Does coaching work? A meta-analysis on the effects of coaching on individual level outcomes in an organizational context

Whereas coaching is very popular as a management tool, research on coaching effectiveness is lagging behind. Moreover, the studies on coaching that are currently available have focused on a large variety of processes and outcome measures and generally lack a firm theoretical foundation. With the meta-analysis presented in this article, we aim to shed light on the effectiveness of coaching within an organizational context. We address the question whether coaching has an effect on five both theoretically and practically relevant individual-level outcome categories: performance/skills, well-being, coping, work attitudes, and goal-directed self-regulation. The results show that coaching has significant positive effects on all outcomes with effect sizes ranging from g = 0.43 (coping) to g = 0.74 (goal-directed self-regulation). These findings indicate that coaching is, overall, an effective intervention in organizations.     

The effects of attentional shift training on the execution of soccer skills: A preliminary investigation

One of the most important skills in soccer is the ability to respond quickly and accurately to the changing demands of the competitive environment (i.e., position of ball, teammates, opponents). A multiple baseline design across 4 male collegiate soccer players was used to determine the effectiveness of an attentional training program on the execution of targeted soccer skills. The treatment included information and laboratory attentional shift exercises followed by practice of attentional shifting skills on the execution of different soccer exercises. Following treatment, the accuracy of execution of the experimental soccer drill improved.     

THE EFFECTS OF FORM TRAINING ON FOUL‐SHOOTING PERFORMANCE IN MEMBERS OF A WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM

The effects of instruction and feedback in proper form on foul‐shooting performance was evaluated in 3 players of a women's NCAA Division II college basketball team. Players showed an increase in percentage of shots made and in correct form compared to baseline shooting without instruction or feedback. All players reached criterion within seven training sessions. The results suggest that training proper form is an effective strategy for improving foul‐shooting performance.     

Evaluation of a coaching strategy to reduce swimming stroke errors with beginning age-group swimmers

A coaching strategy to decrease errors in swimming strokes with swimmers who had not improved under "standard" coaching procedures was investigated using a multiple baseline design across subjects and swimming strokes. The procedure resulted in a large decrease in errors on swimming strokes during sessions in a training pool. Stimulus generalization of improved performance to normal practice conditions in the regular pool was observed with all but one swimmer. This improvement was maintained during two maintenance phases lasting approximately 2 weeks, as well as under standard coaching conditions during at least a 2-week follow-up. For two swimmers, error rates on one of the strokes showed a gradual increase between the third and fifth week of follow-up, but brief remedial prompting sessions immediately corrected their performance. Some beneficial response generalization to other components of the stroke being trained was observed, but no improvements were found on untrained strokes. The error correction package did not disrupt practice, require excessive amounts of the coach's time, or necessitate the use of cumbersome apparatus. In addition, the coach and the swimmers considered the procedures to be effective, and expressed their willingness to participate in them again in the future.     

How Cognitive Behavioural,Rational Emotive Behavioural or Multimodal Coaching could Prevent Mental Health Problems,Enhance Performance and Reduce Work Related Stress

This case study describes the therapeutic work with a client suffering from depression. A cognitive approach was used and a brief summary of the problem and the therapy is outlined. The client had suffered from procrastination for a long time and this was one of the key areas to be addressed in therapy. This case is presented to highlight that cognitive behavioural, rational emotive behavioural or multimodal coaching may be able to prevent mental health problems. It is possible that the client’s problem with procrastination could have been tackled in psychologically based coaching at an earlier stage. Psychological coaching could have provided the client with tools to deal with the procrastination and increase her self-awareness. This could have prevented the development of the depression or helped the client to intervene at an earlier stage.

Evidence-based training in cognitive-behavioural coaching: can personal development bring less distress and better performance?

Coaching has become during the past years an emergent guidance profession. Cognitive-behavioural coaching (CBC) emphasises the importance of enhancing the emotion–regulation abilities of clients and replacing their non-productive behaviours. Qualified professionals are needed in order to effectively facilitate the desired changes in their clients. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the personal development component within a training programme in CBC. Pre- to post-training comparisons showed a reduction in the participants’ level of depressed mood, as well as an improvement in their work performance. The active components were the emotion–regulation skills acquired and the quality of their homework tasks. Implications are discussed underlying the use of an evidence-based approach for training professionals in the field of CBC.     

Behavioral coaching in the development of skills in football, gymnastics, and tennis

A review of the literature indicates that methods of skill acquisition based on the operant paradigm have been scientifically validated with many motor behaviors. However, these procedures have been limited to the use of positive reinforcement for correct performance when applied to the acquisition of complex sports skills in natural settings. To find complementary procedures to enhance skill acquisition, a coaching method involving several behavioral techniques was developed that focused on remediation of errors. This coaching method combined the following components: (1) systematic use of verbal instructions and feedback, (2) positive and negative reinforcement, (3) positive practice, and (4) time out. Three sports, football, gymnastics, and tennis, were selected to determine the effectiveness and generality of this behavioral coaching method. A total of 23 male and female subjects, ranging in age from 11 to 35, was included in this study. Baseline data were first collected for each sport under standard coaching conditions. Next, the behavioral coaching method was evaluated depending on the sport in either a multiple baseline or a reversal design. The behavioral dimensions selected were blocking in football; backward walkovers, front hand springs, and reverse kips in gymnastics; and the forehand, backhand, and serve in tennis. Behavioral coaching was immediately effective in increasing the correct execution of complex skills in all three sports. Gains of up to 10 times the baseline performance were achieved in each sport. In football, behavioral coaching resulted in an increase in correct blocking performance from a baseline average of 5% to 51.3%. Gymnasts' performances increased from baseline averages of 2.7% to 52.6% across the three skills. In tennis, standard coaching produced an average of 6% correct performance which increased dramatically under behavioral coaching to 57% across the three strokes. The success of the behavioral coaching package used here suggests that a technology of behavior may offer additional and complementary strategies to the acquisition of motor skills in the natural environment.     

Perceptions of stress and stress interventions in finance organizations: Overcoming resistance towards counselling

This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study conducted to gain further insight into the attitudes of finance organizations towards workplace stress and stress interventions. Semi-structured interviews were used and seven individuals, each representing their organization, participated in the study. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith, J., Jaraman, M., & Osborn, M. 1999 Smith J Jaraman M Osborn M 1999 Doing interpretative phenomenological analysis In M. Murray & K. Chamberlain (Eds) Qualitative Health Psychology London Sage [Crossref] [Google Scholar] was used to analyse the data. In M. Murray & K. Chamberlain (Eds), Qualitative Health Psychology. London: Sage.) was used to analyse the data. One main theme that emerged was “resistance towards counselling for stress”. This theme and several related sub-themes are discussed, and suggestions to reduce resistance to counselling for stress are presented in a model.     

A behavioral approach to coaching football: improving the play execution of the offensive backfield on a youth football team

Because of the emphasis on winning, the difficulties involved in assessing performance, and the lack of frequent and contingent reinforcement, a behavioral approach to coaching football was used. The players, all nine- or ten-year-old males, were members of an offensive backfield on a Pop Warner football team. Three frequently-run offensive plays were broken down into a series of five behaviorally defined stages, permitting construction of checklists suitable for observing the players during both game and scrimmage sessions. The intervention consisted of the presentation and explanation of the appropriate checklist, and frequent contingent reinforcement in the form of feedback and recognition for instances of desired play execution. Performance gains averaging 20% occurred for each of the three plays after, and not before, the staggered introduction of each intervention. The results suggest that behavioral specification and positive reinforcement of desired play execution is a viable approach to the coaching of football.     

Mandated Interventions with Drug-Dependent, Pregnant Women

Increased concern about the influence of pregnant women's substance use on fetal health has prompted a variety of actions, including calls for legal interventions against some pregnant women with chronic substance abuse problems. In this paper I examine the legal and social science arguments used to support and oppose these interventions. Several assumptions about the behaviors of pregnant women that are used to support the arguments are described. The types of social science research that could inform the ongoing debate about interventions with pregnant women are explored.     

Family expressiveness and parental emotion coaching: their role in children's emotion regulation and aggression

In this study, we explored the relations between positive and negative family expressiveness, parental emotion coaching, child emotion regulation, and child aggression. The sample included 120 fourth-grade children and their mothers. Mothers completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist, the Family Expressiveness Questionnaire, and a portion of the meta-emotion interview to assess their awareness and acceptance of, and instruction in managing their child's anger and sadness (3 dimensions of parental emotion coaching). Teachers rated each child's aggression and completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist for each child. The 3 dimensions of parental emotion coaching and positive and negative family expressiveness were not directly related to child aggression. However, both negative family expressiveness and the mother's acceptance of the child's negative emotions were indirectly related to child aggression through the child's emotion regulation.     

Restructuring Metaphors: Using Mental Re-Mapping in Cognitive Coaching

This article outlines different aspects of dealing with metaphors within the cognitive coaching framework. It focuses on the connection between metaphor, language and perception. Metaphors are an intimate part of most linguistic expressions. Since coaching is a structured verbal interaction it involves the exchange of metaphors between a client and a coach. The cognitive coaching literature concentrates mainly on techniques that help clients to pinpoint logical inconsistencies in their thinking. Such techniques have proven to be very helpful, but not all clients have the ability to benefit from this traditional rational disputing. In these situations the coach can make use of another technique, which still derives from cognitive principles. The first part of the article focuses on the theoretical aspects of metaphors as linguistic expressions while the second part addresses a specific client case. Suggestive techniques on how to restructure metaphors are described in connection with the client case.

Executive Coaching and REBT: Some Comments from the Field

Executive Coaching comprises personal counseling, business advice, and advice about managing for people who are in executive management. This involves a one-to-one helping relationship between coach and client. In each case for which executive coaching is sought, there are problems the client has encountered which requires changes in client behavior. REBT, with its blend of easy understandability and direct applicability to client problems, is an ideal tool for use in executive coaching. Clients readily understand the A-B-C-D connections and are able to effect changes in behavior. The article includes case examples.     

A Review of: “Bear,G. G. (2010). School Discipline and Self-Discipline: A Practical Guide to Promoting Prosocial Student Behavior.”

Previous research demonstrates that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can experience social difficulties. Therefore, the current study examined the effects of cross-age peer coaching on social behaviors of first graders with significant symptoms of ADHD using a multiple baseline design. Four students who met criteria for ADHD participated, along with four third- or fourth-grade coaches without ADHD. Coaching pairs met each morning to establish a goal for the younger child to meet during free time. Although results were variable, findings suggested that the cross-age coaching program led to decreases in negative social behavior, and was highly acceptable to participants.     

Unique Ethical Concerns in Clinical Trials Comparing Psychosocial and Psychopharmalogical Interventions

In recent years, there has been a particular emphasis placed on conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compare the relative efficacy of psychosocial and pharmacological interventions. This article addresses relevant ethical considerations in the conduct of these treatment trials, with a focus on RCTs with children. Ethical concerns, including therapeutic misconception, treatment preference, therapeutic equipoise, structure of treatments, and balancing risks versus benefits, are introduced through a clinical scenario and discussed as they relate to psychotherapy versus medication RCTs. In each case, suggestions are made for researchers seeking to minimize the impact of these ethical concerns on research participants.     

Detection of Feigned Psychosis with the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS): A Study of Coached and Uncoached Simulators

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) to detect feigned psychosis in naïve, informed, and coached participants. Sixty undergraduate students were administered the SIMS and a number of filler questionnaires and asked to fill out the questionnaire honestly (controls; n = 15) or instructed to malinger psychosis because they were standing trial for a serious offense. Before they completed the SIMS, instructed malingerers either received no further information (naïve malingerers; n = 15), some information about psychotic symptoms (informed malingerers; n = 15), or some information about psychosis and a warning not to exaggerate symptoms (coached malingerers; n = 15). Even in the group of coached malingerers, the SIMS had acceptable sensitivity and specificity rates. These findings suggest that the SIMS may be of value in forensic assessments.