Nondisclosure in psychotherapy group supervision: The supervisor perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of nondisclosure in a sample of 30 psychotherapy supervisors, working within a group format of supervision of student therapists. The study constituted one part of a larger study, with the other, parallel part addressing nondisclosure in supervisees. The participants were recruited from seven university-based training clinics in Norway and Denmark. The supervisors answered a questionnaire comprising 12 items about feedback withheld by supervisors, supervisors’ assumptions about supervisee nondisclosure, supervisors’ assumptions about what students think that supervisors withhold, supervisors’ use of indirect feedback, and changes in group climate with regard to openness over the course of the supervision. The questionnaire items were answered in a yes/no format, and the respondents were invited to provide examples and justifications for their answers to the individual items. The examples and justifications provided were analysed in accordance with Hill’s guidelines for consensual qualitative research. The study confirmed willful and significant nondisclosure by supervisors in a number of important areas, with supervisors having a conscious attitude with regard to what they disclose. To a large extent, they modify their feedback based on assumptions about what will most benefit the individual supervisee’s development. Supervisors assume that students act in much the same way, so as not to interfere with the supervisory process. The findings raise the question of whether the widespread cautiousness in terms of self-exposure and of giving feedback actually helps to achieve the aims that are used to justify it, or whether the result is inadequate feedback and weaker relationship-building than would otherwise have been possible.