Practice to Policy: Clinical Psychologists' Experiences of Macrolevel Work

Many clinical psychologists have ventured beyond therapeutic and assessment roles to undertake public policy work. However, little research has systematically examined clinical psychologists' roles in policy work and the implications of such work for the profession. This qualitative study examined the influences, processes, skills, and knowledge underpinning policy work by clinical psychologists, and the challenges and facilitators encountered. Participants were 37 United Kingdom clinical psychologists, from a broad spectrum of specialties, who had engaged in this work. They were selected by purposive sampling and snowballing to take part in a semistructured interview about their experiences of policy work and social action. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis yielded six themes, grouped into two domains: (a) "getting there," describing participants' professional journeys to policy work, including early influences and career paths; and (b) "being there" describing their experiences of working in this way, the challenges and facilitators in the process, and the skills and knowledge upon which they drew. Clinical psychologists already possess core clinical and research skills that may be adapted to work within broader political systems. However, they need to learn to use their existing skills in a different context, and also acquire some additional skills unique to policy-level work.