How do supervisors assess and develop professional dispositions among counselors in vocational rehabilitation agencies? A qualitative inquiry

Evolving accreditation standards have prompted interest in the role of professional dispositions (PDs) in rehabilitation counselor education and practice. The purpose of this study was to explore (a) how rehabilitation counselor supervisors assess counselor PDs in field settings, (b) how supervisors facilitate the development of necessary PDs, and (c) which PDs supervisors perceive as difficult to influence. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using transcripts from interviews of 14 experienced supervisors. Supervisor response themes included the sources of evaluation data (informal/formal), evaluation uses, PDs-related supervision strategies, dynamics affecting PDs development, and the identification of PDs that are resistant to change.