Peer-Group Supervision Matters for School Counselors, Too: A Generic Qualitative Study

This study explored the experiences of school counselors utilizing peer-group supervision to assist in analyzing data to determine the effectiveness of interventions. The literature gap indicates that further research was needed regarding the relationship between appropriate supervision and its impact on school counselors' ability to analyze data. Thus, the research question was, how do school counselors describe their experiences utilizing peer-group supervision to assist with analyzing data for interventions? A generic qualitative methodology was appropriate in answering the research question because of focusing more on individuals' beliefs, values, and experiences regarding peer-group supervision instead of exploring cognitive processes. Using purposive sampling assisted the researcher in selecting ten participants who were certified school counselors from school districts in southeastern states. Data from participants was collected using semi-structured interview questions incorporating tenets of the social learning theory (SLT) to provide rigor to the research findings. The researcher used Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis process to analyze participant data as two major themes emerged: (a) a safe space for comradery and (b) synergizing to make informed decisions. Findings indicate that peer-group supervision gives school counselors a sense of security and normalcy tailored to their unique roles. The results also suggest that school counselors engage in problem-solving and sharing success stories as interacting methods to analyze data. Further research is recommended to solidify consistencies and discover new findings to enhance school counseling supervision. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]