Positive narratives: the stories young people with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) tell about their futures

Article


Tellis-James, Charlie and Fox, M. 2016. Positive narratives: the stories young people with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) tell about their futures. Educational Psychology in Practice. 32 (4), pp. 327-342. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2016.1175338
AuthorsTellis-James, Charlie and Fox, M.
Abstract

This research drew on positive psychology in order to offer an optimistic way of
conceptualising the lives of young people who are often described as having ‘SEBD’
(Social, emotional, behaviour difficulties), now SEMH (Social, emotional, mental
health) in the new SEND Code of Practice (2014). Positive psychology places emphasis
on: the future, strengths, resources and potential, and suggests that negative
experiences can build positive qualities. A life path tool was used in order to hear the
stories that eight young people tell about themselves in the future. Narrative
Oriented Inquiry (NOI) was used to analyse the themes of potential and growth in their
stories. The young people in this research identified a range of strengths and resources
in their lives that they had built as a result of earlier negative experiences. Their stories
reveal their hopes and aspirations for the future. By giving these young people the
opportunity to tell their stories this research permitted them to focus on where they
were going, rather than where they had been.

JournalEducational Psychology in Practice
Journal citation32 (4), pp. 327-342
ISSN1469-5839
0266-7363
Year2016
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Accepted author manuscript
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2016.1175338
Publication dates
Print18 May 2016
Publication process dates
Deposited07 Jun 2016
Accepted24 Feb 2016
Copyright informationThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Educational Psychology in Practice on 18.05.16, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/02667363.2016.1175338.
LicenseAll rights reserved
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