A Meta-Analysis of the Counseling Literature on Technology-Assisted Distance Supervision

In this meta-analysis, we examined the effect of distance clinical supervision in comparison with traditional face-to-face supervision in conformity with the guidelines offered by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We analyzed empirical studies (i.e., three journal articles and one dissertation) on clinical supervision published between 2000 and 2018. Analyses determined the overall effect sizes of supervision by format (i.e., distance vs. face-to-face) and compared the effect sizes of distance vs. face-to-face supervision, specifically, by supervisee satisfaction, supervisory alliance, and supervisee competency. Results indicated that the overall effect sizes of supervision, as well as the effect sizes for the three variables, did not significantly differ by format. Implications of non-significant difference in the effect sizes by different formats of clinical supervision (distance vs. face-to-face) are discussed.