# Reputation and Responsibility: A Qualitative Investigation of Parents' Experiences of Open Dialogue School Meetings

## TL;DR

This study explores how parents experienced Open Dialogue meetings in a school setting, finding they improved collaboration but also heightened perceptions of the school's responsibility.

## Contribution

The study presents a novel application of Open Dialogue in a school context and highlights its social implications.

## Key findings

- Open Dialogue meetings fostered closer relationships between schools, parents, and students.
- Meetings amplified parents' expectations and the school's perceived responsibility for student wellbeing.
- Clinicians should consider social attitudes and set expectations to avoid potential issues.

## Abstract

Open Dialogue approaches to family therapy emphasize the voicing of multiple perspectives in a supportive collaborative environment. In a novel application of Open Dialogue, this study explored how parents of students at an Australian independent school experienced Open Dialogue meetings within a school setting. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we analyzed 4 h of audio recordings of three focus groups involving 14 parents. Parents reported that Open Dialogue meetings promoted closer relationships between the school, parents, and students and focused on adapting to the needs of the student. However, Open Dialogue meetings also interacted with parents' expectations and the school's reputation for student wellbeing to amplify parents' perceptions of the school's responsibility. Open Dialogue meetings promoted closer collaborative relationships between parents, students, and staff. Clinicians need to be mindful of broader social attitudes that influence a parent's experience, and to set up appropriate expectations to mitigate potential problems.