Table 2 Interview schedule for expert supervisor interviews
Interview topic | Key interview questions |
|---|---|
Supervision approach | · Tell me about your actual practice of supervision. What does a typical supervision session look like? Does this vary with different supervisees? · What are the skills and knowledge you feel are most essential for supervisees to develop? What emphasis do you place on conceptual or personal development of supervisees? How do you do that? · How does your method, model or theory of supervision differ if it is for formal requirements (eg registration, membership of an association, linked to a training) |
Supervision theory | · Do you have a theory or model that underpins your supervision work? Can you explain how you use this and how you may adapt it to the supervisee? · How has your model developed – what have been the key influences on its development? |
Supervision techniques | · Do you use specific techniques in supervision? Do you have a predominant focus in your sessions – eg feelings, cognitions, countertransference, alliance, skills? · How do you go about assessing and planning your work with supervisees? |
Essence of good supervision | · What do you think are the key qualities/characteristics of good supervision - the essence of good supervision? · What are the skills and knowledge you feel are most essential for supervisees to develop? What emphasis do you place on conceptual or personal development of supervisees? How do you do that? · Can you describe a particularly good supervision session – what made it a good session? |
Difficulties in supervision | · Can you describe a session that wasn’t effective? What made it not effective? · Can you describe a time when there was a major problem in the supervisory relationship – how did you deal with this? · In general, how would you raise and explore relationship difficulties in a session? Can you give an example? · What are the characteristics of supervisees that you think you are most/least effective with? Can you explain why? Are there specific examples you can think of? · What sort of supervisory events do you find most difficult to deal with – can you give examples? Do you use specific theories to help you understand what might be happening when things are difficult? Do you share these theories with your supervisee? |
Person of the supervisor | · What do you think supervisees value most about you as a supervisor? How might they describe you as a supervisor? · How does the person you are impact on the supervision you provide? What do you think supervisees value most about you as a supervisor? How do you think they might describe you as a supervisor? |