Promoting Self-Determination in Clinical Supervision

A large body of research has suggested that self-determination, or acting as the causal agent in one’s life, has positive impacts for all people across the life course. This article describes the rationale for using an evidence-based intervention designed to promote self-determination as people set and work toward self-selected goals, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), in supervision settings to support professional development of practitioners in working in disability support fields. The SDLMI has been extensively researched in diverse education settings with people with and without disabilities, and its developers suggest it can be transferred to any context and overlaid on any content area. Essentially, the self-regulated goal setting process can be used for any type of goal, in any context. Steps and considerations for clinical supervisors to follow when implementing this intervention with supervisees to promote self-determined professional development are provided.