Visser, Kristal (2015) Homework Talk: A Discursive Psychology Exploration. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to make explicit how homework assignment is interactionally established, understood, negotiated and co-constructed between psychologists and clients. In therapy, homework refers to activities suggested by the psychologist for the client to complete post-consultation that facilitate the application of therapeutic learning to real life. Research has typically focused on homework’s therapeutic value and factors that influence client compliance. Such research has traditionally treated homework assignment as a psychologist’s activity, understood as something the psychologist gives to the client. Such a view ignores homework assignment as an interactional accomplishment that is co-produced by psychologist and client. This means, little research has explored how homework is interactionally accomplished in therapy. Data for the study consisted of two extracts from two therapy consultations between provisionally registered psychologists and clients in which homework assignment occurred. Data was analysed in accordance with Discursive Psychology principles using Conversation Analysis as the analytic technique. It was found that psychologists introduced homework into the consultation by using a segue to create a bridge from preceding talk to the topic of homework. Interactions then proceeded with client and psychologist co-constructing a shared understanding of the homework task. Homework interactions would conclude upon the client providing acceptance of the homework proposal. These findings suggest that homework assignment can best be understood to occur through a joint effort of construction, rather than a passive one-way prescription from psychologist to client. The findings provide a starting point for examining how homework is negotiated between psychologist and client, with further research required to fully explicate the key aspects of a homework assignment interaction. The findings from such studies can be used to formulate new tools and programs that specifically train psychologists on how to assign homework in therapy, producing more highly skilled psychologists.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Andrea Lamont-Mills |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 02 Sep 2025 02:27 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Sep 2025 02:27 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52847 |
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