Supervising Students in Emerging Adulthood: Modeling Use of Self in Developmentally Informed Supervision

Abstract

Supervisory models have historically assumed that trainees enter supervision with a degree of identity stability that informs their professional identity development. More recent theories of emerging adulthood suggest that instability of self is typical for young adults in their early to late twenties, a period when many social work students first enter a field in which one of the primary tools and values is “use of self.” I offer a new conceptualization for integrating understanding of the psychosocial and professional developmental theories. I review theories of modeling use of self in supervision for trainees who are simultaneously working to form multiple areas of personal and professional identity. There is limited literature in social work and psychology which examines the process of modeling use of self in supervision while also considering the developmental needs of emerging adults. A case example of a second-year student in emerging adulthood helps to elaborate the theory in consideration of personal identity exploration and the requirements of clinical work, personalization of perceived failures, and denial and avoidance in the supervisory dyad. Implications of this reconceptualization are discussed, including recommendations for developmentally responsive supervision.