Measuring Reflective Supervision Within Home Visiting: Changes in Supervisors’ Self‐perception Over Time

Abstract

Despite widespread belief in the early childhood field of the benefits of reflective supervision, there has been limited empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of reflective supervision for home visitors and the children and families they serve. The present study examined the psychometric properties of four adapted self-report measures assessing supervisors' reflective supervision capacities; the study also investigated whether these measures captured change in reflective capacity over time as supervisors participated in professional development activities focused on reflective supervision. Results from 33 participants (home visiting supervisors and program managers) suggested that three of the four measures demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, and these three measures were correlated with each other. Two of these measures also captured significant change over time. Finally, there was some evidence that those with less education demonstrated more substantial improvement in their reflective supervision capacities than did those with an advanced degree. Findings provide initial evidence for reliable, efficient, and cost-effective supervisor self-report measures that could be used in research and program evaluation to assess change in supervisor reflective capacity over time.

Professional quality of life in home visitors: Core components of the reflective supervisory relationship and IMH‐E® Endorsement® engagement

“…Home visitors who reported consistently experiencing core components of the reflective supervisory relationship reported lower levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The results of this investigation are aligned with the limited IMH empirical literature available that supports RS as not only a cornerstone of professional development but also as an important tool for professional emotional regulation (Frosch et al., 2018; Low et al., 2018; O'Rourke, 2011; Osofsky, 2009; Shea, 2018; Watson & Gatti, 2012).…”

“…Training and supervision for home visitors needs to consider professional development not just as a means of effective service delivery, but also as a means of supporting the home visitor as a professional in their work. A substantive body of IECMH literature continues to grow suggesting links between reflective supervisory relationships perceived as supportive and increased professional sense of competence, self‐regulation, and sense of meaning in the work (Frosch et al., 2018; Low et al., 2018; Shea, 2018; Virmani & Ontai, 2010; Watson & Gatti, 2012; Weatherston et al., 2010).…”

“…Multiple methods of measuring the supervisory relationship warrant development and critical analysis. Current efforts to measure RS range from systematic observation of reflective processes in a single supervisory session (Watson et al., 2016) to self‐assessment and report of reflective capacities and growth in both supervisees and supervisors (Heffron & Murch, 2010; Heller & Ash, 2016; Low et al., 2018). The RIOS (Reflective Interaction Observation Scales) is the only existing tool designed to objectively measure specific elements of the reflective supervisory session which are: understanding the family story, holding the mother and baby in mind, professional use of self, parallel process and the reflective alliance (Watson et al., 2016).…”

Infant mental health home visiting therapists’ reflective supervision self‐efficacy in community practice settings

“…In response to the need for additional research regarding this central component of IMH practice, the effort to measure reflective supervision has grown significantly in the last decade with the emergence of several tools. Each tool serves a unique purpose and addresses different aspects of reflective supervision measurement (Gallen et al., ; Heller & Ash, ; Low et al., ; Shea et al., ; Tomlin & Heller, 2016; Watson et al., ). Examples of such measures include the Provider Reflective Process Assessment Scales (Heller & Ash, ), which focuses on 5‐minute transcribed description of an early childhood provider's experience working with a particularly challenging family.…”

Our way of being: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health workforce development in Tennessee

“…One foundational aspect of workforce capacity building for IECMH is the provision of reflective supervision/consultation services (RSC 3 ). Empirical investigations of RSC have found it to help increase job satisfaction, provider self-efficacy, capacity to cope with stress, provider ability to address personal biases, and to increase reflective capacity and reflective behaviors in a range of professionals working with young children and families (Frosch et al, 2018;Harrison, 2016;Harrison, 2016;Low et al, 2018;Watson et al, 2014).…”