“It Felt Like Such a Closed Door”: Supervisory Cultural Rupture & Humility

Abstract

The present study used a multimethod approach to investigate supervisees’ perceptions of memorable cultural ruptures in supervision and the relationships among supervisor cultural humility, negative affect due to ruptures, and supervisory working alliance (SWA). The researchers gathered data from 209 graduate supervisees to test four quantitative hypotheses and examined supervisees’ experience of cultural ruptures using consensual qualitative research-modified (CQR-M). Quantitative results replicated findings from research on cultural humility and rupture in the therapeutic alliance, supporting a model of the relationship between supervisor cultural humility, negative affect due to rupture, and SWA. Results did not support the hypothesis that supervisees’ perceptions of the importance of identities implicated in a rupture moderated the relationships among other primary variables. Qualitative findings revealed three domains: supervisor dismissing and misunderstanding culture; trainee disengagement in supervision; and trainee emotional distress. Qualitative findings highlighted the range and severity of supervisor behaviors resulting in or exacerbating cultural ruptures.