Investigating the Impact of Supervisee Attachment System Activation on the Supervisory Relationship

Using a quasi-experimental design, the authors explored how supervisee attachment to supervisor predicted the supervisory relationship after recalling critical feedback from a supervisor. To examine effects of supervisee attachment system activation, participants were randomly assigned either to recall critical feedback from a supervisor (experimental condition) or to list objects in the room (control condition). Anxious and avoidant attachment to supervisor significantly predicted the supervisory relationship, but there were no significant differences among participants in either condition in predicting the supervisory relationship. Results are discussed in light of attachment theory, and implications for further investigating attachment dynamics in supervision are presented.