Abstract
Health coaching is an evidence-based, humanistic intervention that involves individualized goal setting and accountability to improve a client’s lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity (PA). Health coaching integrates tenets of Self-Determination Theory, a commonly utilized theory to support behavior change interventions; it posits that humans have three basic psychological needs – competence, autonomy, and relatedness – which facilitate self-determined motivation and positive health and well-being outcomes. In particular, perceived competence indicates the need to feel skilled and develop mastery over tasks. This influences overall motivation, well-being outcomes, and health behaviors. Low levels of perceived competence may undermine health behaviors and well-being outcomes due to a lack of satisfaction of a basic psychological need. While all basic psychological needs are important to facilitate positive outcomes, perceptions of competence are particularly relevant during the behavior change process. Health coaching programs have demonstrated effectiveness with a variety of populations and health behaviors; however, little research has been conducted regarding who benefits the most from such interventions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine if participants within a health coaching program who scored lower in perceived PA competence demonstrate greater changes in psychosocial and behavioral outcomes (i.e., PA perceived capability, behavioral regulation, identity, competence, autonomy, relatedness and exercise behavior) through their participation in a health coaching program. METHODS: Eighteen healthy adults (Mage = 45.5) were recruited in a pilot study to assess the effectiveness of a health coaching intervention among rural adults. Participants met weekly with their health coach for nine weeks for 30 to 60 minutes. Participants completed psychosocial, physical, and behavioral assessments before and after the nine-week program. Valid and reliable psychosocial measures and self-reported health behaviors were administered using a computer-based questionnaire. Paired t-tests were used in a secondary analysis of program participants scoring below the pre-intervention average on perceived PA competence to assess the impact of initial lower perceived PA competence on psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. RESULTS: Eight subjects (Mage = 44.6) scored below the pre-intervention mean in perceived PA competence (M = 2.89). These participants reported increases in several psychosocial outcomes, including PA capability (t(7) = 2.8, p = .026), PA behavioral regulation (t(7) = 7.6, p < .001), PA identity (t(7) = 3.1, p = .017), PA competence (t(7) = 5.5, p < .001), PA autonomy (t(7) = 2.9, p = .024), and days per week of exercise (t(7) = 4.0, p = .005). Effect sizes were large (d = 1.00 – 2.70), and all effect sizes were larger than for analyses with the entire sample (d = 0.55 – 1.63). CONCLUSION: Participants who began a health coaching intervention low in perceived PA competence demonstrated significant improvements in several psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. This indicates that health coaching interventions may especially benefit those who initially feel the least capable regarding their PA behavior. While the small sample size should be taken into consideration, further research is warranted to examine who can benefit the most from a health coaching intervention.
Recommended Citation
Hutson, Hannah K.; Phillips Reichter, Alison; and Riley, Katherine E.
(2026)
"Efficacy of a Health Coaching Intervention,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 111.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/111