Participant Information Sheet

Assessing Reflective Practice and Growth in Supervision: A Mixed-Methods Study of Mental Health and Forensic Professionals

Version number and date: Version 1: 26/03/2025

Lead Researcher: Rebekah Kelly
Supervisor: Jennifer Hopton

Queen Mary Ethics of Research Committee reference number: QME25.900

You are being invited to participate in a research study. Before you decide whether you wish to participate in this study, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. If there is anything that is unclear or if you would like more information please email, the contact email for the lead researcher is provided at the bottom of the page. Participation is entirely voluntary and refusal to participate requires no reason.

What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of the study is to explore how supervisors and supervisees assess reflective practice and reflective growth in supervision within mental health and forensic settings. It aims to compare perspectives between the two groups to identify any differences in how reflection is perceived, evaluated and developed over time.

What Would Taking Part Involve?
Participants will complete an online questionnaire which will include multiple choice questions along with open ended questions. The questions are assessing reflective practice and reflective growth. Supervisors will be asked about how they assess their supervisees reflection as well as their own, whilst supervisees will self-assess their own reflective practice. The questionnaire will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary and responses will remain confidential and anonymous. The potential impact of research success will help with our understanding of how reflective practice is assessed.

Why am I being invited?
You are being invited to participate in this study if you fit the inclusion criteria: You work in a mental health or forensic setting, you are over the age of 18, you are a professional working in the UK and you have experience with supervision sessions.
You should not take part in this study if you do not work in a mental health or forensic setting, and you do not have experience participating in supervision.

Do I have to take part?
Participation is entirely voluntary; it is up to you whether you take part. If you decide to take part, you will be free to withdraw at any time during your participation without needing to provide a reason. Participants can choose not to answer any individual question and can move onto the next with impunity. If you do take part and decide you want to withdraw your data that is fine. The final date for data withdrawal will be the 15th of June, 2025. If you wish to withdraw, please email the email address that is provided at the bottom of this page.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?
This study will help expand knowledge on how reflective practice and growth are assessed, potentially improving the supervision process. The findings may also inform future training and supervisory frameworks. Participants may gain a greater self-awareness of their own reflective practice and supervision experience which could enhance their growth.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
When participating in the survey participants may feel slight psychological discomfort when reflecting on their supervisory experience, especially if they have had bad ones. To mitigate this participants can skip any question they find distressing, or withdraw their data.

Expenses and payments
Participants will not be paid for their participation.

What information about me will you be collecting?
Collection of personal data includes:
• Participants age
• Gender
• Job role

How will my data be stored and who will have access to it?
All data will be treated as confidential, meaning participants identities will not be revealed or disclosed. Your data will be stored in de-identified format. Participants will be required to create a unique identifier to have when completing the study and that is what you will be identified with. Raw data will be transferred and consolidated to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet in the students' researchers QMUL password-protected OneDrive and only the student researcher and supervisors will be able to access it.

When and how will my data be destroyed?
Your data will be securely stored in accordance with the data protection guidelines of the Queen Mary University of London until approximately September 2025 in a de-identified form.

How will my data be used and shared?
Your data will be used and published in a final dissertation project in order to contribute to the attainment of the researcher’s master’s degree. The research may also be published in peer reviewed journals. It will be completely anonymised. The data will not be open access.

Under what legal basis are you collecting this information?
• Queen Mary University of London processes personal data for research purposes in accordance with the lawful basis of ‘public task’.
• Please read Queen Mary’s privacy notice for research participants containing important information about your personal data and your rights in this respect.
• If you have any questions relating to data protection, please contact Queen Mary’s Data Protection Officer, Queens’ Building, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS or data-protection@qmul.ac.uk or 020 7882 7596.

What will happen if I want to withdraw from this study?
You can withdraw your participation in the study at anytime without providing a reason. However, if you complete the study and then wish to withdraw your data you have up until the 15th of June 2025 to do so. If you wish to withdraw, please email the lead researchers email address provided at the bottom of the page, with your unique identifier and your data will be removed and destroyed.

What should I do if I have concerns about this study?
 • If you have any concerns about the manner in which the study was conducted, in the first instance, please contact the researcher responsible for the study.
• If you have a complaint which you feel you cannot discuss with the researchers then you should contact the Research Ethics Facilitators by e-mail: research-ethics@qmul.ac.uk.
• When contacting the Research Ethics Facilitators, please provide details of the study title, description the study and QMERC reference number (where possible), the researcher(s) involved, and details of the complaint you wish to make.

Who can I contact if I have any questions about this study?
Lead researcher: Rebekah Kelly – r.kelly@smd24.qmul.ac.uk
Academic supervisor: Dr Jenny Hopton – J.hopton@qmul.ac.uk