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Original Article

Problem-Specific Coaching Interventions Influence Goal Attainment via Double-Loop Learning

Published Online:September 07, 2018https://doi.org/10.1026/0932-4089/a000281

Abstract

Abstract. How do coaching interventions work? This study contributes to process-outcome research in coaching by examining the impact of coaches’ problem-specific interventions on coaching results. Paying particular attention to the mediation processes in coaching seems to be a promising research area, which has received little attention to date. Using several points of measurement over time and taking nested data structure into account, 33 coaching dyads were analyzed using longitudinal multilevel analyses. Results showed a general coaching effect as well as the mediating role of learning processes. As expected, clients’ perceived goal attainment increased over the course of the coaching sessions. Furthermore, problem-specific interventions by the coach, especially clarification of meaning and mastery/coping, led to an increase in goal attainment mediated by clients’ perceived learning experience (double-loop learning). Our results underscore the importance of stimulating learning processes by specific interventions to improve coaching effectiveness.


Problemspezifische Interventionen beeinflussen Zielerreichung über Double-Loop-Lernen

Zusammenfassung. Wie wirken Interventionen im Coaching? Diese Studie leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Prozess-Ergebnisforschung im Coaching indem sie die Wirkung von problemspezifischen Interventionen auf die Erreichung der Ziele der Klienten analysiert. Dabei liegt ein besonderer Fokus auf den noch wenig beforschten Mediationsprozessen innerhalb eines Coachings. Unter Berücksichtigung des genesteten Studiendesigns und mehrerer Messzeitpunkte wurden 33 Coachingdyaden mittels längsschnittlicher Mehrebenenanalysen untersucht. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen sowohl einen generellen Effekt von Coaching als auch die vermittelnde Rolle von Lernprozessen. Wie erwartet zeigte sich, dass die Klienten über die Coachingsitzungen hinweg eine zunehmend höhere Zielerreichung wahrnahmen. Außerdem konnte ein Effekt der problemspezifischen Interventionen der Coaches (Klärung und Bewältigung) auf die von Klienten wahrgenommene Zielerreichung gefunden werden, die durch Lernprozesse des Klienten (double-loop learning) mediiert wurden. Diese Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Bedeutung der Stimulation von Lernprozessen durch problemspezifische Interventionen für die Erreichung der Coachingziele.

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