Using client feedback in psychotherapy training: An analysis of its influence on supervision and counselor self-efficacy.

Abstract

Tracking client outcome and the therapeutic relationship across treatment (i.e., client feedback) has become a recommended practice for clinicians. This study investigated whether the utility of this practice would extend to trainees if the data gained from clients was provided to their supervisor for use within supervision. Trainees (N ϭ 28) were assigned to a continuous feedback condition or no-feedback condition for 1 academic year. Results indicated that trainees in both conditions demonstrated better client outcomes at the end of their practicum training than at the beginning, but those in the feedback condition improved more. However, those in the feedback condition did not rate the supervisory alliance or satisfaction with the supervision process differently. The relationship between counselor self-efficacy and outcome was stronger for trainees in the feedback condition than for those in the no-feedback condition, perhaps indicating that feedback may facilitate a more accurate assessment of one's skills. Implications of how counseling self-efficacy, the supervisory alliance, and satisfaction with supervision are related to effective supervision are addressed.

Therapists’ Self-Efficacy for CBT Dissemination: is Supervision the Key?

“…While prior research on the link between supervision and therapist self-efficacy had been mixed [21][22][23][24], the present study found very clear support for this relationship; this difference is perhaps attributable to the surveying of experienced Masters level clinicians in the present study as opposed to graduate student clinicians in prior work.…”

“…In university training clinics or laboratory settings with graduate student trainees, some studies have found an increase in self-efficacy related to participation in clinical supervision [21,22] while other studies have not found such an advantage [23,24]. The present study was aimed at shedding light on the link between participation in ongoing consultation and coaching and therapist self-efficacy in seasoned clinicians.…”

The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision Volume 6 Issue 2 Fall 2014

“…Reese et al (2009b) found that clients of those students receiving continuous feedback over the course of therapy demonstrated better treatment outcomes (as perceived by the client) than the clients of those students not receiving it. Additionally, the supervisors reflected that utilizing the feedback data during supervision made the process of delivering critical feedback easier and it allowed them an entry point for giving more specific feedback.…”

“…During experiential coursework, counselors in training enter the clinical world for the first time as the primary provider of services and are in need of feedback (Bernard & Goodyear, 2013;Skovholt & Ronnestad, 2003;Worthen & Lambert, 2007). Reese et al (2009aReese et al ( , 2009b suggest that this feedback should come directly from clients. Data based evaluation of student progress or remediation is instrumental to enhancing student development; this is preferred over attempts to use inflated or inaccurate reassurances from self or supervisor that serve little educational or developmental ends (Holloway & Neufeldt, 1995).…”

Perceived Impact on Client Outcomes

“…2009; Reese et al, 2009). Each of these studies yielded significantly different results, and despite stronger methodology than the reviews cited above, the extent to which supervision impacts client outcome is unclear.…”