Supervisory Working Alliance and Job Satisfaction in Community Mental Health Settings

162 Pages·2015·0.94 MB·English

Walden University
ScholarWorks
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Collection
2016
Supervisory Working Alliance and Job Satisfaction
in Community Mental Health Settings
Jennifer Weigelt
Walden University
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Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Jennifer Weigelt

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.

Review Committee
Dr. Susan Rarick, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty
Dr. Reba Glidewell, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty
Dr. Michael Christopher, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty

Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University
2015
Abstract
Supervisory Working Alliance and Job Satisfaction in Community Mental Health
Settings
by
Jennifer Weigelt

MA, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, 2003
BS, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 2000

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Psychology

Walden University
February 2016
Abstract
Researchers have written extensively on many facets of supervision in the counseling
profession, including the supervisee benefits associated with a strong supervisory
working alliance. While the majority of studies have focused on the working alliance in
academic settings with student trainees, there has been a lack of research exploring the
role of the supervisory working alliance in workplace settings, where supervision can be
different from supervision offered in a university clinic or counseling center. Employee
job dissatisfaction has been a problem identified within the mental health workforce.
Researchers have identified effective supervision as a mediating factor. The purpose of
this study was to evaluate the relationship between the theoretical construct of the
supervisory working alliance and job satisfaction. This multiple regression study included
250 workers who were providing direct services to persons with severe mental illness or
severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Results yielded a significant relationship
between the supervisees’ perception of the supervisory working alliance, as measured by
the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory, and job satisfaction, as measured by the Job
Satisfaction Survey. Specifically, participants who rated the supervisory working alliance
higher were also more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction. The implications
for social change include knowledge useful for educators, trainers, supervisors, and
supervisees seeking to promote positive outcomes of workers and clients in community
mental health settings. Low job satisfaction leads to generally poorer client outcomes.
The ability to understand the supervisory working alliance’s influence on job satisfaction
is beneficial to advancing the treatment for persons with chronic mental illness.
Supervisory Working Alliance and Job Satisfaction in Community Mental Health
Settings
by
Jennifer Weigelt

MA, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, 2003
BS, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 2000

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Psychology

Walden University
February 2016
Dedication
To my husband, Lucas. Thank you for your unrelenting support during this
journey.
To my kids, Cullen and Peyton, I love you to the moon and back.
Acknowledgments
I would have never been able to finish my dissertation without the guidance of my
committee members and support from my family.
First, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my committee chair, Dr.
Susan Rarick, who has provided unrelenting guidance through my research project. She
has provided me with the perfect mix of support and critique, ensuring that my work was
elevated to the best that it could be.
Second, I would like to thank Dr. Reba Glidewell, who agreed to be my second
committee member and who shares my interest in community mental health.
Finally, I owe a debt of gratitude to my family. I would like to thank my husband,
Lucas. He has run by my side cheering me on the whole way. He has stood by me
through all the good and bad of this process. I would also like to give a special thank you
to my two wonderful kids, Cullen and Peyton, who have been so accepting and
supportive of my educational journey.
Table of Contents
List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... v

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................... 1

Background ................................................................................................................... 1

Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 5

Purpose Statement ......................................................................................................... 6

Variables ....................................................................................................................... 6

Variables ................................................................................................................. 6

Research Questions and Hypotheses ............................................................................ 7

Significance ................................................................................................................... 9

Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................... 10

Definition of Key Terms ............................................................................................. 11

Supervision ........................................................................................................... 11

Community Mental Health Services ..................................................................... 14

Community Mental Health Worker ...................................................................... 14

Nature of Study ........................................................................................................... 15

Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 15

Limitations .................................................................................................................. 16

Issues of Internal Validity ..................................................................................... 16

Limitations with Regard to External Validity ....................................................... 17

Summary ..................................................................................................................... 17

Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 20

i
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 20

Supervisory Working Alliance Literature ................................................................... 21

Theoretical Foundation ......................................................................................... 21

Adaptability of the Supervisory Working Alliance Model ................................... 26

Application of the Supervisory Working Alliance ............................................... 29

Qualities of the Supervisory Relationship ............................................................ 31

Limitations of the Supervisory Working Alliance Research ................................ 36

Community Mental Health and Supervision ......................................................... 40

Research Applications of the SWAI ..................................................................... 45

Job Satisfaction ........................................................................................................... 46

Introduction ........................................................................................................... 46

Effects of Job Satisfaction .................................................................................... 49

Job Satisfaction in Community Mental Health ..................................................... 50

Antecedents of Job Satisfaction ............................................................................ 51

Job Satisfaction and Supervision .......................................................................... 55

Supervision and Job Satisfaction in Counseling and Helping Professions ........... 57

Summary ..................................................................................................................... 63

Chapter 3: Research Method ............................................................................................. 65

Introduction ................................................................................................................. 65

Research Design .......................................................................................................... 65

Setting and Sample ..................................................................................................... 66

Instrumentation ........................................................................................................... 68

ii
Demographic Questionnaire ................................................................................. 68

SWAI-T ................................................................................................................. 68

JSS 71

Data Collection and Data Analysis ............................................................................. 74

Restatement of Research Questions and Hypothesis ............................................ 74

Procedures ................................................................................................................... 77

Data Collection ..................................................................................................... 77

Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 78

Threats to Validity ...................................................................................................... 79

Protection of Participants’ Rights ............................................................................... 81

Summary ..................................................................................................................... 83

Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................. 84

Introduction ................................................................................................................. 84

Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 84

Data Collection ........................................................................................................... 86

Recruitment and Response Rates .......................................................................... 87

Characteristics of the Sample ................................................................................ 88

Responses to the SWAI – T and JSS .................................................................... 90

Data Analysis Results ................................................................................................. 93

Research Question 1 ............................................................................................. 93

Research Question 2 ............................................................................................. 94

Research Question 3 ............................................................................................. 97

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