Group supervision practices at psychology predoctoral internship programs: 15 years later.

This national survey was conducted to answer several questions including: how predoctoral training sites practice group supervision, how these results compared to a similar survey sent in 1991 (Riva & Cornish, 1995), and whether group process and multicultural considerations are incorporated into group supervision practices. The original survey included 157 group supervisors from sites listed in the 1991-1992 APPIC Directory, while the current study's respondents included 162 group supervisors from sites in the 2006-2007 APPIC Directory. Several important similarities and differences were found between the two time periods. The results and implications related to how group supervision is conducted are presented. Recommendations based on these results are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group supervision of paraprofessional counselors.

Group supervision of paraprofessional counselors was investigated at a short-term residential facility for emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. Four counseling teams' group supervision meetings were studied over a 45-day period. A behavior observation system was used to collect data about problem solving and member participation at these meetings. A questionnaire was designed to measure supervisees' satisfaction with and perceptions of their group supervision. Group supervision meetings tended to be highly task oriented: 69% of the comments at the meetings pertained to resolving the children's and adolescents' emotional problems. Supervisors participated at a marginally higher frequency (51%) than did supervisees (47%). Overall, supervisees tended to be satisfied with and have positive perceptions of their group supervision experiences. However, experienced supervisors' group supervision meetings received higher ratings of supervisee satisfaction than did novice supervisors' meetings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of task complexity and practice on performance after loss of sleep.

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of degrees of task complexity and practice on performance after loss of sleep. The Ss were automatically presented every 7 sec. for 23 min., with cards containing 6 symbols. A symbol had to be chosen on the basis of certain rules. Some cards required 1 rule, some 2, some 3, and some 4. Group 1 was practiced after normal sleep and tested after 22 and 46 hr. without sleep. Group 2 was tested without sleep and without previous practice. Group 3 was practiced and tested after normal sleep. Loss of sleep had a greater effect after practice, but no clear differences emerged between the different levels of task complexity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hindering phenomena in group supervision: Implications for practice.

Although group supervision is practiced extensively, research on the subject remains scant. This study identified group supervision phenomena that hinder learning. Counseling and counseling psychology graduate students identified 61 group supervision experiences that they felt interfered with their learning. Then, 14 of the 49 original participants sorted the 61 phenomena on the basis of similarity. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify 5 types of hindering phenomena: between-member problems, problems with supervisors, supervisee anxiety and other perceived negative affects, logistical constraints, and poor group time management. Implications for supervisors, supervisees, and training programs are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Current practice of group therapy at university counseling centers: A national survey.

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the current practice of group psychotherapy at university counseling centers. A group usage survey was developed and used to assess the current practice of group psychotherapy. Surveys were distributed to 232 counseling center directors, with 148 responding, yielding a return rate of 64%. The results of the study indicate that the typical group consists of 5–8 members, is co-led for 1.5 hrs, and meets weekly in the late afternoon. Results include information about group screening, preparation, and other group factors. Although group therapy is a widely practiced therapeutic modality, it appears that it is not carrying enough of the burden of treatment delivery despite the widespread administrative constraints on treatment length and the concurrent high level of demand for services in university counseling centers. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Resistance to cognitive impairment under alcohol: The role of environmental consequences.

This study showed that cognitive impairment under alcohol is affected by environmental factors. Forty male social drinkers were randomly assigned to 4 groups. Participants practiced a task that measured their rate of information processing. Three groups then performed the task under a moderate dose of alcohol (0.62 g/kg) and received either an immediate informative monetary consequence (Ml); a delayed uninformative monetary consequence (M); or no consequence (N) for maintaining their unimpaired processing rate. A control group (C) performed the task without alcohol or any consequence for performance. The processing rates of Groups M and N were slower (i.e. impaired) under alcohol than those of Group C. In contrast, Group MI displayed no significant reduction in processing rate under alcohol (i.e. no impaired). Resistance to the impairing effects of alcohol on information processing is enhanced by a rewarding consequence that conveys information about the adequacy of performance under the drug. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intoxicated witnesses and suspects: Procedures and prevalence according to law enforcement.

Legal psychologists have generally neglected intoxicated witnesses and suspects in their research. One possible reason is the lack of objective information about the prevalence and characteristics of this witness and suspect group. Also unclear is whether standard police procedures for dealing with intoxicated individuals exist and what these may be. The present survey was conducted to help fill this void. Law enforcement officers completed a survey about their experiences with intoxicated witnesses and suspects. Their responses provide clear evidence that dealing with intoxicated witnesses and suspects is common and that there are few standard procedures for handling such individuals. As our data strongly suggest that this group has a significant presence in law enforcement contexts, several research and policy questions are apparent. For example, if the intoxicated differ from sober witnesses and suspects, should this warrant uniquely tailored procedural recommendations? Findings from this survey are intended to spur and guide research aiming to provide useful guidelines to law enforcement on how to interact with this potentially vulnerable and underresearched group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The supervisee experience of group supervision: Implications for research and practice.

Group supervision is commonly employed in graduate psychology training but has received insufficient attention in research. Supervisees' own perceptions and experiences in group supervision can provide valuable information in guiding our understanding and exploration of the benefits and uses of this form of training. This paper reviews 11 empirical studies exploring supervisee perceptions of group supervision experiences. Research, to date, appears to be largely in line with conceptual hypotheses regarding the benefits of group supervision experiences, and implications are discussed with regard to current practice. However, this review also points to the need for more in-depth and advanced research efforts in the area that can further explore supervisee experiences and identify means of optimizing this experience as a component of clinical training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contemporary practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists.

The authors extended and, in some respects, updated a clinical assessment study that first appeared in American Psychologist some 18 yrs ago. Using survey responses provided by 412 assessment-active clinical psychologists, it was found that (1) an identifiable, highly select core of assessment procedures is most often used by most clinical psychologists across most work settings; (2) psychological assessment as it is practiced now appears in many respects to be very similar to psychological assessment as it was practiced by psychologists 30 or more years ago; and (3) although much ado has been made about the decline of and academics' negative opinions about projective techniques, from the standpoint of practice, all that truly appears to be much ado about nothing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment processes in the supervisory relationship: An exploratory investigation.

How do relational characteristics of clinical trainees and supervisors influence the supervisory relationship? Following suggestions that attachment theory might shed light on this question, the authors asked doctoral-level psychology interns (N = 87) to complete an online survey about attachment processes and supervision experiences. Findings indicated that perceived supervisor attachment style was significantly associated with supervision task and bond. Regardless of their own attachment style, participants reporting secure supervisors rated the supervisory bond higher than participants reporting insecure supervisors. Results of path analyses suggested that parental indifference, compulsive self-reliance, and perceived supervisor attachment style may be particularly important in shaping the supervisory alliance. Implications for training and supervision are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical ambiguities in the practice of child clinical psychology.

This article presents results from a survey of ethical beliefs about practice dilemmas unique to clinical work with children and adolescents. Survey data suggest that identical practices are not always ethically equivalent, particularly when the developmental status of the client is varied. The survey also reveals widespread ambiguity about what constitutes ethical practice, as manifested both in individual uncertainty and in the absence of group consensus. Ethically guided clinical practice is presented as a far more complex undertaking than adherence to a single set of professional standards. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some personality factors of matched groups of New Brunswick blacks and whites.

Randomly matched groups of 14 blacks and 14 whites from the same high school completed Form C of the 16 PF under the joint supervision of 2 test administrators, 1 white and 1 black. Group differences were found on 2 of the 16 factors: A (.01) and Q2 (.01). An illustration is given of the inapplicability of knowledge of the group differences to decision making about individuals. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Risk factors for vulva biting in breeding sows in south-west England

A postal survey was conducted on 410 pig farms in south-west England to investigate the risk factors for vulva biting. The results of the bivariate analyses indicated that group housing, keeping a boar in the same pen and the number of sows per drinker were significantly associated (P < or = 0.05) with vulva biting in service sows. Group housing, group size, keeping a boar in the same pen, straw bedding, electronic sow feeders, feeding once daily, providing water automatically and the number of sows per drinker were significantly associated with vulva biting in dry sows. Vulva biting was also significantly associated with an increased percentage of culled sows and the occurrence of tail biting on the farm. A logistic regression analysis showed that group size and the number of sows per drinker were significant risk factors for vulva biting in service sows, and once a day feeding, group size, the number of sows per drinker and providing water automatically were significant risk factors for dry sows.     

Construction Productivity Improvement

Construction productivity has been on the decline in the last decade. The results are presented on a survey of the Engineering News‐Record 400 largest contractors to obtain their views on where productivity improvements would most help and to compare the trends with a similar survey carried out in 1979. Data were collected on the general company characteristics of the responding contractors, and on the contractors' opinions on potential areas for productivity improvement in the office and in the field. Findings indicate that immediate research should concentrate on improving marketing practices, planning and scheduling, labor‐management relations, site supervision, industrialized building systems, equipment policy and engineering design; and that governmental regulations have lost the immediate urgency attached to them in 1979.It is also recommended that similar surveys be conducted every 3 to 4 years to identify new trends and to steer research in the appropriate direction.     

Supervision of pharmacy personnel

OBJECTIVE: To review legal, acceptable, and optimal personnel practices. DATA SOURCES: A general literature search was conducted to identify appropriate material. In addition, the personnel manuals of several organizations (large and small) were reviewed for alternative ways to address similar problems. DATA SYNTHESIS: The cost of personnel is often the largest single non-drug expense in a pharmacy's operating budget. Pharmacists rarely receive comprehensive training during their professional training to address the unique issues of supervision. A review of the basics of supervision, and some topics unique to pharmacy, is presented. CONCLUSION: Familiarity with appropriate supervisory practices can enhance productivity, improve morale, and create a better practice environment.     

Mental health values of professional therapists: A national interdisciplinary survey.

We conducted a national survey of clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychiatrists to assess values pertinent to mental health and psychotherapy. The survey revealed considerable agreement among mental health professionals about this specific values domain. There was a strong relationship between their views of a value's importance for a positive, mentally healthy life-style and its usefulness in guiding psychotherapy. Differences in the characteristics of therapists were correlated with differences in their values. We also found factors related to value differences between professional groups. Implications for therapeutic philosophy and practice are considered, and the need for explicitness concerning values is emphasized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group treatment for dually diagnosed clients

Group treatment is a widely practiced intervention for persons with dual diagnoses. This chapter reviews the rationale for group treatment and discusses four different approaches to group intervention: twelve-step, educational-supportive, social skills, and stagewise treatment.