Supervision in clinical neuropsychology: standards and practices

Clinical supervision is fundamental to the training and development of professional psychologists; however, no clear supervision methods have been developed, and the ideal competencies for psychologists and supervisors are yet to be defined. This lack of consensus is aggravated in the field of clinical neuropsychology supervision due to the dearth of literature available, which has an impact not only in the supervisory activities and the training of new professionals, but also ultimately in the quality of service provided to people that in many cases could be considered to be a vulnerable population. The theoretical background provided in this review covers conceptual developments and debates in relation to clinical supervision. Specifically, it reflects on the definition of supervision in the context of neuropsychology, as well as competencies and practices required in order to render supervision. A brief review of supervision in the field of clinical neuropsychology is included. Additionally, some insights are offered into the dearth of research and theoretical developments in this area. Finally, some comments are included in relation to the professional progress of clinical neuropsychology in developing countries, with particular reference to South Africa.