Supervisory Relationships and the Growth in Clinical Effectiveness and Professional Self-Esteem of Undergraduate Student Clinicians during a School-Based Practicum

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between student clinicians' and supervisors' perceptions of interpersonal conditions offered by supervisors and estimates of professional growth of the student clinicians. Thirty-one female undergraduate speech pathology majors received daily supervision from 31 speech-language pathologists (cooperating teachers) employed in various school districts. Student clinicians and supervisors completed an interpersonal relationship inventory and a rating of clinical effectiveness at the beginning and end of a 12 week daily school-based practicum. The student clinicians also completed a professional self-esteem inventory. Both student clinicians and supervisors perceived a positive supervisory relationship as well as growth in the student clinicians' clinical effectiveness during the practicum experience. In addition, student clinicians perceived that their professional self-concepts had become more similar to their ideal concepts.