Contextual Influences on Faculty Diversity Conceptualizations When Working With Trainee Competence Problems

Abstract

Trainees with problems of professional competence (TPPC) present trainers with unique challenges. When TPPC situations include diversity issues, the complexity of such challenges increases. Although attention to such intersections is important, little is known about what influences faculty thinking about diversity issues when trainee competence problems are identified. The authors analyzed 22 faculty interviews using grounded theory to explore contextual influences on faculty interactions. Participants described program commitments to diversity conversations, consultations, and examination of biases as important positive influences. Participants described historic conflicts (e.g., interpersonal and programwide) and within-faculty differences (e.g., differences in multicultural training, assumptions about diversity-related conflict) that made faculty interactions more difficult. New instances of competence problems that involved differences in opinion about the influence of Regular Manuscript

American Psychological Association Guidelines for Clinical Supervision: Competency-Based Implications for Supervisees

“…Given the focus on supervisee competencies (Falender & Shafrankse, 2012), it is not surprising that guidelines, best practices, and recommendations exist to address supervisees’ professional competency problems (e.g., Kaslow et al, 2007; Shen-Miller, Forrest, & Burt, 2012). Supervisees are expected to have potential competency shortcomings, given that they are in training.…”

“…In essence, supervisees should not be surprised at summative feedback given at the conclusion of their practicum experience. If required, supervisors and supervisees can develop collaboratively a written remediation plan that takes into account multicultural factors, to be implemented within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., Bernard & Goodyear, 2014; Kaslow et al, 2007; Pearson, 2004; Shen-Miller et al, 2012). Ideally, remediation plans are discussed in the informed consent document and supervision contract that are reviewed at the beginning of the supervision experience, thus informing supervisees of the remediation procedures and process before problems arise (Ellis, 2017a; Forrest, Elman, & Shen-Miller, 2008; Jacobs et al, 2011).…”

Addressing Professional Competency Problems in Clinical Psychology Trainees

“…In addition, there is an emerging general agreement in the literature that PPC need to be considered along a continuum and within context (Forrest, Elman, & Shen Miller, ), as well as acknowledging the presence of individual and historical factors (McCutcheon, ). There is the added complicating factor of separating diversity from trainees with problems of professional competence (TPPC), for example, where professional competence issues intersect with culture or language in ways that faculty may not be skilled to formulate (Shen‐Miller, Forrest, & Burt, ).…”

“Embarrassingly White”

“…Moradi and Neimeyer (2005) are careful in identifying that this increase is not endemic of a new institutional outlook on diversity but of years of consistent challenging of institutional norms as they point out that a greater awareness of the "lived" experience of faculty of color need to shared (for example, are they accomplishing what they have set as goals or markers of achievement?). As Shen-Miller, Forrest, and Burt (2012) found, faculty of color are fearful of the consequences when they may assert their cultural identity or raise questions from their unique perspectives; this occurs especially in relationship to the preparation of new practitioners working with diverse populations. Yet, within sociology the realities of long persistent racial attitudes, such as their hire or promotion is a product of Affirmative Action or racial sympathy, are experienced by faculty of color, broadly, and women faculty of color, specifically (Smith & Calasanti, 2005).…”