Objective(s): Psychologists' experiences of an online training tool in metacommunication as well as an in-supervisory metacommunication exercise were examined.
Method: A total of 101 participants completed a training tool in metacommunication and changes in self-efficacy (SE) to use metacommunication with clients, the proportion of metacommunication used in vignette-responses, and their willingness to use metacommunication in supervision were assessed pre- and posttraining and at 6-week follow-up. A total of 48 participants elected to undertake the in-supervision exercise.
Results: Participants reported significantly higher willingness and self-efficacy after completing the online training. They also showed a higher proportion of metacommunicative statements in their posttraining vignette responses compared with pretraining. The increase in willingness was retained at 6-week follow-up. There was an increase in self-efficacy from pre- to postonline-training, and this increased at follow-up.
Conclusions: This opens the door to better developing metacommunication skills in supervisees through both online training and the metacommunication supervisory exercise. Areas for continued research are outlined.
Keywords: immediacy; metacommunication; online training; supervision; supervisory relationship.
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