An exploration of factors that influence a clinical supervisor's decision to address the personal development and dispositions of supervisees

Hagen, Kirsten K.

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Author

Hagen, Kirsten K.

Chair

Gifford, Valerie

Committee

Rivkin, Inna
Eldridge, Gloria
Lopez, Ellen

Abstract

Research suggests that addressing a supervisee’s personal factors in clinical supervision is critical to developing their therapeutic capacities (Aponte, 1994; Krug and Schneider, 2016; Southern, 2007; Zorga et al., 2001). However, little is known about the factors contributing to clinical supervisors’ decisions to address supervisees’ personal development and dispositions in clinical supervision, despite their importance in supervisees’ professional development. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to discern the nuanced narratives of clinical supervisors and construct a theory of factors related to their decisions regarding whether to address or not address the personal development and dispositions of supervisees in clinical supervision. Using a qualitative approach to the research, the study drew on a purposive sample of clinical supervisors across the United States. A brief demographic questionnaire was followed by in-depth, semi-structured interviews for data collection. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a social constructivist grounded theory methodology. Analysis of the transcripts identified nine themes related to the primary research question: (a) boundaries, (b) conflict avoidance, (c) poor supervisor-supervisee fit, (d) supervisee resistance, (e) time constraint, (f) gatekeeping role, (g) supervisory match process, (h) rapport, and (i) supervision training experiences. Analysis of the participants’ responses to a sub-inquiry identified two additional themes: (a) supervision is not therapy and (b) it’s a gray line. The findings of this exploratory study may benefit clinical supervisors and training programs by offering strategies to assist supervisors in addressing the personal factors of supervisees. The implications of the findings suggest the need for doctoral programs in the helping fields to incorporate improved formal supervision training to reduce barriers to addressing supervisees’ personal development and dispositions. These implications may help to create more comprehensive theories on clinical supervision and improve training experiences for mental-health trainees.

Description

Dissertation (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2025

Chapter 1: Introduction -- 1.1 Study purpose -- 1.1.1 Research questions -- 1.2 Research framework -- 1.3 Significance of the study -- 1.4 Summary. Chapter 2: Review of the literature -- 2.1 Clinical supervision -- 2.2 Models of clinical supervision -- 2.3 Developmental models of supervision -- 2.3.1 Integrated developmental model -- 2.3.2 Ronnestad and Skovholt's model -- 2.4 Integrated models of supervision -- 2.4.1 Systems approach -- 2.4.2 Bernard's discrimination model -- 2.5 Psychotherapy-based supervision models -- 2.5.1 Psychodynamic approach to supervision -- 2.5.2 The supervisory-matrix-centered approach to supervision -- 2.5.3 Cognitive-behavioral model of supervision -- 2.5.4 Person-centered model supervision -- 2.5.5 Feminist model of supervision -- 2.5.6 Relational supervision models -- 2.5.7 Transformational supervision -- 2.6 An analysis of ethical standards and professional guidelines by helping profession -- 2.6.1 The American Psychological Association (APA) -- 2.6.2 The American Counseling Association -- 2.6.3 The Association for Counselor Education and Supervision -- 2.6.4 The National Association of Social Workers -- 2.6.5 The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy -- 2.7 Comparison of codes -- 2.7.1 Corrective feedback and the evaluative function of supervision -- 2.8 Gatekeeping -- 2.8.1 Competencies for gatekeeping -- 2.8.2 Models of gatekeeping -- 2.9 Legal considerations and litigations -- 2.10 Trainee problems of professional competence -- 2.11 Process of remediation -- 2.11.1 Dismissal process -- 2.12 Argument for quasi-therapeutic interventions. Chapter 3: Methodology -- 3.1 Research goal -- 3.2 Research objectives -- 3.3 Research questions -- 3.4 Study aims --3.5 Study designs -- 3.6 Philosophical assumptions -- 3.7 Social constructivist paradigm -- 3.8 Statement of positionality -- 3.9 Overview of the rationale for a qualitative approach -- 3.10 Grounded theory -- 3.11 Data collection and analysis -- 3.12 Sampling -- 3.13 Inclusion and exclusion criteria -- 3.14 Participant recruitment -- 3.15 The research team -- 3.16 Data collection -- 3.17 Data management -- 3.19 Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) -- 3.20 Study validity. Chapter 4: Results -- 4.1 Grounded theory of factors that inform supervisors' decisions to address personal development and/or dispositions in clinical supervision -- 4.2 Supervisors' beliefs about supervision -- 4.2.1 Theoretical code 1: supervision is not therapy -- 4.2.2 Theoretical code 2: it's a gray line -- 4.3 Barriers and facilitators to decision to intervene -- Barriers -- 4.3.2 Facilitators -- 4.3.3 Gatekeeping role -- 4.3.4 Supervisory match process -- 4.3.5 Rapport -- 4.4 Ambiguous influencing factors -- 4.4.1 Boundaries -- 4.4.2 Supervision training -- 4.5 Summary of findings. Chapter 5: Discussion -- 5.1 Background and purpose of the study -- 5.2 Key findings -- 5.2.1 Barriers to addressing personal development in supervision -- 5.2.2 Facilitators of addressing personal development in supervision -- 5.2.3 Ambiguous influencing factors -- 5.3 Study implications -- 5.4 Study limitations -- 5.5 Conclusion and closing remarks -- 5.6 References.

Date

2025-08

Type

Thesis

Collections

Psychology