Training in Supervision

TLDR

The study discusses how counseling psychology programs and counseling center internships provide more extensive supervision training, reflecting the field’s identity and future. The authors surveyed APA‑accredited doctoral programs and predoctoral internship sites to assess supervision training and offered recommendations for improvement. Most programs offered supervision training, but significant differences existed between counseling psychology and clinical psychology programs, and between university counseling center internships and other sites.

Abstract

This study examined the current state of affairs of training in the practice of supervision in doctoral programs and predoctoral internship sites accredited by the American Psychological Association. Results indicated that although a majority of programs and sites offered some type of opportunity for training in supervision, there were differences in the methods and extent of the training. In particular, statistically significant differences were found between the training offered in counseling psychology programs when compared to clinical psychology programs, and in university counseling center internship programs when compared to other types of internship sites. The more extensive training in supervision offered among counseling psychology programs and counseling center internship sites is discussed in terms of the identity of counseling psychology and the future of professional psychology in general. Recommendations for enhancing training in the conduct of supervision and directions for further research are also offered.