Effects of supervisee gender, supervisee gender-role orientation, and supervisor gender on rated acceptability of three clinical supervisory roles

Abstract

This study used an analog approach to study gender differences in supervisee response to the supervisory roles of teacher, counselor, and consultant (Bernard, 1979). Brief vignettes portraying disagreements between supervisor and supervisee were followed supervisory comments representing the three roles. The subjects, 202 female and 181 male doctoral students in counseling psychology, were asked to imagine themselves as the supervisee and rate the acceptability of each supervisory comment on a 9-point Likert scale. They also completed the Extended Personality Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ) (Spence & Helmreich, 1978) to assess confounding effects of gender-role orientation. The independent variables were supervisee gender, supervisee gender-role orientation, and supervisor gender. Supervisor gender was varied by the use of a female name, a male name, or no name for the supervisor in the vignettes. The dependent variables were rated acceptability for the supervisory roles of teacher, counselor, and consultant. It was hypothesized that females would rate the teacher role lower than males, and the consultant role higher than males. No significant main effects were predicted for supervisee gender-role orientation. It was hypothesized that supervisees would rate the teacher role lower when the supervisor was female. It was also hypothesized that the mean rated acceptability for the three roles would differ, with the teacher role rated lowest and the consultant role rated highest. Females rated the consultant role higher than males, and MANOVA showed a significant overall gender effect on ratings for the three roles. Femininity predicted acceptability of the counselor role. Masculinity interacted with supervisor gender on acceptability of the teacher role, and Masculinity interacted with Femininity on acceptability of the consultant role. Mean ratings for the three roles were different as predicted. It was concluded the roles are rated differently by male and female supervisees. Stereotypic feminine traits positively predict acceptability of the counselor role. Supervisees indicate greatest acceptance for the consultant role and least for the teacher role. One limitation of this study is the use of an analog approach. Implications are discussed in terms of gender discrimination in counselor education.