Tony G Rousmaniere1, Joshua K Swift2, Robbie Babins-Wagner3, Jason L Whipple4, Sandy Berzins3. 1. a Student Health and Counseling , University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , AK , USA. 2. b Department of Psychology , University of Alaska Anchorage , Anchorage , AK , USA. 3. c Calgary Counseling Center , Calgary , AB , Canada. 4. d Department of Psychology , University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , AK , USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Although supervision has long been considered as a means for helping trainees develop competencies in their clinical work, little empirical research has been conducted examining the influence of supervision on client treatment outcomes. Specifically, one might ask whether differences in supervisors can predict/explain whether clients will make a positive or negative change through psychotherapy. METHOD: In this naturalistic study, we used a large (6521 clients seen by 175 trainee therapists who were supervised by 23 supervisors) 5-year archival data-set of psychotherapy outcomes from a private nonprofit mental health center to test whether client treatment outcomes (as measured by the OQ-45.2) differed depending on who was providing the supervision. Hierarchical linear modeling was used with clients (Level 1) nested within therapists (Level 2) who were nested within supervisors (Level 3). RESULTS: In the main analysis, supervisors explained less than 1% of the variance in client psychotherapy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Possible reasons for the lack of variability between supervisors are discussed.
OBJECTIVE: Although supervision has long been considered as a means for helping trainees develop competencies in their clinical work, little empirical research has been conducted examining the influence of supervision on client treatment outcomes. Specifically, one might ask whether differences in supervisors can predict/explain whether clients will make a positive or negative change through psychotherapy. METHOD: In this naturalistic study, we used a large (6521 clients seen by 175 trainee therapists who were supervised by 23 supervisors) 5-year archival data-set of psychotherapy outcomes from a private nonprofit mental health center to test whether client treatment outcomes (as measured by the OQ-45.2) differed depending on who was providing the supervision. Hierarchical linear modeling was used with clients (Level 1) nested within therapists (Level 2) who were nested within supervisors (Level 3). RESULTS: In the main analysis, supervisors explained less than 1% of the variance in client psychotherapy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Possible reasons for the lack of variability between supervisors are discussed.
Keywords:
psychotherapy outcome; supervision; training
Authors: John E Pachankis; Zachary A Soulliard; Ilana Seager van Dyk; Eric K Layland; Kirsty A Clark; Deborah S Levine; Skyler D Jackson Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2022-07