This study empirically addressed the debate between Holloway (1987) and Stoltenburg and Delworth (1988) concerning counselor development. Specifically, the study examined counselor trainee conceptual level, type of supervision environment, and trainee anxiety as predictors of counselor developmental level. Twenty-nine master's level trainees (5 men, 24 women) saw one client for three sessions and received supervision for advanced doctoral students or faculty. The design was a 2x2 (Evaluative Supervision Environment versus Non-Evaluative Supervision Environment x High Conceptual Level versus Low Conceptual Level) multivariate design with two covariates (Trainee Anxiety and Supervisory Prior Experience). MANCOVAs indicated that there was (a) an significant interaction for Trainee Conceptual Level and Supervision Environment, (b) a significant main effect for Trainee Conceptual Level, and (c) a significant covariate effect for Anxiety. Discussion focuses on theoretical, training, and methodological issues.
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Birk et al. (1996) studied this question.