Towards the development of the Supervisee Developmental Needs Scale (SDNS): An instrument for assessing the developmental needs of family therapy supervisees

Robert Anthony Pike-Urlacher, Purdue University

Abstract

This project involved the formulation, psychometric evaluation, and initial testing of an instrument for assessing the developmental needs of family therapy supervisees: the Supervisee Developmental Needs Scale (SDNS). Sixty-six items were generated to measure the constructs of supervisee development in three hypothesized areas of developmental needs: autonomy needs, therapeutic complexity needs, and inner security needs. This preliminary version of the SDNS was administered to 474 supervisees drawn randomly from lists of student and associate members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Factor analysis was used as the primary scale construction method. The factor analysis procedure confirmed a three factor solution to best fit the data, with a fourth factor worthy of future investigation for development. Psychometric properties of the newly created SDNS indicated that it was a reliable and valid measure of supervisee development. Initial hypothesis testing of the SDNS generally supported the hypothesis that supervisees of different levels of clinical experience and supervisory experience differed in their reported needs from supervision, even when variation associated with the supervisee's locus-of-control orientation was controlled for. Hypotheses regarding the effect of age, gender, and supervisee theoretical orientation were also investigated.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Sprenkle, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Psychological tests|Psychotherapy|Curricula|Teaching|Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology

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