title: Supervision practices in allied mental health: relationships of supervision characteristics to perceived impact and job satisfaction.
abstract: This study examined whether supervision characteristics impacted on mental health practice and morale, and developed a new Supervision Attitude Scale (SAS). Telephone surveys were conducted with a representative sample of 272 staff from public mental health services across Queensland. Although supervision was widely received and positively rated, it had low average intensity, and assessment and training of skills was rarely incorporated. Perceived impact on practice was associated with acquisition of skills and positive attitudes to supervisors, but extent of supervision was related to impact only if it was from within the profession. Intention to resign was unrelated to extent of supervision, but was associated with positive attitudes to supervisors, accessibility, high impact, and empathy or praise in supervision sessions. The SAS had high internal consistency, and its intercorrelations were consistent with it being a measure of relationship positivity. The study supported the role of supervision in retention and in improving practice. It also highlighted supervision characteristics that might be targeted in training, and provided preliminary data on a new measure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. d.kavanagh@uq.cdu.au
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
authors.forename: Susan H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sturk
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crow
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011793:Queensland; D020377:Self Efficacy; D000078329:Workforce