A gratitude-based positive psychology coaching case study

ABSTRACT

The case study report illustrates how gratitude can be integrated into a series of coaching sessions. Janet, an undergraduate student, wanted to feel happier, and cultivating gratitude has been shown to increase well-being [Cunha, L. F., Pellanda, L. C., & Reppold, C. T. (2019). Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: A randomised clinical trial. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 584. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584]. Pre and post the four-week coaching encounter she completed, the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) and a Wheel of Life (WoL). Using the WoL as a goal setting tool, the gratitude exercises were selected to complement the coachee’s weekly goals. After sessions, her SHS score increased by 50%, whereas her GQ6 score increased by 33%. There were also changes in her WoL ratings, particularly in the area of family and friends, as well as personal growth. Although the direction of these changes is predicted by the literature, we may need to be cautious about interpreting the strength of these changes. They may be due to a placebo effect. An inherent weakness of the case study approach is that factors other than the intervention can impact measured changes. Nevertheless, this case study does outline a process of how to integrate a positive psychology intervention into a coaching encounter and may act as a template for this type of work.

KEYWORDS:

• Gratitude
• positive psychology coaching
• happiness
• goals
• students

Disclosure statement

We have no conflict of interest to disclose. The first author conducted the coaching sessions. The second author conducted the analysis of the results. Both authors wrote this article.

Data availability

Data not available due to ethical restrictions, owing to the nature of this research and the ease of potentially identifying the participant. Further, the participant of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hannah O. Itaire

Hannah O. Itaire, is a Masters Level Positive Psychology Coach, Independent Researcher and Lecturer. She has a MA Applied Psychology (Coaching Psychology) and a member of the Psychological Society of Ireland. She is also a Registered Teacher with the Teaching Council of Ireland in the Further Education Sector (FE) and lectures in the Waterford Institute of Technology. She is committed to community development, working with the Kilkenny LEADER Partnership. She has a thriving private practice working with students to maximise their potential. She can be contacted at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-itaire-5960a37b/.

David O’Sullivan

David O’Sullivan, PhD is a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society. He is a member of their Register of Coaching Psychologists. He is the Co-Director of the MA in Applied Psychology (Positive and Coaching Psychology) at University College Cork. In addition, he is a practitioner in Lego Serious Play and Positive Psychology and in Clean Language in Coaching. He specialises in developing innovate approaches to applying positive psychology to applied settings to encourage innovative thinking about what matters in life.

Sean Hammond

Dr Sean Hammond, is a retired Statutory Lecturer in the School of Applied Psychology, prior to this he headed up the Clinical Decision Making Support Unit at Broadmoor Hospital in the UK. His teaching and research areas relate to forensic mental health, human sexuality and assessment. He has expertise in multivariate statistics, psychometrics and assessment.