The study, conducted at the San Gregorio Health Center in Telde, sought alternatives to improve patient well-being amidst the growing demand for mental health care. Findings suggest this methodology is useful and accessible, leading to improved patient symptomatology.
Structured coaching is defined as a professional support process with a defined methodology, specific objectives, and planned sessions. Unlike informal conversations, it follows a systematic model like GROW (goals, reality, options, will), which facilitates reflection and personal skill development.
The research involved 30 individuals aged between 18 and 65. Results showed a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms among patients who participated in coaching sessions compared to those receiving conventional care. Individual one-hour sessions, held weekly for five weeks, produced more intense short-term improvements, while telephone sessions showed more sustained positive effects.
Improvements were also observed in emotional regulation and a favorable evolution of participants' perceived quality of life. The study addresses the challenge of rapid access to specialized psychological interventions, proposing coaching as an easily integrable complementary tool for the healthcare system.
“"Mental health care requires innovative and accessible approaches. Our results indicate that structured coaching could add value as a complement to routine care, helping individuals develop personal resources to better cope with their emotional distress."
“"Structured coaching, applied by trained professionals, could become a complementary tool to support these patients and promote better management of their emotional well-being."
The findings of this study have been published in the journal Atención Primaria. The ULPGC authors include María del Pino Pérez García and Pedro Saavedra Santana. Collaborators also include Juan Francisco García Granado and José Luis Hernández Fleta, physicians at the Doctor Negrín University Hospital, and Noemí Domínguez Hernández, from the Gran Canaria Primary Care Management.
