Lifintsev Dmitry; Lifintseva Alla; Antsuta Anna

Supervision in training of helping professionals: the problem of psychological boundaries

Abstract

This article describes and analyses the problems of employng supervision in the academic process of training students who are future helping professionals (clinical psychologists, psychologists, social workers). Supervision is presented as a special type of professional relations and interpersonal contact between the supervisor (teacher) and the one supervised (student), the result of which is the professional development. The article presents the normative, reconstructive-supporting and formative functions of supervision. It discusses the problems of using supervision in the system of higher education, i.e. the supervisor’s adherence to a certain psychological school, the limitations of formats and its functions, the duality of relations between the supervisor and the trainee. The article also presents results of an empirical study, the purpose of which was to evaluate and analyse the problems of using the supervision in training of future specialists in helping professions. The main diffi culties in using supervision in the higher education system mentioned by the participants of the study are the preparation of a case for supervision, lack of compliance of supervision with real professional needs of the trainee, issuing orders and commanding alongside the lack of alternatives in selecting the supervisor, inability to discuss personal issues in the supervisory process and the “permeability” of psychological boundaries. Most participants in the study proposed to withdraw supervision from the academic process, leaving it to curators of practical activities that are not connected with the institution of higher education. The main focus of supervision should be the development of students’ professional identity; training in emloying techniques; ability to transform knowledge into practice; ability of professional self-awareness.

Keywords

supervision, psychological boundaries, duality of interpersonal relations, professional training

References

1. Bernard J. M., Goodyear R. K. (2013) Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision. Edinburgh.
2. Corey G., Haynes R., Moulton P., Muratori M. (2010) Clinical Supervision in the Helping professions: A practical guide. Washington, DC.
3. Ellis M., Berger L., Hanus A., Ayala E., Swords B., Siembor M. (2013) “Inadequate and Harmful Clinical Supervision”. The Counseling Psychologist, 42 (4), 434–472.
4. Hess A. K. (1980) Psychotherapy Supervision: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York.
5. Milne D. L., Watkins C. E. (2014) “Defi ning and Understanding Clinical Supervision”, in C. E. Watkins, D. L. Milne (eds) The Wiley International Handbook of Clinical Supervision. Oxford. Pp. 1–19.
6. Robiner W. N., Fuhrman M., Ristvedt S. (1993) “Evaluation Diffi culties in Supervising Psychology Interns”. The Clinical Psychologist, 46 (1), 3–13.
7. Shchukina Iu. (2011) “Aktual'nye problemy supervizorskoi praktiki” [Current issues in supervisory practice], in Teoreticheskie i prikladnye aspekty deiatel'nosti Tsentra ekstrennoi psikhologicheskoi pomoshchi MGPU [Theoretical and applied aspects of the Centre for Psychological Emergency Assistance of Moscow City University]. Moscow (in Russian).

Information about the author

Lifintsev Dmitry

Academic Degree: Doctor of Sciences* in Education;
Academic Rank: Associate Professor;
Place of work: Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, 15–14 Griga Street, Kaliningrad, 236006, Russian Federation;
ORCID: 0000-0001-9276-4363;
Email: psyrgu@gmail.com.

*According to ISCED 2011, a post-doctoral degree called Doctor of Sciences (D.Sc.) is given to reflect second advanced research qualifications or higher doctorates.

Lifintseva Alla

Academic Degree: Doctor of Sciences* in Psychological Sciences;
Academic Rank: Associate Professor;
Place of work: Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, 15–14 Griga Str., Kaliningrad, 236006, Russian Federation;
ORCID: 0000-0003-4047-3876;
Email: aalifintseva@gmail.com.

*According to ISCED 2011, a post-doctoral degree called Doctor of Sciences (D.Sc.) is given to reflect second advanced research qualifications or higher doctorates.

Antsuta Anna

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Education;
Academic Rank: Associate Professor;
Place of work: Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, 25-2 Mishina Str., Kaliningrad, 236006, Russian Federation;
ORCID: 0000-0002-7141-3377;
Email: allifintseva@gmail.com.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities, project №15-06-10871, «Social support as a communicative phenomenon in social work and pedagogical practice».