Determinants of Clinical Supervisor Self-Efficacy in Substance Use Disorder Counseling

Substance use disorder counselors face increasing challenges in responding to a growing and more severely affected population, often presenting with co-occurring mental health conditions and complex clinical needs. Clinical supervision plays a critical role in supporting counselor development, yet little is known about the factors that contribute to clinical supervisors’ self-efficacy in providing supervision for alcohol and drug counselors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether years of counseling experience, years of substance use disorder (SUD) counseling experience, years as a clinical supervisor, professional counseling credentials, and supervisory credentials predicted self-efficacy among clinical supervisors. This study was grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which posits that individuals’ beliefs in their capabilities influence performance and persistence. A sample of 92 clinical supervisors completed a survey measuring demographic variables and the Clinical Supervisor Self-Efficacy Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple regression to identify significant predictors. Results indicated that counseling experience, SUD counseling experience, and credential attainment were not significant predictors, F(6, 85) = 1.50, p = .186, R² = .032. These findings highlight the importance of structured, experiential, and reflective supervisory training to cultivate confident and effective supervisors. Implications for positive social change include strengthening clinical supervision practices, improving counselor development, and ultimately enhancing the quality of care for clients with SUDs.