Supervisee Nondisclosure: Does Relational Humility Matter?

Abstract

Applying the relational humility model to address gaps in the clinical supervision literature, we tested the interpersonal constructs of relational humility, supervisory working alliance, and relational behavior as predictors of supervisee nondisclosure (i.e., clinically-related and supervision-related nondisclosure). We hypothesized that relational humility moderates the relation between supervisory working alliance and supervision-related nondisclosure and that the supervisory working alliance and relational behavior each uniquely predicts supervisee nondisclosure. Self-report data from 312 trainees in the United States receiving clinical supervision across training settings found relational humility, supervisory working alliance, and relational behavior explained over a quarter of the variance in the multivariate construct of supervisee nondisclosure. Relational humility significantly moderated (and amplified) the inverse relation between the supervisory working alliance and supervision-related nondisclosure. The supervisory working alliance and relational behavior did not uniquely predict clinically-related or supervision-related nondisclosure. Results are discussed for their practical, theoretical, and research implications.