General and Supervision-Specific Attachment Styles: Relations to Student Perceptions of Field Supervisors

This study extends research on the field supervisory relationship by examining general attachment style and supervision-specific attachment style in a sample of 72 master's-level social work students. Attachment variables were investigated in relation to student perceptions of the supervisory working alliance and supervisory style. Students with higher levels of general attachment avoidance were more likely to develop insecure attachment-related responses to their supervisor. General attachment was mostly unrelated to supervisory alliance and supervisory style variables. Supervision-specific attachment strongly predicted the supervisory alliance and supervisory style, regardless of students' general attachment styles.