An investigation of the relationship between counseling supervisors' multicultural counseling competencies and the supervisory working alliance

Multicultural competence in counseling supervision is considered important, but has received a limited amount of attention in the literature. Using Bordin's (1983) Supervisory Working Alliance Theory as a theoretical framework, this study explored the relationship between supervisors' multicultural competencies (awareness, knowledge, skills, and relationships) and the supervisors and supervisees' perceptions of the supervisory working alliance. Three research hypotheses were developed and tested in this study using a sample of 79 mixed race supervision dyads consisting of White supervisors and trainees of color.; Results from multiple linear regression analyses indicated that supervisors' multicultural relationships accounted for all of the variance in supervisees' working alliance, but in a negative direction. There was also a significant relationship found between supervisors and supervisees' perceptions of the supervisory working alliance, although a small amount of the variance was explained. The results indicate that mixed race supervision dyads are vulnerable to misperceptions. It is important for supervisors to explore trainees' perceptions in an effort to minimize or resolve misperceptions. Supervisors' multicultural competence in counseling relationships does not seem to generalize to their competence in multicultural supervision relationships, in fact, the opposite appears to be true. Further implications of the results are discussed.; Finally, limitations and recommendations for research are explored, emphasizing that the relationship in multicultural supervision may be more important than other multicultural variables for trainees of color.