making (e.g. Lilienfeld & Basterfield, 2020). What this topic adds: Qualitative interviews and reflexive thematic analysis with a hybrid inductive/deductive approach allowed for rich exploration of self-reflection with psychologists. Psychologists shared that self-reflection is characterised by an intersection of the personal and professional self, and that self-reflection is a useful tool both in immediate practice and for overall personal and professional development. Psychologists described a process of engaging in self-reflection which had considerable overlap withe xisting models of self-reflection, however also discussed personal and contextual barriers and how they overcame these which is not otherwis eencapsulated in the existing models of self-reflection.