This document discusses self-efficacy and its importance in coaching. It introduces the Self-Efficacy Coaching Model, which shows how determinants like training and past performance influence a coach's self-efficacy, which then impacts their performance and client outcomes. The model was validated through research showing coaching skills training enhances self-efficacy, and higher coach self-efficacy relates to better client evaluations and benefits. Implications are that coach training, supervision, and evaluation should aim to build self-efficacy through modeling, experience, and feedback. Coaches also need knowledge of self-efficacy to effectively help clients set goals and expectations. The Self-Efficacy Coaching Model provides a framework for research and evidence

1. Coaching and Positive Psychology:
Unveiling the power of Self-efficacy
Diana Aguiar Vieira
Centre for Organizational and Social Studies (CEOS.PP)
Porto Accounting & Business School (ISCAP)
Polytechnic of Porto
Portugal
8TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF COACHING PSYCHOLOGY - LONDON, 11 & 12 OCTOBER 2018
HOSTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR COACHING PSYCHOLOGY
dianaaguiarvieira@gmail.com

2. Psychologist, PhD in the 50’s
Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1962)
Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977)
Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986)
 Professor Emeritus at Stanford University
 The greatest psychologist alive today
(APA, 2016)
 Research in Psychology for + than 65
years
Albert Bandura

3. My research topics & experience using
Social Cognitive Theory
Social Skills Training (Vieira:1998-2000)
Higher Education Transition-to-work (Vieira: 2003-…)
Academic Achievement & dropout (Vieira: 2010-2018)
Employers, Graduates, transversal & Soft Skills (Vieira:
2014-…)
Coaching (Vieira: 2011-…)

4. Self-efficacy?

5. Self-efficacy
The confidence you have in your
capacity to successfully
perform certain actions

6. Self-efficacy…
 is specific to each domain of human
functioning
 is a judgment of personal capability
 can change over time; it is not a
stable trait
 can be intentionally enhanced by
the person or by others

7. SELF-
EFFICACY
Physiological and
Emotional states
Observing
Others’
Performance
Verbal
Encouragement/
Social Support
Successful Past
Performance
Self-efficacy - SOURCES

8. SELF-
EFFICACY
Quality of
performance
Persistence
Self-efficacy - CONSEQUENCES
Choices and
effort
Emotional
well-being

9. Coaching self-efficacy
The confidence the coach has in his/her
ability to…
use their coaching skills effectively
in order to facilitate clients
personal and professional development
Vieira (2011)

10. Handbook of Coaching Psychology (2019, 2nd Ed.) Edited by Stephen Palmer and Alison Whybrow
Chapter 3 Self-efficacy within coaching and coaching psychology: An integrated Self-efficacy
Coaching Model Diana Aguiar Vieira and Stephen Palmer (pp. 25-33)
The Self-Efficacy Coaching Model
(SEC; Vieira & Palmer, 2019)
24
1
3
DETERMINANTS COACH
SELF-EFFICACY
COACH PERFORMANCE
COACHEES

11. The Self-Efficacy Coaching Model
(SEC; Vieira & Palmer, 2019)
1
DETERMINANTS
COACH
SELF-EFFICACY
How to measure Coaching Skills Self-efficacy?
Vieira, D. A. & Palmer, S. (2012). The Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES): A validation study
among a Portuguese sample. The Coaching Psychologist, 8 (1), 6-11.
Tokuyoshi, Y., Iwasaki, S., Vieira, D. A. & Palmer, S. (2014). Development and validation of the
Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy Scale – Japanese version (CSSES-J). The Coaching Psychologist, 10
(2), 59-66.

12. How to measure Coaching Skills
Self-efficacy?
Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy Scale
(CSSES; Vieira, 2011; Vieira & Palmer, 2012)
24 items self-reported questionnaire
Six points Likert-type
1= not confident at all 6= totally confident
How confident you are in..
“Helping a client to clarify his/her goals”

13. Does training enhance Coaching Skills
Self-efficacy?
Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy
Mean Scores
Time 1 and Time 2
by Groups

14. Does past performance enhance Coaching
Skills Self-efficacy?
Number of
years
working
as a coach
n=48
r= .30
p< .05
Coaching Skills
Self-Efficacy

15. Does emotional awareness enhance
Coaching Skills Self-efficacy?
Coaching Skills
Self-Efficacy
Coaches
n=48
Coachs-in-training
T2 n=109

16. Handbook of Coaching Psychology (2019, 2nd Ed.) Edited by Stephen Palmer and Alison Whybrow
Chapter 3 Self-efficacy within coaching and coaching psychology: An integrated Self-efficacy
Coaching Model Diana Aguiar Vieira and Stephen Palmer (pp. 25-33)
The Self-Efficacy Coaching Model
(SEC; Vieira & Palmer, 2019)
2
1
3
DETERMINANTS
COACH
SELF-EFFICACY
COACH PERFORMANCECOACHEES
√

17. Coachee’s Evaluation of Coach Skills Scale
(CECSS; Vieira, 2013)
CSSES items were reworded to fit with the coachee’s
perspective
24 items hetero-reported questionnaire
Six points Likert-type
1= totally disagree 6= totally agree
“During coaching sessions, my coach helped me
clarify my goals”
How to measure Coach performance?

18. Does Coaching Skills Self-efficacy influence
coachs’ performance reported by clients?
28 clients matched with CSSES of their respective coach
Clients’ evaluation about the skills of the coach
(CECSS; Vieira, 2012)
My coach…
“Helped me clarify my goals”
Spearman’ Rho= .39
p< .05
Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy
9 Coachs CSSES

19. Does Coaching Skills Self-efficacy influence
client’s benefits?
Coaching Skills Self-Efficacy
9 Coaches CSSES Mean=5.00 SD=.35
Clients’ results 28 Clients (T1 and T2)
Life Satisfaction
General self-efficacy
t= -4.43; p< .001
t= -3,49; p< .01

20. Handbook of Coaching Psychology (2019, 2nd Ed.) Edited by Stephen Palmer and Alison Whybrow
Chapter 3 Self-efficacy within coaching and coaching psychology: An integrated Self-efficacy
Coaching Model Diana Aguiar Vieira and Stephen Palmer (pp. 25-33)
The Self-Efficacy Coaching Model
(SEC; Vieira & Palmer, 2019)
2
1
3
DETERMINANTS
COACH
SELF-EFFICACY
COACH PERFORMANCECOACHEES
√
4
√

21. Implications for practice
Training, supervision & mentoring
These contexts should be planned and structured in
order to maximize the opportunities to work
on self-efficacy sources
Coaches-in-training should be exposed to:
+ modelling
+ experience the coach’s role
+ receive verbal incentives
+ develop their emotional intelligence

22. Implications for practice
Coaching evaluation
Coach’s self-efficacy may be used to evaluate the
quality of:
Training + Supervision + Mentoring
Self-efficacy knowledge by the coach
the coach should have theoretical knowledge
about self-efficacy and its relationship with both goals
and outcome expectations

23. Self-beliefs from Social Cognitive Theory
(Bandura, 1986)
Self-efficacy
“Am I able to do it?”
Outcome
expectations
“What will happen if
I do this?”
Goals
“What do I want to
do or achieve?”

24. A coach is an “effective efficacy builder” (Bandura, 2008)
How?
Why is self-efficacy knowledge important
for coaches?
- Helping clients recall past mastery experiences
- Enhance SE in coachees through social persuasion
“what that previous experiences tell you?”
- Helping clients engage in situations that bring success
and avoid placing them prematurely in situations
where they are likely to fail

25. A Theory/Model is one way …
To “see reality”
To understand human behaviour
To guide research and to be research
To enhance evidence-based practice

26. Practice
Research
Theory
3 elements
make sense
when
regarded in
an articulated
manner

27. Thank you for your attention!
We hope that the Self-efficacy Coaching (SEC)
Model may be useful to
- guide future research
- the theoretical & practical understanding
of the application of self-efficacy in the field of
coaching and coaching psychology
dianaaguiarvieira@gmail.com