Career experiences of doctors of psychology.

Surveyed 184 graduates (mean age 37 yrs) of 9 PsyD programs to determine the professional activities in which they were engaged, satisfaction with careers and graduate training in professional psychology, and public acceptance of the PsyD degree and compared the results with similar data on PhD clinicians. Most Ss were primarily engaged in direct professional services in professional settings. They were generally satisfied with their careers in professional psychology and significantly more satisfied with the graduate training they had received than were clinical psychologists trained in traditional PhD programs. More Ss reported that the PsyD degree was an advantage rather than a disadvantage when competing for jobs with candidates who had other degrees. PsyD Ss were found to be active joiners of professional associations. 91% of PsyD Ss who applied for licensure or certification encountered no difficulty due to their degree. Almost no unfavorable attitudes toward the degree were perceived among clients, employers, or colleagues. It is concluded that fears about perception of the PsyD as a second-rate credential are unfounded. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Objective performance outcomes associated with two approaches to training mental health technicians in milieu and social-learning programs.

Trained 2 groups (N = 28) of nonprofessional Ss, selected from a high unemployment area in the conduct of 2 highly specified institutional treatment programs. Group 1 received sequential training, with the professional staff first conducting academic instruction, followed by on-the-floor practicum. Group 2 received abbreviated academic instruction by the professional staff integrated with clinical observation, followed by on-the-floor practicum supervised by experienced technicians. All Ss were evaluated for 2 6-wk periods of clinical performance, 1 period while still under instructor supervision and 1 period while functioning independently. Goodness of performance was determined from continuous 10-min time samples obtained by trained observers. Although the sequential/professional mode of training had previously been found to be associated with higher academic test performance, the integrated/technical mode of training was found to be associated with better on-the-floor performance. Both groups of Ss performed better on the social-learning than on the milieu program, although goodness of performance was remarkable in both. Goodness of performance was maintained for both groups in both programs after supervision was faded. The relationship of attitudinal differences, academic performance, and civil service ratings with objective performance is discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived competence in supervisory roles: A social cognitive analysis.

Using Bandura's (1997) model of competency development, we evaluated the level and sources of supervisory self-efficacy among experienced Canadian psychology supervisors (N = 155) employed in academic and clinical settings. Multiple-regression analyses showed that a set of 7 measures representing training, experience, context, and aptitude accounted for substantial variance in self-efficacy in the roles of teacher, counselor, and consultant. Unique contributors included directive aptitude (all roles), nurturant aptitude (counselor and consultant roles), and perceived workplace support (teacher role). Implications for supervisory practice and training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists in secondary schools in the 1990s: Current functions, training, and job satisfaction.

Surveyed 173 school psychologists serving secondary schools concerning their current roles and functions, training needs, and general job satisfaction. Results revealed that many school psychologists in secondary schools are providing a wide variety of services, including direct (e.g., counseling) and indirect (e.g., consultation) services. Approximately three-quarters of the Ss reported being satisfied with their work in secondary schools. Job satisfaction was related to increased time spent in intervention-related activities and decreased time spent in psychological assessment activities. Data reflected encouraging findings regarding the scope of school psychological services in secondary settings but also underscored the need for diversified training of school psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Promoting clinical expertise in academic faculty supervisors.

Surveyed 71 training clinic directors at American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs to determine the role of departmental policies in encouraging clinical faculty to maintain and develop their clinical skills. Ss estimated the amount of current clinical faculty involvement in direct service work, the relationship between such involvement and effectiveness at clinical supervision, and the weight given to supervisory skill in departmental promotion and tenure decisions. Supervisory skill was positively related to the supervisor's level of current clinical activity. However, Ss in many programs felt that the quality of supervision was being ignored in tenure and promotion determinations. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using client feedback in psychotherapy training: An analysis of its influence on supervision and counselor self-efficacy.

Tracking client outcome and the therapeutic relationship across treatment (i.e., client feedback) has become a recommended practice for clinicians. This study investigated whether the utility of this practice would extend to trainees if the data gained from clients was provided to their supervisor for use within supervision. Trainees (N = 28) were assigned to a continuous feedback condition or no-feedback condition for 1 academic year. Results indicated that trainees in both conditions demonstrated better client outcomes at the end of their practicum training than at the beginning, but those in the feedback condition improved more. However, those in the feedback condition did not rate the supervisory alliance or satisfaction with the supervision process differently. The relationship between counselor self-efficacy and outcome was stronger for trainees in the feedback condition than for those in the no-feedback condition, perhaps indicating that feedback may facilitate a more accurate assessment of one’s skills. Implications of how counseling self-efficacy, the supervisory alliance, and satisfaction with supervision are related to effective supervision are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapy/counseling practices of urban school psychologists.

A questionnaire survey of 146 school psychologists showed that over half of the Ss provided therapy-counseling services. Over 90% viewed behavioral-learning orientations, reality therapy, and client-centered therapy as useful. Techniques that were considered useful included behavioral contracts, role plays, cognitive skills training, and relaxation techniques. Referrals were most frequently related to academic problems, relationship difficulties, and fighting. More time was spent with male students. Only 11% of the Ss reported that they received professional supervision for the therapy-counseling they provided, but 68% indicated that they evaluated treatment outcome. Implications for the training and professional role of school counselors are discussed. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervising International Students: The Role of Acculturation, Role Ambiguity, and Multicultural Discussions.

Little is known about the training needs of international students in professional psychology programs and what supervisors could do to assist these students in their training. This study surveyed 42 international students in programs accredited by the American Psychological Association concerning several training and supervision variables. Results revealed that students who reported being less acculturated also reported less counseling self-efficacy, weaker supervisory working alliances, more role difficulties in supervision, and more discussion of cultural issues in supervision. Implications for supervision and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Representations of the supervisory dialogue and the development of psychotherapists.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the ways in which therapists-in-training construct and use mental representations of their relationships with their supervisors in the service of their own professional development. A total of 115 trainees (75% of whom were psychodynamically oriented) completed The Supervisory Representation Inventory, a network of measures designed to assess the forms, functions, and phenomenological properties of internalized representations of that relationship. Results indicate that supervisees tend to evoke representations of their supervisors' spoken words, vocal qualities, and the settings in which they have met; that they evoke these representations to better formulate clinical interventions, especially those perceived as painful or difficult for patients to hear; and that these representations are especially likely to occur when patients behave in ways consistent with a supervisor's view or, when the supervisee is alone and thinking about a patient that has been discussed in supervision. Findings support the hypothesis that representations of the verbal and nonverbal aspects of the supervisory dialogue play an integral role in the acquisition of the skills and professional identity of a psychotherapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

No hay rosas sin espinas: Conceptualizing Latina-Latina supervision from a multicultural developmental supervisory model.

Latina mental health professionals encounter many opportunities and challenges in professional settings. As Latinas increasingly enter the profession, we are now having our first opportunity to supervise another Latina. This opportunity is often greeted with great excitement and anticipation; however, it also presents unique professional challenges. These challenges often include, but are not limited to, the potential to blur boundaries in an unhealthy manner, idealization and then unmet expectations, overidentification, and cultural misunderstandings based on ethnic differences. Little has been written about Latina?Latina supervisory dyad relationships. Few Latina psychologists have had formal training in providing supervision to other Latinas and yet the future promises to increase these types of experiences. The authors developed a Multicultural Developmental Supervisory Model (MDSM) that integrates specific Latina/o multicultural counseling competencies and Latina/o ethnic identity theory, with developmental theories of supervision. The MDSM is designed to identify the complex processes that influence the supervision dyad in an effort to provide guidance and support to the supervisor and the supervisee as well as the institutions in which supervision takes place. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Favorable self-perception, perceived supervisory style, and job satisfaction.

Compared interrelationships of favorable self-perception as measured by biographical data, perceived supervisory style of the boss, and job satisfaction of 128 administrators and professional employees of a state department of public instruction. All ss were given the administrative attitude questionnaire and the biographical information blank. Data indicate that ss with a high level of favorable self-perception were less likely to perceive the supervisory style of their boss as supportive and reported lower levels of job satisfaction than those with a low level of favorable self-perception. More supportive styles of supervision were found to be associated with higher levels of job satisfaction, although the effect was moderated by favorable self-perception. Results are discussed in terms of the relationship between expectations, experience, and attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conflict resolution within the supervisory relationship.

158 graduate students in clinical psychology were surveyed concerning the occurrence, handling, and outcome of conflicts in their supervisory experiences. 38% of the Ss with supervised experience reported a major conflict with a supervisor that made it difficult to learn from supervision. Ss described 3 areas of conflict—theoretical orientation or therapeutic approach, style of supervision, or personality issues. The degree to which conflicts were discussed and successfully resolved seemed to depend partly on the type of conflict; it was easier to resolve conflicts that centered on style of supervision than on personality issues. When conflicts were not resolved, Ss often sought support from others, altered their behavior to conceal difficulties, or appeared to comply with the supervisor. Implications for the learning process in supervision are discussed. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Approaches to empathy training: Programmed methods versus individual supervision and professional versus peer supervisors.

Examined the effects of training method (programmed vs individual supervision) and supervisor experience (peer vs professional) on the learning of empathy. Eight supervisors (4 professional and 4 peer) were assigned 3 Ss in each of 3 groups: individually supervised, programmed, and control. Ss listened to 3 sets of recorded client statements and responded as counselors. The 2 experimental groups received training after the 1st and 2nd sets. The control group received no training. An analysis of recorded responses indicated that the individually supervised Ss achieved a significantly higher level of empathy than the controls. Ss receiving programmed training were intermediate in learning between individually supervised and control Ss. Supervisor experience was not found to be a significant factor as no posttraining differences were noted between professional and peer-trained groups. This result supports the use of peers in such interpersonal skills training. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Workplace assault: An emerging job stressor.

Examined the psychological effects of physical assault at the workplace and the effects of more traditional psychological job stressors (high demands, low control, low social support) among approximately 5,000 public service employees (mean age 39 yrs). Ss who were assaulted were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and low job satisfaction than their nonassaulted coworkers. Evidence for a moderating effect of work-related social support on the relationship between assault and depression is noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acculturation experiences, appraisal, coping, and adaptation: A comparison of Hong Kong Chinese, French, and English students in Canada.

42 Chinese students from Hong Kong, 43 French-Canadian students, and 42 English-Canadian students completed questionnaires pertaining to various aspects of their lives and personalities, their coping styles, their psychological and physical health, and their satisfaction with their coping abilities. All 3 groups reported their 3 most serious problems at university to be uncertainty for the future, academic difficulties, and loneliness. However, the Chinese Ss experienced higher Trait Anxiety, more prejudice, more adaptation and communication problems, lower English language competence, and lower perceived social support of friends than the French and English Ss. In addition, the Chinese reacted to their problems with less positive-thinking and less tension-reduction coping responses than the French and English Ss, respectively. The Chinese Ss also experienced poorer health and lower coping satisfaction. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exploration of experiences and preferences in clinical supervision with play therapists.

Clinical supervision plays a significant role in the counseling profession. Understanding and refining the supervisory process can foster development in the training of therapists in general and play therapists in particular, ultimately resulting in better mental health services for children. This study was designed to explore the experiences and preferences of play therapists in clinical supervision. Participants (N = 559) completed a Web-hosted survey that included items related to their current and preferred supervision experiences as well as a demographic questionnaire. A subset of the respondents (N = 238) completed questions related to their current supervision experiences. Findings suggest that: (a) a substantial number of participants were not receiving supervision for their work in play therapy, (b) supervisees prefer a combination of group and individual supervision, (c) supervisor professional identity as a play therapist and credential are salient supervisee preferences, and (d) compared to current supervision experiences, supervisee preferences had a noteworthy impact on practical significance demonstrated through large, moderate, and small effect sizes. Results from the study offer an opportunity for professionals to consider changes in how supervision is provided to therapists who work with children in play settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of conceptual level and supervision structure on counselor skill development.

Assigned 60 female introductory psychology students to high-structured supervision, low-structured supervision, or nonsupervised controls. Experimental Ss took part in both didactic and supervisory sessions. Nonsupervised controls received didactic training only. Self-report measures generally supported the "matching model" (D. E. Hunt; see PA, Vol 52:1699) predictions for low conceptual level participants, whereas behavioral measures yielded minimal support (Paragraph Completion Method, Critical Incident Tape 1, Communication Index, Training Reaction Questionnaire). Compared with controls, supervised trainees improved minimally on quantitative dimensions and significantly on qualitative dimensions of reflection-of-feeling responses. Supervised trainees also improved their level of empathic communication beyond that achieved by controls. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of supervision in microtraining and the impact of individual differences in learning style on self-report and behavioral measures. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

References on supervision in clinical and counseling psychology.

Complex issues are inherent in psychology training. This bibliography addresses diverse aspects of supervision in psychotherapy and more generally in professional psychology, especially during internship. English-language articles, books, and chapters are listed in 8 categories: books; administrative, ethical, and legal issues; evaluation; internship; professional standards and training; supervisee development, perspectives, and issues; supervisor issues and the supervisory relationship; and supervision approaches, issues, research, techniques, and theories. Citations from the counselor education, marital/familytherapy, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, school psychology, and social work literatures are also included. Most references are from the 1970s and 1980s; older citations are included to provide historical perspectives on supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical and legal aspects of clinical supervision.

We review guidelines for providing supervision for trainees and employees, an expected part of the job for many psychologists, many of whom carry out their supervisory duties with only a cursory awareness of the ethical and legal pitfalls that may accrue. The guidelines are drawn from ethical principles, other documents promulgated by various sectors of professional psychology, and relevant legal cases. Specific suggestions are given for supervisors and training institutions to ensure appropriate supervision. The incorporation of training in supervision in all doctoral programs in professional psychology is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)