Impact of coaching on university student’s well-being, stress and anxiety.

Coaching Psychology is defined to enhance performance in personal life and work domains within normal, non-clinical populations, and underpinned by models of coaching grounded in established learning theory or psychological approaches (Grant & Palmer, 2002, BPS, SGCP, 2005). Research has shown the application of coaching psychology (e.g. Palmer & Gyllensten, 2008; Whybrow, & Palmer, 2006) but few evidence based research projects have been conducted (Grant, 2006; Palmer & Whybrow, 2007) although this is improving.
RQ: Will four coaching psychology sessions reduce a newcomer student’s stress and anxiety level and increase his or her well-being?
An APA database search (Psych Net) has found no experimental study with a similar researchquestion. However, Green et al., (2006) did the first randomized controlled trial examining the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioural, solution-focused, life coaching group program. Another RC study among executives found that individual coaching sessions “…enhanced goal attainment, increased resilience and workplace well-being and reduced depression and stress” (Grant et al., 2009). A total of eight RCT has been reported in the entire history of coaching psychology (Stober and Grant, 2006; Palmer and Whybrow, 2007), but this study will foremost shed light of our RQ and the value of coaching psychology among newcomers.
Newcomer students from Aalborg University voluntarily assigned and were randomly allocated to coaching psychology sessions (n = 30) or a waitlist control group (n = 30). A detailed description of our methods and findings will be given in two separate papers.
This presentation will include a condensed review and discussion of the existing RC coaching studies as the analysis will point to essential stepstones for future coaching psychology sessions and research. Limitations in this study, perspectives for future research will be pinpointed in the end.