A meta-analysis of supervisee attachment style and the supervisory relationship

Abstract

Attachment theory has been used to explain supervisee/supervisor bonding in clinical supervision, but research on these constructs has been mixed. To test the extent to which supervisee attachment strategies relate to the supervisory relationship, the authors conducted a meta-analysis of 19 published research studies on supervisee attachment from 1998 to 2022. Supervisee attachment strategies produced a small but statistically significant effect on the supervisory relationship (R² = 0.052). We discuss this finding in the light of previous mixed results, including that the supervisory relationship may not be characterized by a full-blown attachment bond. We recommend additional areas of research on attachment in supervision and highlight additional supervisory models to conceptualize and study the supervisory relationship.