Supervision is a domain of professional practice conducted by many psychologists but for which formal training and standards have been largely neglected. In this article, supervision is proposed as a core competency area in psychology for which a number of elements reflecting specific knowledge, skills, and values must be addressed to ensure adequate training and professional development of the trainee. Supra-ordinate factors of supervision viewed as permeating all aspects of professional development are proposed. These include the perspective that professional development is a lifelong, cumulative process requiring attention to diversity in all its forms, as well as legal and ethical issues, personal and professional factors, and self- and peer-assessment. A competencies framework is presented with particular elements representing knowledge (e.g., about psychotherapy, research, etc.), skills (including supervising modalities, relationship skills, etc.), values (e.g., responsibility for the clients and supervisee rests with supervisor, etc.), and meta-knowledge. Social contextual factors and issues of education and training, assessment, and future directions also are addressed, with specific elements listed. Suggestions for future work in this area are addressed, including the need to refine further and operationalize competences, develop clear expectations for accreditation and licensure regarding supervision competencies, and expand the description of developmental levels of supervisors from minimal to optimal competence. This is one of a series of articles published together in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Several other articles that resulted from the Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology will appear in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice and The Counseling Psychologist.

Every psychologist participates in clinical supervision during various aspects of his or her training. Many psychologists also provide supervision to less experienced colleagues and to those in training. But what makes for an effective and competent supervisor? Psychologists need to know because substandard or ineffective clinical supervision may have far-reaching consequences for the developing professional and for those he or she treats. This contribution provides key information on clinical supervision and related competence issues. A number of questions are raised that must be addressed by individual psychologists and the profession alike. Then, 3 invited expert commentaries are offered to address these issues, further this important discussion, and attempt to answer the challenging questions raised. Attention to the issues raised and recommendations made will hopefully lead to enhanced clinical competence and effectiveness by clinical supervisors.

This national survey was conducted to answer several questions including: how predoctoral training sites practice group supervision, how these results compared to a similar survey sent in 1991 (Riva & Cornish, 1995), and whether group process and multicultural considerations are incorporated into group supervision practices. The original survey included 157 group supervisors from sites listed in the 1991-1992 APPIC Directory, while the current study's respondents included 162 group supervisors from sites in the 2006 -2007 APPIC Directory. Several important similarities and differences were found between the two time periods. The results and implications related to how group supervision is conducted are presented. Recommendations based on these results are outlined.

Group supervision is widely practiced, yet little is known about the frequency of use and how it is actually practiced. A national survey of psychology predoctoral internships was conducted to examine current practices of group supervision. Data were collected on characteristics of the leader, the structure and content of group supervision, and leaders' perceptions about the unique qualities of group supervision. The 243 returned surveys showed that group supervision was conducted at a majority (65%) of the sites. The survey indicated that groups typically consist of 3 to 5 interns who meet weekly for the entire internship. Group supervisors were also found to enjoy conducting group supervision and to have extensive experience in doing so. Results about the content of group supervision and the perceived unique characteristics are also presented, along with suggestions for future research. MARIA T. RIVA received her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1990. She is currently an assistant professor in counseling psychology at the University of Denver. Her major teaching and research interests are in adolescent development and group counseling. JENNIFER A. ERICKSON CORNISH received her PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology-Los Angeles in 1982. She is currently the director of training at the University of Denver Counseling Center. Her major research interests are in supervision, training, and group psychotherapy.

Although psychologists increasingly provide clinical supervision, the profession has only recently begun to establish standards for competently doing so. This study was aimed at conducting a broader exploration of predoctoral psychology internship training directors' views (n ϭ 184) on the importance of the supervision competencies initially suggested by C. . Respondents generally agreed with the importance of the competencies but showed less agreement with the importance of different types of clinical supervision training. Results reflect the need for further discussion in defining what makes for competent clinical supervision before these competencies are adopted within the profession. Practical implications of these findings are addressed.