So happy together? Predictors of satisfaction with supervision for play therapist supervisees.

Abstract

The present study examined current supervision experiences and factors that predicted satisfaction for play therapist supervisees. Participants (n = 238) from the Association for Play Therapy (APT) were included. Participants completed a web-hosted survey which included items related to their current supervision experience, the Supervisee Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ), and a demographic questionnaire. A nonexperimental, correlational design was used to examine the relationship between participants’ current supervision experiences and their satisfaction with supervision. Regression and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to analyze the data. Standardized regression coefficients indicated that supervisors’ professional identity as play therapist and supervisees’ years of experience predicted supervisee satisfaction with supervision. A discussion of implications and recommendations for future research is included.

Examining the trends of play therapy articles: A 10-year content analysis.

“…Supervision articles included three research articles and eight nonresearch articles. Of the three research articles on play therapy supervision, two studies investigated predictors of satisfaction (VanderGast & Hinkle, 2015) and preference of supervisees (VanderGast, Culbreth, & Flowers, 2010). One study investigated mindfulness in supervision (Glazer & Stein, 2015).…”

“…In regard to supervision articles, we found fewer research articles ( n = 3) and more nonresearch articles ( n = 8).Two quantitative research articles utilized survey data to explore supervisees’ experiences (VanderGast et al, 2010) and satisfaction (VanderGast & Hinkle, 2015) of play therapy supervision. One qualitative research article examined supervisors’ perceptions of play therapy supervision (Glazer & Stein, 2015).…”

Examining perceived levels of stress, burnout, and job satisfaction among play therapists.

“…Engaging in supervision has been cited as an important source of professional wellness for play therapists (Meany-Walen et al, 2018). VanderGast and Hinkle (2015) found that play therapists were more satisfied with the supervision process when they viewed their supervisors as having a play therapist professional identity. This suggests that play therapists may experience a sense of validation when working with a supervisor who understands what it is like to do the same type of work.…”

“…Thus, supervision can help set the tone for a fulfilling career. Play therapy supervisors play an important role in orienting play therapists to the profession and in cultivating professional identity development (Garza et al, 2009; VanderGast & Hinkle, 2015). Engaging in supervision has been cited as an important source of professional wellness for play therapists (Meany-Walen et al, 2018).…”