Attachment-informed Supervision for Social Work Field Education

Abstract

Supervisory relationships present a new population for the application of attachment theory, and conceptualization of attachment-informed supervision training offers a new direction for study. This paper presents an 8-month model of supervision training for social work field instructors of MSW students. The training's design incorporates primary attachment concepts with an understanding of the supervisory working alliance and parallel process. An overview of the in-person and on-line pilot training is presented, including perceptions from the participants regarding the training's usefulness. This training program has implications for effective social work field education, and recommendations are suggested for future attachment research on supervision.

Attachment theory within clinical supervision: application of the conceptual to the empirical

“…A previous intervention designed to educate supervisors in attachment styles and possible associated behaviors was unsuccessful from the student perspective (Bennett, 2008a). However, this does not mean that any attempt to intervene using an attachment framework is unnecessary.…”

“…Therefore, the measurement of supervisory-specific attachment and working alliance were measured without an attempt to modify their manifestation. Though there is one known intervention discussed in the research literature (Bennett, 2008a), the follow up data did not indicate that trainees' attachment concerns were altered, despite supervisor ratings indicating that they saw improvement in the supervisory relationship and trainee development (Deal, Bennett, Mohr, & Hwang, 2011). There is additional work needed in order to ascertain the best method of approaching problematic supervisory attachment styles.…”

“…In addition, secure trainee/insecure supervisor and insecure supervisor/trainee dyads were expected to exhibit the worst outcomes in relation to supervisory working alliance. This was due to the documented effect of supervisor attachment style on working alliance (Bennett, 2008a, Bennett & Deal, 2009 was planned as the unit of analysis for this hypothesis. Leader-member attachment dynamics explain additional variance in working alliance scores, above and beyond attachment style.…”

Supervision Training: What We Know and What We Need to Know

“…Over the past two decades, a growing number of social workers and psychologists have applied attachment theory to the supervisory relationship, conceptually (Bennett, 2008b;Bennett & Deal, 2009, 2010Bennett & Saks, 2006;Fitch, Pistole, & Gunn, 2010;Pistole & Fitch, 2008;Pistole & Watkins, 1995;Watkins, 1995) and empirically (Bennett, 2008a;Bennett, Mohr, BrintzenhofeSzoc, & Saks, 2008;Deal et al, 2011;Foster, 2003;Renfro-Michel & Sheperis, 2009;Riggs & Bretz, 2006;White & Queener, 2003). Based on the classical works of Bowlby (1969Bowlby ( /1982Bowlby ( , 1973Bowlby ( , 1980 and Ainsworth (1967;Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978), scholars have applied the biologically based theory of attachment to create a framework for understanding behavioral and relational patterns that emerge when an individual's attachment system is activated in times of fear, distress, or novelty-feelings familiar for new supervisees and students in training.…”

“…The other focused on informing FIs about the developmental needs of students (Deal, 2000(Deal, , 2002. The former designed and evaluated a supervision-training program that taught FIs about the basics of attachment theory and its application to various elements of field supervision (see Bennett, 2008a, for details). The 9-month program format included three all-day workshops and monthly online training modules focused on various aspects of supervision (Bennett, 2008a).…”