Abstract
Orientation: Supervision is firmly established in the ethos of psychology. However, limited empirical evidence exists about the role and function of supervision for Industrial and Organisational psychology (I/O psychology) professionals in practice. Research purpose: The primary objective of this study was to qualitatively explore the potential role and function of supervision in I/O psychology, as informed by the perceptions and experiences of I/O psychologists operating on different levels in I/O psychology practice. Motivation for the study: There is a paucity of information regarding the role and function of post-registration supervision in I/O psychology and whether supervision models from other helping professions are appropriate to the work context of I/O psychology. Research design, approach, and method: A qualitative, interpretive research design was chosen to explore the research question. Data was collected by means of sixteen semistructured interviews from a non-probability quota sample of I/O psychology practitioners at different stages of their careers (intern, novice, middle-stage and senior). The data was subsequently analysed and interpreted thematically. The outcome of this thematic analysis informed the devising of a framework. Main findings: The findings revealed various roles of supervision for the different stages of an I/O psychologist’s career, which are illustrated within a broad framework encompassing the roles of supervision, the functions of supervision, and the supervision model best suited to the I/O psychology profession. The supervision roles identified by interns were: job readiness; grounding ethical decision-making; and experiential learning. The novices identified the role of supervision as: grounding in best practice; support towards independent practice; and, also, experiential learning. The senior I/O psychologists identified the role of supervision as: supervision-in-action; self-regulation; defining the identity of the profession; supervisor’s benefits; and career transitions. All the roles identified by the various proficiency levels centred on three main functions of supervision, namely: quality assurance; continuous professional development; and reflective practice. The supervision model within which the roles and functions of supervision are pursued by I/O psychologists is communities of practice, which entails using a community of supervisors, multidisciplinary networks and peer supervision to meet supervision needs...
M.Phil. (Industrial Psychology)