FACTORS RELATING TO SUPERVISORS' INITIATION AND FREQUENCY OF DISCUSSION REGARDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN CLINICAL SUPERVISION OF INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

Abstract

Research indicates that sexual orientation is discussed far less often in clinical supervision compared to other cultural variables including race/ethnicity and gender. Though authors have speculated why this is the case, including a lack of supervisor competence and training, quantitative, empirical research has not been conducted to test these speculations. The current study was designed to investigate the role of competence and relevant demographic predictors in supervisors' initiation of discussion related to sexual orientation in clinical supervision. Persons who have graduate clinical or counseling psychology training and currently perform clinical supervision or who have done so within the past two years were eligible for study participation. Participants were recruited via email to complete several measures including two researcher-designed items assessing whether or not sexual orientation is a topic they discuss in supervision and the frequency of their discussion, four competence assessments, and a demographic questionnaire. Sequential logistic regression analyses and a discriminant function analysis were used to analyze the results. Study findings indicated that supervision experience, sexual orientation competence, and professional experience with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues were related to whether or not supervisors initiate conversation around sexual orientation and the frequency with which they do so.