What type of relationship must NOT exist between a primary supervisor and the psychology resident?

In the context of professional ethics and best practices in psychology, a dual relationship must not exist between a primary supervisor and a psychology resident. A dual relationship refers to any situation where the supervisor holds multiple roles or relationships with the resident outside of their formal supervisory role. This could lead to conflicts of interest, bias in evaluations, and challenges in maintaining professional boundaries.

The supervisory relationship is integral to the development and training of a psychology resident, providing structured guidance, feedback, and support as the resident learns to navigate the complexities of the field. A collaborative professional relationship, while it encourages teamwork and shared goals within the training process, is typically encouraged within the bounds of professional ethics as long as roles are clear.

Friendship, although it can develop over time in many professional settings, is ideally kept separate from the supervisory dynamic to avoid potential biases or ethical dilemmas. However, it is the dual relationship that poses the greatest risk to the integrity of the supervision process, which is why it is deemed unacceptable in this context.