Is psionic focus itself actually psionic, or magical?

Question

Expanded Psionics Handbook introduced a new use of the Concentration skill to gain psionic focus, which can then be expended in order to “take 15” on a future Concentration check. Various psionic feats and class features function only while focused, or require you expend that focus in order to activate some effect.

Importantly, only characters who have at least 1 power point available can gain psionic focus.

Is psionic focus—either gaining it, maintaining it, or expending it—inherently “psionic,” that is, suppressed by null psionics field?

The descriptions in Expanded Psionics Handbook for neither gaining psionic focus nor null psionics field, but Complete Psionic included a lot of really dumb stealth changes to psionics, so it’s difficult for me to rule out anything being found there. Psionic feats, which are some of the most significant sources of things powered by psionic focus, are explicitly supernatural, for example, but for the purposes of this question I am curious about other things that aren’t so explicit, such as basic the “expend focus to take 15” effect.

Answer 1

Having scoured the Expanded Psionics Handbook, searching for "psionically", "null psionic", "focus", "antimagic", and (painstakingly) "power point", and having run a similar search in Complete Psionic (for only "focus"), examining all the text in the passages surrounding each, we're confident in saying that:

There is nothing (other than the power point requirement) to imply that psionic focus, and the action taken to gain it, are more than the effects of a Concentration check (a skill often called for in magic, but with a core non-magical use as well; performing actions that provoke attacks of opportunity in stressful conditions).

A character in a null psionics field might not be able to use supernatural abilities, psi-like abilities, or powers, but the null psionics field power description does nothing to say a creature that enters it has no power points while they're inside.

This is not to say that a creature doesn't lose the effects of the Psionic Talent feat (a psionic feat, thus a supernatural ability) while in a null psionics field; such a creature might have a reduced power point reserve as a result of that power, and lose the ability to gain or maintain her psionic focus.

Answer 2

Merely holding a reservoir of psionic power points in mind gives psionic characters a special energy. Psionic characters can put that energy to work without actually paying a power point cost — they can become psionically focused as a special use of the Concentration skill.

While the quoted line doesn't directly answer your question, to me, it is enough to say "Yes, psionic focus is actually psionic (i.e. magical, as psionics is a form of magic)". It is a manipulation with magical energy to gain some tangible benefit. Magical energy shouldn't be able to affect you (make you better at concentration checks at least) in a null psionics field.