Comparing the Effects of Live Supervision Interventions on Novice Trainee Anxiety and Anger

To assess the effects of supervision upon the anxiety and anger of novice counselors-in-training, sixty-five participants received traditional delayed, phone-in, or bug-in-the-ear supervision while counseling a role-play client for the first time. Doubly multivariate analysis of covariance procedures were used to analyze the data from repeated measures of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Findings revealed significant differences in state anxiety and anger due to CIT trait anxiety and anger, but no significant differences due to supervision method. CIT scores for state and trait anxiety were well below published norms. The discussion of the findings includes the possibility of a response set, CIT reluctance or inability to report anxiety or anger, and implications for the supervision of novice CITs.