Events and experiences impacting the development of clinical self confidence: a study of the first year of client contact

Research was conducted to identify the events and experiences influencing the development of clinical self-confidence during the first year of client contact for beginning marriage and family therapists. Thirty-nine recent graduates of a master's degree training program participated in a semistructured interview in which they were asked to describe the influences on their clinical self-confidence. Through qualitative analysis, four event and experience categories emerged as exerting the most influence on confidence at this stage of professional development: supervision, contact with clients, contact with peers, and personal life stress. The authors recommend providing strength-focused supervision, acknowledging the effects of client contact, encouraging peer contact, and attending to personal life stress.