Positive Psychology Micro-Coaching Intervention: Effects on Psychological Capital and Goal-Related Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Positive Psychological Coaching is receiving increasing attention within the organizational field because of its potential benefits for employees’ development and well-being (Passmore and Oades, 2014). The main aim of this study was to test the impact of a Positive Psychological Micro-Coaching program on non-executive workers’ psychological capital, and analyze how goal-related self-efficacy predicts goal attainment during the coaching process. Following a control trial design, 60 non-executive employees (35 in the experimental group and 25 in the waiting-list control group) from an automotive industry company participated in a Positive Psychological Micro-Coaching program over a period of 5 weeks. The intervention was grounded in the strengths-based approach and focused on setting a specific goal for personal and professional growth. The program consisted of a group session, three individual coaching sessions, and individual inter-session monitoring. Pre, post, and 4-month follow up measurements were taken to assess the impact on the study variables. Our results reveal that psychological capital increased significantly at post and follow-up times compared to baseline levels. In addition, results confirmed that goal-related self-efficacy predicted goal attainment during the micro-coaching process. Practical implications suggest that short-term positive psychological coaching is a valuable method for developing personal resources, such as psychological capital and to facilitate the goal achievement in non-executive employees, in order to reach work-related goals.

Changes in Finnish ninth graders’ positive psychological capital (PsyCap) in a strength-based student guidance intervention

“…Sointu et al, 2017;Waters, 2011;Wenström, 2020a). Even this short-term intervention provided positive results, which supports the findings from earlier PsyCap interventions (see also Luthans, Avey, & Patera, 2008;Corbu et al, 2021). For example, in some short workplace interventions, PsyCap has increased an average of 2% (Luthans et al, 2015), which is in line with this research.…”

Psychological capital development effectiveness of face-to-face, online, and Micro-learning interventions

“…For example, Dello Russo and Stoykova ( 2015 ) show the durability of PsyCap development effects over time, which supports its state-like nature. This notion is also supported by Corbu et al ( 2021 ) recent study, which shows PsyCap increased significantly directly after a positive micro-coaching intervention, and the increase was sustained four months after.…”

Efficacy of cognitive therapy and behavior therapy for menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…It is worth noting that the effects were stronger on fatigue when the control group was waiting list ( g = 0.48). The waiting list control group was in fact a ‘nocebo’ (the opposite of a placebo – an inert treatment that appeared to cause an adverse effect) and the studies using it extremely overestimated the effect of psychological treatment (Corbu, Pelaez Zuberbuhler, & Salanova, 2021; Furukawa et al, 2014). Other control groups, such as care-as-usual and pill placebo, possibly allowed a better estimate of the authentic effect size (Paulus et al, 2014).…”