IJSP Number 6, 2024

55 S (High) U P P Relationship O R T I V oriented E B E H behaviour A V I O U R (Low) High Emphasis on Relationships and Low Emphasis on Tasks S3 S2 High Emphasis on Tasks and High Emphasis on Relationships S4 Low Emphasis on Relationships and Low Emphasis on Tasks High Emphasis on Tasks and Low Emphasis on Relationships S1 (Low) Task oriented behaviour. (High) DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOUR Fig 1. Experience/maturity connection in relation to task and supervisory style The experience (maturity) of the therapist is not only discussed in extreme terms (mature or immature) but gradually. One can correlate levels of experience (maturity) to the appropriate supervisory style by dividing the content of experience (maturity) into four levels: M1 – low levels of experience/maturity in relation to the task M2 – low to moderate levels M3 – moderate to high levels M4 – very high levels of experience/maturity in relation to the task What does the bell curve mean in the supervision style part of the model? It means that the experience/maturity level of a therapist runs along the maturity bell curve from immature to mature, and the appropriate supervisory style is the one along the curve function. The experience/maturity level of the therapist must be first established in relation to the specific task the supervisor wants to be performed in order to determine whether the supervisory style is appropriate to be used in a particular situation. Once the maturity level is established, the appropriate supervisory style can be determined by drawing a right angle (90°) from the point on the continuum that identifies the experience/maturity level of the therapist to the point where it intersects the curve function shown in the model. The quadrant where this