Health Sciences

Supervision of Psychotherapy: Processes that Develop Professional Competence

Researchers:Professor Margot Schofield and Assoc Professor Jan Grant (Curtin University)

Funding: ARC Discovery Grant (2007-2009)

Summary

Clinical supervision is the main method of assuring accountability, providing support, and preventing burn-out in mental health professionals. Yet relatively little is known about the processes of supervision and how they impact on therapist competence. This study addresses calls for systematic evaluation of clinical supervision. It involves a multi-method qualitative interview study of psychotherapy supervisor-supervisee pairs. It aims to better understand the supervisory processes that build professional competence and factors that influence supervision effectiveness. A model will be developed that links supervision processes with supervisee competence with clients; it will inform policy development, professional training and practice.

Status of the project: Current

Research Outputs to date:

Conference Presentations

Grant, J.A., & Schofield, M.J. (2006). Supervision of psychotherapy: Espoused theory and theory-in-practice. Paper presented at the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR2006) Conference, Edinburgh, 21-25 June.

Schofield, M.J. (2005). Clinical Supervision: What do we know about reflective practitioner learning processes? Paper presented at the Australian Counselling & Supervision Conference, Brisbane, 17-18 February.

Grant, J., & Schofield, M.J. (2004). Psychotherapy supervision after training: Myth or reality? Paper presented at the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) 10th Annual Research Conference, The World of Counselling Research, London, 20-22 May.

Publications

Grant, J.A., & Schofield, M.J. (2007). Career-long supervision: Realities and controversies. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, Special Issue on Supervision, March, 7(1), 3-11.

Schofield MJ. (2005). Clinical supervision: What do we know about reflective practitioner learning processes? Proceedings of the Australian Counselling and Supervision Conference, Brisbane, February 2005.

 

Back to top of page.
Back to Counselling and Psychological Health research page

Back to Areas of Research: Regulation
Back to Areas of Research: Healthy Relationships