Gülşah Kemer

Prioritizing questions and methods for an international and interdisciplinary supervision research agenda: Suggestions by eight scholars

Eight active supervision scholars provide their perspectives on priorities for advancing research in clinical supervision. Based on proposals they presented at an invited symposium held during the 11th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Clinical Supervision, the authors propose research questions around multicultural identities, supervisor expertise, supervision models, and research methods. Although neither a comprehensive nor exhaustive list of priorities, the authors hope the article encourages dialogue across disciplines and countries that expand understanding of clinical supervision practice and supervisor education.

Expert Clinical Supervisors’ Descriptions of Easy and Challenging Supervisees

Expert supervisors provided descriptions of what made two of their recent supervisees easy or challenging. Content analysis revealed seven categories of experts’ descriptions for those supervisees. Supervision behaviors, clinical competencies, traits and personal background, and self-awareness/self-reflectivity categories were the most frequently reported categories, regardless of the supervisee being easy or challenging. Comparisons of the seven categories did not yield significant differences in their frequencies for the easy and challenging supervisees. Importantly, the experts appeared to rely on objective (observable) rather than subjective assessments of their supervisees, whether easy or challenging. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Expert site supervisors’ cognitions when working with counselor trainees

ABSTRACT We examined expert site supervisors’ supervision cognitions while preparing for, conducting, and evaluating their supervision sessions with master’s-level counseling students via concept mapping. Experts’ cognitions were summarized in four areas: Supervisory Relationship, Conceptualization of Supervision and Supervision Interventions, Administrative/Logistical Considerations of Supervision, and Assessment of Supervisees and Their Practice. We discuss results and offer implications for research, practice, and training.

Psychometric Properties of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale–Turkish (LGBIS-TR)

ABSTRACT The aim of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS; Mohr & Kendra, 2011) in a Turkish sample. Three hundred and ten LGB individuals participated and completed the Turkish version of the LGBIS (LGBIS-TR) along with the Satisfaction with Life, Positive and Negative Affect, and Self-Compassion Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis results yielded a good-fit for eight subscales of the LGBIS-TR. We also obtained satisfactory criterion validity and internal consistency reliability. Based on this initial study, the LGBIS-TR appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument to gauge LGB individuals’ identity experiences in Turkey. We discuss the results along with previous findings and limitations of the study, and we provide implications for further research and practice.

Beginning and expert supervisors’ descriptions of effective and less effective supervision

ABSTRACT In this study, we explored beginning, expert academic, and expert sitesupervisors’ descriptions of effective and less effective supervision sessions via a mixed-methods design. Content analysis revealed eight themes of supervisors’ descriptions (e.g., supervisee’s traits and experience, supervisor’s self-awareness/self-reflectivity on similarities and differences, supervisory relationship). Chi-square analysis yielded frequency differences among effectiveness categories (i.e., effective, less effective) and supervisor profiles (i.e., beginning, expert academic, and expert site). We discuss the results and provide research, practice, and training implications.

Self-compassion matters: The relationships between perceived social support, self-compassion, and subjective well-being among LGB individuals in Turkey.

Research on the well-being of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people has predominately focused on Western (-ized) societies where individualism, and not collectivism, is emphasized. In the present study, we utilized a mediator model via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between self-compassion (i.e., self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness), perceived social support (i.e., family, friends, and significant others), and subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) in a sample of LGB-identified individuals living in Turkey, a traditionally collectivistic culture (Hofstede, 2001). A sample of 291 LGB individuals (67 lesbian, 128 gay, and 96 bisexual) completed an online survey including the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale, and Self-kindness, Common Humanity, and Mindfulness subscales of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results of SEM for the hypothesized mediator model revealed that self-compassion mediated the relationships between perceived social support from family and significant others and subjective well-being, explaining the 77% of the variance in subjective well-being. Implications for the literature base on LGB well-being are discussed, with a focus on the cross-cultural applications.

An Examination of Master's Level Practicum and Internship Evaluation Forms

ABSTRACT To explore the areas of evaluation and their overlap across the programs, a content analysis with both qualitative and quantitative strategies was performed with practicum and internship evaluation forms collected from 20 CACREP-accredited masters programs. Six evaluation areas emerged (e.g., ethical and professional behaviors, supervision behaviors), varying across different levels of evaluation (i.e., practicum, internship, practicum/internship). The counseling and process skills in the practicum and the assessment and case conceptualization skills in the internship forms had significantly more items when compared to other areas. Despite some representation, multicultural skills and self-awareness categories were absent from a number of forms.

Clinical supervision: An emerging counseling specialty in Turkey

Clinical supervision is currently a hot topic among counselor professionals in Turkey. In this article, we first present the current status of the counseling profession, along with counselor education programs and accreditation efforts. Then, we detail current clinical supervision practices (i.e., parameters/predominate approaches in undergraduate and graduate counselor education programs, post-training practices), as well as ongoing efforts and challenges to adopt supervision standards. Next, we describe the profile of clinical supervisors and supervisor training. Finally, we report recent critical events and developments, and offer suggestions for further steps in promoting clinical supervision as a specialty area of the counseling field in Turkey.

Development of the Couples Resource Scales

Couples therapy has experienced a shift in therapeutic approaches from those that focus on dysfunction and deficits to postmodern approaches that emphasize clients’ strengths and skills. Additionally, researchers have found that resources, such as self-esteem and social support, serve to enhance couples’ relationships. One therapeutic approach that emphasizes strengths and resources is solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT). The authors describe the development of a research-oriented instrument grounded in SFBT, the Couples Resource scales (CRS), which was based on an existing practitioner-oriented instrument, called the Couples Resource Map scales. The authors used an exploratory factor analysis on the CRS to create a revised version that shows utility for empirical research.