International supervisors' social influence, self-efficacy, and acculturation in cross-cultural dyads of clinical supervision

Supervisors' cultural backgrounds can influence supervision content, process, and outcomes (Bernard & Goodyear, 2004 Brown & Brown-Landrum, 1995). Although the empirical literature on multicultural supervision has greatly increased in recent years (Borders, 2005), no study has focused primarily on international supervisors. Since clinical supervisors take a vital role in enhancing the development of supervisees, it is important to understand the relationship between international supervisors' cultural factors (e.g., acculturation), their perceptions of supervisor credibility (e.g., social influence), and supervisor self-efficacy in cross-cultural dyads of clinical supervision.This study used social influence theory (Strong, 1968) as a framework to conceptualize supervisor credibility. Thirty-seven international supervisors who worked or were currently working with U.S.-born supervisees were surveyed to investigate factors (i.e., supervision self-efficacy, acculturation) that might impact international supervisors' social influence variables. The Supervisor Rating Form-Short (SRF-S), the Counselor Supervisor Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES), and the American International Relations Survey (AIRS) were used. The sample represented 5 continents (i.e., Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America), with 65% (n = 24) of the sample from Asia.Pearson Product-Moment Coefficients revealed significant relationships between supervisor self-efficacy and social influence variables (i.e., expertness, attractiveness, trustworthiness), and between attractiveness and perceived prejudice (i.e., one aspect of acculturation). Supervisor self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between acculturation and social influence variables. Multiple regression analyses revealed that gender, first language preference, and perceived racial appearance did not serve as predictors of perceived social influence variables.Results suggest that supervisor self-efficacy might have a significant and broader impact on international supervisors' self-perceptions of their social influence, compared with their acculturation levels. As the first empirical study of international supervisors' social influence, this study provides implications for researchers, counselor educators, and clinical supervisors.