Investigation of the relationship between attachment styles, cognitive flexibility,insight and supervision in psychological counselor candidates

Considering the ever-increasing need for psychological counseling services, research on supervision processes in which counselor candidates' personal and professional development is provided becomes important. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of cognitive flexibility and insight in the relationship between counselor candidates' attachment styles and supervision relationships. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 421 counselor candidates, 316 female (% 75.05) and 105 male (% 24.94), who were seniors in the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Undergraduate Programs of 17 different universities. "Supervision Work Adjustment Inventory - Short Form", "Three Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale", "Cognitive Flexibility Scale", "Insight Scale", and "Personal Information Form" were used to collect the data of the study. Explanatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling Analysis were used to determine the relationships between variables in the study. As a result of the structural equation modeling analysis, it was found that there was a significant relationship between the secure and anxious attachment styles of counselor candidates and the supervision relationship, but there was no significant relationship with avoidant attachment styles. At the same time, it was concluded that insight explained the relationship between secure and anxious attachment styles of counselor candidates and supervision relationships through cognitive flexibility, while insight and cognitive flexibility did not have a mediating role in the relationship between avoidant attachment styles of counselor candidates and supervision relationships. The findings of the study were discussed within the framework of the literature, and suggestions for future research and practitioners were presented in line with the results obtained.