Motivation
Is individual coaching better than group training?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Individual coaching is highly satisfying and superior for achieving personal goals, while group training is better for gaining knowledge, and self-coaching is largely ineffective on its own.
Key findings
Both individual coaching and group training significantly reduced procrastination compared to no intervention at all. Individual coaching led to the highest levels of satisfaction and was the only method that significantly outperformed the control group in helping participants actually achieve their personal goals. In contrast, group training was the most effective approach for teaching specific facts and time-management strategies, while self-coaching failed to produce significant improvements compared to the control group.
Methodology
The researchers recruited 134 university students who struggled with academic procrastination, though only 84 completed the entire study. These participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: individual coaching, group training, self-coaching using a manual, or an inactive control group. Over three sessions lasting about two hours each, the researchers evaluated how well these different setups reduced procrastination and helped students meet their goals.
Limitations
This study relied heavily on students' own self-reported ratings of their procrastination and goal progress, which means the results could be biased by participants overestimating their performance. Additionally, because the sample consisted entirely of university students at a single institution, we cannot assume these findings apply to professionals in corporate workplaces. The study also had a high dropout rate, particularly in the self-coaching group where 61 percent of participants quit, which limits our ability to draw firm conclusions about that method's true potential. Finally, because the researchers only measured outcomes immediately after the three sessions ended, it remains unclear whether these benefits persist over the long term.
How this study connects
Role on claims
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To address academic procrastination, highly structured interventions like individual coaching and group training are effective, whereas self-guided motivation through self-coaching is largely ineffective on its own.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
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