Contribution of supervisor and supervisee personal epistemology to the supervisory working alliance

This study investigated the relationship between personal epistemology and supervisory working alliance among supervisors and supervisees in the counseling mental health field. Participants were 107 graduate student supervisees and their 107 supervisors.;Personal epistemology was assessed by having participants complete the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory which produced scores on five dimensions of beliefs: simple knowledge, certain knowledge, omniscient authority, innate ability and quick learning. Supervisory working alliance was measured by using the Working Alliance Inventory, modified to include supervisor and supervisee forms for use in supervision research.;Multiple regression was used to explore (a) the relationship between personal epistemology and working alliance, (b) the influence of gender, age and education on epistemology and working alliance, (c) the interaction of supervisee and supervisor epistemology on working alliance, and (d) the relationship between supervisee and supervisor working alliance.;The results of the study indicated (a) personal epistemology was significantly related to working alliance, (b) gender, age and education were related to epistemology, and personal epistemology was significantly related to working alliance after the effects of gender, age and education were considered, (c) interactions were found between supervisee and supervisor epistemology as predictors of working alliance, suggesting the importance of epistemology on working alliance varies over the range of the dyad partner's epistemology, and (d) supervisee and supervisor perceptions of their working alliance were significantly related.;The results of this study are significant because they suggest that where success is desired in a change-inducing relationship, the personal epistemology of both is of significant importance.