| The purpose of this study is to examine the epistemological development of mental health clinicians working with adolescents with sexual behavior problems. The qualitative research design utilized in this study allowed the researcher to generate a theory of epistemological development with implications for educational and supervision needs. The study explores how the difficulty of clinically treating this population hinders, stagnates, or facilitates the developmental processes described in literature. The study explores the concept of development of expertise in a field where there is minimal agreement in etiology, typology, or appropriate clinical interventions.;The primary method for investigating the experiences of these clinicians is grounded theory, a qualitative research method designed to aid in the systematic collection and analysis of data and the construction of a theoretical model. The data analysis was based on transcriptions from 16 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with masters-level therapists working at various levels of care (outpatient, residential, and secure inpatient units) with adolescents exhibiting sexual behavior problems. Two major categories emerged from the interview data, the first relating to the concept of learning from our clients and the second relating to the influence of collaborative learning environments. |
