Relations of complementarity and supervisory issues to supervisory working alliance: A comparative analysis of two cases

This study examined the effects of complementary communications and supervisory issues on the formation of working alliance in 2 graduate student supervisor-supervise dyads, 1 characterized by high alliance and 1 by low alliance, over the first 3 weeks of clinical supervision. A research-informed case study method was used to collect process and outcome data from the participant and rater perspectives. Results provided some support for (a) a sequential order of the themes or issues underlying the professional development of counselor trainees, (b) a higher degree of complementary interaction in the high-alliance dyad than in the low-alliance dyad, and (c) a relation between complementarity and supervision satisfaction level. Implications for future research and practice are discussed relative to the supervision literature.