Student and Supervisor Experiences of the Systemic Practice Scale (SPS): A Discourse Analysis

There has been recent emphasis on the assessment of competence in psychotherapy training courses to improve evidence-based practice and outcomes for clients. The Systemic Practice Scale (SPS) was developed as a structured way of evaluating systemic practice. There is, however, little research on the impact and experience of competence measures, particularly in the context of systemic practice. Five focus groups conducted with sixteen students and seven supervisors from systemic family practice (SFP) programmes explored their views of the SPS as an appropriate measure of systemic competence. Data was analysed using a discourse analysis with three dominant discourses identified: feedback as valuable but uncomfortable; measuring competence; and being systemic. The SPS was viewed as a valuable and useful measure of systemic competence when reflexivity and collaboration is maintained between the student and supervisor. Practitioner points: There is limited research exploring the use of competence measures in systemic practice The SPS was perceived as broadening perspectives of students’ practice and competence, reiterating the importance of feedback in a collaborative supervisory relationship Increasingly the SPS is being used across clinical psychotherapy training courses (including systemic IAPT course and Doctorate of Clinical Psychology) It has the potential to be used more widely with wider implications for the development of systemic training standards in systemic practice.