Date Presented 03/22/24
Coaching is an evidence-based approach rarely taught in entry-level (EL) OT education. This study explored the value of coaching training during EL OT education and its impact on later professional practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: Catherine Robinson
Additional Authors and Speakers: Daniel Toland
Contributing Authors: Marie-Christine Elaine Potvin, Greta Gray, Marissa Elaine LaSalle, Vikita Patel
PURPOSE: Coaching has growing international empirical support within occupational therapy (OT), across populations and settings (Potvin et al., 2023). Yet, this evidence-based approach is not regularly taught as part of entry-level (EL) OT curricula, limiting knowledge translation into practice (Graham et al., 2018; Strauss et al., 2009).
DESIGN: This phenomenological study explored the perception of occupational therapists trained in coaching during their EL education and the value and impact of such training on their professional practice.
METHOD: Participants (n=7) were occupational therapists recruited via email who recently (1-4 years) obtained licensure after receiving extensive coaching training during their EL education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. The interview guide and codebook were developed iteratively using Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 1995). Two trained coders deductively coded all the transcripts independently and then came to consensus with the support of a third coder as needed. Rigor was strengthened through intercoder reliability, a detailed audit trail, a reflexivity journal, and member-checking.
RESULTS: Preliminary analysis revealed three main themes related to the value of coaching in OT practice: (1) coaching education is valued in professional practice, (2) coaching is not appropriate for all clients and contexts, and (3) workplaces are either primed or resistant to coaching. Within these themes, barriers to implementation emerged as sub-themes.
CONCLUSION: This study highlights the transformative value of coaching training as part of EL OT curriculum on later professional practice, contributing novel evidence to current research. The study results suggest that extensive coaching training during EL OT education can support occupational therapists in their role to enhance client well-being, quality of life, and participation in everyday living.
References
Graham, F., Boland, P., Ziviani, J., & Rodger, S. (2018). Occupational therapists’ and physiotherapists’ perceptions of implementing occupational performance coaching. Disability and Rehabilitation, 40(12), 1386–1392. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2017.1295474.
Potvin, M.-C., Ryan, M., Zolotnitsky, L., Carr, K., & Beach, C. (2023). Coaching supports students with disabilities goal attainment in higher education. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/17521882.2023.2223668.
Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
Straus, S. E., Tetroe, J., & Graham, I. (2009). Defining knowledge translation. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 181(3-4), 165–168. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.081229.
