In this paper the supervisor is assumed as having a determinant role on the quality of the trainee's experience, acting as an important source of emotional support and as a "buffer" of the impact caused by the university-to-work transition. In an attempt to explore possible relationships between the supervisory styles, the supervisee's satisfaction (regarding the university and the field supervisor) and depressive symptomatology the authors carried out a study, at the University of Minho, involving 83 psychology trainees evaluated at the end of their practicum. The study was based on the Supervisory Styles Inventory, the Supervisee Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Beck's Depression Inventory. Results show conformity in the way trainees perceive both supervisors in terms of supervisory style and of satisfaction with their guidance and support. Greater satisfaction levels are related to the combination of an attractive and task oriented style. Concerning the university's supervisor, the periodicity of the meetings with this teacher emerges as an important variable: higher levels of satisfaction correspond to a more regular supervision. No connection was found in terms of these two variables and depressive symptoms.
Supervisory style; Supervisee satisfaction; Depressive symptoms
