The effect of group-based life coaching on happiness and well-being

Charlotte Style; Ilona Boniwell

doi:10.1921/gpwk.v20i3.708

Authors

Charlotte Style
Ilona Boniwell

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk.v20i3.708

Keywords:

life clubs, life coaching, happiness workshops, well-being

Abstract

This study set out to test the hypothesis that overall well-being and happiness can be affected by a structured, supportive, peer coaching group that facilitates, the positive aspects that contribute to happiness and well-being. This study examined the effects of a coaching workshop that takes an integrated and self-directed focus towards achievable congruent goals in all areas of life. The workshops encourage intrinsic motivation, selfknowledge, positive feeling, self-efficacy and growth. In a quasi-experimental two-factor design, 40 self-selected participants were randomly assigned to attend either a coaching workshop run once a week over a six-week period (experimental group n=23), or a control group (control group n=17). A series of 2x3 split plot analyses of variance were carried out with Time (pre v post v follow up) as the within participant factor and Group (experimental v control) as the between participants factor. All participants completed self-report measures for general happiness, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, self-efficacy, positive emotion and hope. These measures were completed before and after the experimental intervention and then again three months later. The experimental group attended at least four public life-coaching workshops over a six-week period. The control group also met once a week as an unstructured group in general discussion over the same time period and again were required to attend at least four times. The results for those in the experimental coaching group showed a significant effect compared to the control group. The number of participants was small yet the study produced some significant results, which were sustained for three months. Group life coaching can certainly be said to effect aspects of being that are known to be important contributors to intrinsic motivation, happiness and well-being.

References

Biswas-Diener, R. & Dean, B., (2007). Positive Psychology Coaching: Putting the Science of Happiness to work for your Clients. New Jersey: Wiley.\nBoniwell, I. (2008) Positive Psychology in a Nutshell: A Balanced Introduction to the Science of Optimal Functioning. London: Personal Wellbeing Centre.\nDiener, E. Emmons, R. Larson, R. and Griffin, S. (1985) The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71-75.\nFrankl, V.E. and Lasch, I., (1992). Man’s Search For Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. Boston: Beacon Press.\nGrant, A. M., (2003). The impact of life coaching on goal attainment, metacognition and mental health. Social Behaviour and Personality, 31, (3), 253-264.\nGreen, S. (2004). The Efficacy of Group-Based Life Coaching: A Controlled Trial. Thesis submitted to the University of Wollongong.\nGreen, L. S., Oades, L. G. and Grant, A. M., (2006). Cognitive behavioural, solution-focused life coaching: Enhancing goal striving, well-being, and hope. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, (3), 142-149.\nGreif, S., (2007). Advances in research on coaching outcomes. International Coaching Psychology Review, 2, (3), 222-245.\nGrunfeld, N. (2006) The Big Book of Me. London: Short.\nGrunfeld, N. (2007) The Big Book of Us: The workbook that will change your relationships. London: Short.\nGrunfeld, N. (2009) The Life Book: Laugh more, love more, play more, earn more. Harlow: Prentice Hall.\nGrunfeld, N. (2010) How to Get What You Want. London: Walker Books.\nHenry, J., (2006) Strategies for achieving wellbeing. In Csikszentmihalyi, M. and , Csikszentmihalyi, I.S. (Eds). A Life Worth Living; Contributions to Positive Psychology, Oxford: Oxford University Press.\nKaufman, C., (2006) Positive Psychology: the science at the heart of coaching. In Stober, D.R. & Grant, A. M. (Eds) Evidence Based Coaching Handbook. New Jersey: Wiley.\nKaufman, C. and Linley, A. P. (2007). A pragmatic perspective: putting positive coaching psychology into action. International Coaching Psychology Review, 2, (1), 97-80.\nLinley, A.P. (2006). Coaching research: who? what? where? when? why? International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, (4) 2, 1-7.\nPavot, W. and Diener, E. (1993) Review of the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 164-172.\nPeterson, C. Park, N. and Seligman, M. (2005) Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: the full life versus the empty life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 1, 25-41.\nRyff, C. D., (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological wellbeing. Journal of Psychology and Social Psychology, 57, (6), 169-181.\nRyff, C. and Keyes, C. (1995) The structure of psychological wellbeing revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 4, 719-727.\nRyff, C.D. and Singer, B. H., (2008) Know thyself and become what you are: a eudaimonic approach to psychological wellbeing. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, (1), 13-39.\nSchwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston, Measures in Health Psychology: A User’s Portfolio. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.\nSnyder, C. Harris, C. Anderson, J. Holleran, S. Irving, L. and Sigmond, S. (1991) The will and the ways: development and validation of an individual differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 570-585.\nSnyder, C. R., Cheavens, J. & Sympson, S.C. (1997). Hope: an individual motive for social commerce. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, Meaning and Identity, 1, (2), 107-118.\nStober, D. & Grant, A. (Eds) (2006) Evidence Based Coaching Handbook. New Jersey: Wiley.\nWatson, D. Clark, L. and Tellegen, A. (1988) Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS Scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063-1070.\n