The study examined a blended couple coaching intervention designed to help small business owners and their spouses detach from work and improve work-life balance. The authors focused on coaches’ intervention fidelity, coaches’ empathy, and clients’ affinity for technology interaction as key factors that might shape the effectiveness of the intervention. The results showed that the coaching intervention was highly effective in improving detachment and work-life balance, regardless of intervention fidelity. However, the proposed mechanisms of change and affinity for technology predicted coaching outcomes only when intervention fidelity was high. Coach empathy also predicted goal attainment in the high-fidelity group. The findings suggest that coaches’ fidelity to the intervention model is essential for activating the core change mechanisms of blended coaching.
Research Question
How do intervention fidelity, empathy, and affinity for technology interaction affect coaching mechanisms and outcomes in work-linked couples?
Relevance to Coaching
The article is highly relevant to coaching because it shows that success depends not only on the relationship quality but also on delivering the coaching model as intended. It highlights the importance of manuals, core components, and well-integrated digital tools. For coaches, it underlines the link between implementation quality and coaching effectiveness.
Significance and Innovation
The main innovation is the focus on implementation processes rather than only on final outcomes. The study also targets a unique population: small business owners and their spouses, who are difficult to reach with health interventions. Methodologically, it combines an adapted design, video-based observation, and self-report data.
Method and Data
The study used a mixed-methods approach. The sample included 42 participants, or 21 couples. Data were collected through video observations, questionnaires, and pre-, post-, and follow-up measurements. Analyses included t-tests, regression analyses, and repeated-measures ANOVA.
Main Findings
Intervention receipt was higher in the high intervention fidelity group. In that group, ATI, spousal support, self-reflection, and positive affect significantly predicted coaching outcomes. Coach empathy predicted goal attainment only when intervention fidelity was high. The study also found significant improvements in detachment and work-life balance over time.
APA:
Busch, C., Dreyer, R., & Janneck, M. (2022). Blended health coaching for work-linked couples: coaches’ intervention fidelity and empathy matter!. Coaching| Theorie & Praxis, 8(1), 43-58.
Website:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1365/s40896-022-00065-9