A short scale to evaluate supervision and supervisor competence : the SE-SC8

There is an urgent need for instruments to evaluate supervisor competence. The current study describes the development of the SE-SC8, an eight-item version of a previously published Supervision Evaluation and Supervisory Competence scale that has adequate reliability and validity. The current study analysed data from the sample (N = 142) used in the initial validation of the full scale to identify the best set of items for a short scale before testing the scale's psychometric properties in a new study (N = 122). The SE-SC8 demonstrated good reliability and adequate convergent and divergent validity. The SE-SC8 has two overall items respectively measuring supervisor effectiveness and supervision satisfaction and six items that represent supervisory competencies, namely, (1) Openness, Caring and Support, (2) Supervisor's Knowledge and Expertise as Therapist, (3) Supervision Planning and Management, (4) Goal-Directed Supervision, (5) Restorative Competencies, and (6) Insight into and Management of Therapist-Client Dynamics and Reflective Practitioner Competencies. As with other subjective ratings, SE-SC8 scores should be supplemented by other assessments for a holistic appraisal of supervisor competence.