Insights and Reflections from Social Workers on the Role of Supervision in Addressing Uncertainty in Practice: A Simulation-Based Research Study

Background and purpose: Social workers frequently work in highly stressful and demanding situations which can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being. Mentorship, guidance, and learning opportunities help reduce stress and enhance practice skills. Supervision is recognized as an integral source of support for social workers’ well-being and can help build confidence and self-efficacy, in the face of uncertainty, conflict, and competing interests. Our research team engaged in a simulated-based research (SBR) study to explore clinical social workers’ encounters with uncertainty and the strategies they used to navigate complex practice. The role, value, and limitations of supervision emerged in our study which led us to adjust our interview guide to answer the research question: How can supervision be used to support social workers in navigating uncertainty in their practice?

Methods: Guided by a social constructivist lens, SBR methodology was utilized for this study. MSW students (n = 12), recent graduates (n = 12) and experienced practitioners (n = 12) were recruited from October 2021-February 2022 and engaged in two, 30-minute online simulations using trained actors to play simulated clients. The first simulation was with a 33-year-old immigrant Asian mother struggling with depression, marital tension, and parenting and the other with a 21-year-old Black student struggling with stress and the pressures of university, relationships, and structural racism. Following each simulation, all participants engaged in a 45-minute reflective dialogue with a member of the research team. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Both types of data (simulated sessions and interviews) were analyzed inductively, using coding methods from Grounded Theory and constant comparative methods. This analysis included a three-pronged process that allowed the researchers to do a close review, and initial and focused coding of each layer of the data including the (1) video-recorded simulations, (2) audio-recorded semi-structured reflective dialogues, and (3) a re-contextualizing of the two data sets together.

Findings: Themes identified in the data include: 1) supervision as a space to normalize experiences of uncertainty; 2) supervision provides an opportunity for feedback and supports critical reflection; and 3) simulation as a tool for supervision. Our findings support the theoretical literature that supportive and nurturing supervision is effective and can assist social workers as they reflect on their own biases, assumptions, values, and insecurities that may impact their practice. Particularly when social workers feel “stuck,” supervision can validate these struggles and explore other possible interventions (e.g., anti-oppressive practice). Participants viewed supervision as a productive space to collaboratively navigate uncertainty related to complex topics of intersectionality, racism, and addiction.

Conclusion and Implications: Simulation is an innovative methodology to investigate practice realities as they navigate uncertainty in challenging clinical encounters. Our study uniquely explores how SBR provides a proximation to practice that allows for an exploration of how social workers consider and utilize supervision. In keeping with the 2024 SSWR Conference theme, social workers should be given opportunities to think critically on their practice and receive feedback on their work to better engage in anti-oppressive practice and effectively address structural inequities.