Group supervision is a distinct supervisor competency: empirical evidence and a brief scale for supervisory practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives There is strong endorsement of competency-based frameworks for practitioner training and widespread use of group supervision in practitioner training. However, there has been little effort made to understand the components and anatomy of group supervision, or efforts made to evaluate its efficacy. The current study investigates the nature and extent to which abilities and skills within individual and group supervision are similar or distinct from each other. Method A total of 98 supervisees, across 21 groups, evaluated individual and group supervisor competence of their supervisors (N = 11) using the Supervision Evaluation and Supervisor Competence Scale. Results Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that group supervision emerged as a distinct and independent cluster to individual supervision competencies. Additionally, supervisors were rated higher on individual than group supervision competencies. Conclusion Group supervision should be considered a distinct competency requiring specific skills and therefore would likely benefit from specialised training to deliver competent group supervision. These preliminary results have implications for supervisor training, as well as clinical training programs in Australia and abroad who use group supervision as a form of clinical training. Key Points What is already known about this topic: Competency-based supervisory approaches are supported by regulatory authorities. The evaluation of competent group supervision has received inadequate research attention. There are no available measures of group supervision to evaluate supervisor competence. What this paper adds: First experimental exploration that establishes group supervision as a distinct competency in clinical supervision. Compared to individual supervision, supervisors were rated lower on group supervision competence and may require specialised training. A scale is included in the appendix for evaluation of both individual and group supervision competencies.