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.
supervision, psychological boundaries, duality of interpersonal relations, professional training
*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.
*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.
*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.
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».