Supervisory Alliance: Key to Positive Alliances and Outcomes in Home-based Parenting Support?

ObjectivesThis study investigated whether the supervisory alliance between professionals and supervisors contributes to strong client-professional alliances and positive outcomes of home-based parenting support provided by youth care organizations.MethodsMulti-informant self-report supervisory alliance, alliance, and outcome data from 124 parents (M age=39.83 years, SD=6.98), professionals (n=84, M age=43.66 years, SD=10.46), and supervisors (n=26, M age=47.18 years, SD=8.28) collected early and late in care were analyzed using structural equation modeling.ResultsA stronger professional-reported supervisory alliance was related to a stronger professional-reported alliance early in care (=0.27, p<0.01), and predicted higher levels of parent-reported satisfaction with care (=0.19, p<.05; =0.25, p<0.01), and professional-reported satisfaction with care (=0.21, p<0.01). A stronger supervisory alliance reported by supervisors predicted parent-reported improvement in parent functioning (=0.26, p<0.05), and higher levels of professional-reported satisfaction with care (=0.19, p<0.05; =.14, p<0.05). Finally, effects of professional-reported supervisory alliance on professional-reported satisfaction with care were mediated through higher levels of professional-reported alliance (=0.06, p<0.05; =.07, p<0.05).ConclusionsA strong supervisory alliance may relate to strong alliances and positive outcomes of home-based parenting support. Future research needs to identify factors that contribute to strong supervisory alliances and explain linkages between the supervisory alliance, the alliance, and outcomes.