Arts and Well-Being: The Arts as Positive Interventions

The relation between arts and wellbeing has been recognised in different research studies, including those undertaken in the fields of health, therapy or education. From music to visual arts to cinema or photography, arts have been, and are, essential tools not only for healing but above all, to health and psychological wellbeing prevention and promotion. In this paper, taking into account the therapeutic value of arts, we identify the connections between arts and the five elements included in Seligman’s theoretical model of wellbeing, PERMA. We suggest that arts should be recognised as positive interventions under the broad umbrella of Positive Psychology

An AI powered system to enhance self-reflection practice in coaching

Self-reflection practice in coaching can help with time management by promoting self-awareness. Through this process, a coach can identify habits, tendencies and behaviours that may be causing distraction or make them less productive. This insight can be used to make changes in behaviour and establish new habits that promote effective use of time. This can also help the coach to prioritise goals and create a clear roadmap. An AI powered system has been proposed that maps the conversion onto topics and relations that could help the coach with note-taking and progress identification throughout the session. This system enables the coach to actively self-reflect on time management and make sure the conversation follows the target framework. This will help the coach to better understand the goal setting, breakthrough moment, and client accountability. The proposed end-to-end system is capable of identifying coaching segments (Goal, Option, Reality, and Way forward) across a session with 85% accuracy. Experimental evaluation has also been conducted on the coaching dataset which includes over 1k one-to-one English coaching sessions. In regards to the novelty, there are no datasets of such nor study of this kind to enable self-reflection actively and evaluate in-session performance of the coach

Using artificial intelligence-enhanced video feedback for reflective practice in coach development: benefits and potential drawbacks

Sports coaching has used video feedback for decades to improve athlete and coach performance. More recently, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning technologies have enabled analytics alongside visual review to accelerate development further. So too in coaching conversations, software allows the implementation of behavioural analytics, tracking speech patterns, body language and facial expressions to deliver performance data measured against core coaching competencies. In this study, we interviewed 15 coaches who used AI-enhanced video review software in coaching sessions with clients over several weeks and reflected on those sessions using the recordings and AI-generated data. Our aim was to discover the benefits and drawbacks of using such an approach in reflective practice. Clear benefits emerged: insights gained from video and data analysis drove deeper reflection and heightened self-awareness; coaches focused on skills development, made specific changes to their practice, developed over time and gained in confidence. Challenges included coaches’ nervousness around using new technology, viewing and analysing their own performance, and a sense that the software does not understand the subtle nuances and context of conversations. Limitations are discussed as well as the implications for coach training, reflective practice and supervision. We suggest possibilities for further study in this area

Who is a coach and who is a coaching psychologist? Professionalising coaching psychology in the United Kingdom

As the British Psychological Society establishes a new Division of Coaching Psychology and routes to chartered membership for coaching psychologists, we revisit the ongoing dialogue into the professionalisation of coaching psychology, with a specific focus on practice in the United Kingdom (U.K.). We attempt to make distinctions between the practice of a coaching psychologist and a professionally qualified coach. First, we offer an overview of the development of coaching psychology over recent years, contemplating the need to regulate it as a profession. Following that, we consider some of the main coaching and coaching psychology definitions in an attempt to delineate the practice of coaching psychologists from that of non-psychologist coaches. Next, we compare approaches to training and some of the differences between coaching and coaching psychology, as well as the need for an ethical framework and supervision for coaching psychologists. Finally, we conclude by offering a final thought about who is a coaching psychologist

Musical revitalisation of the schoolyard: results of a service-learning project

This research presents and discusses the results of a Service-Learning project developed by student teachers of Primary Education at the University of Valladolid during the academic years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20. The project aimed to revitalize recess through musical activities for children aged 6 to 12 in seven schools in Segovia (Spain). The results of the qualitative analysis show that the project has promoted the musical development of the children through singing, the experience of rhythm, and expression through movement, using a selected repertoire of popular children folk songs. In the university students, it helped foster commitment to primary school students through the promotion of co-education and socio-cultural diversity—values which have fostered the development of social and civic competences. The student teachers also achieved professional growth by obtaining through this project skills typical of Music Education teachers

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion

Internal coach and mental health

Drawing a line between what falls within the scope of coaching and what falls within the territory of therapy can be challenging, and several books, chapters and papers related to the topic (Aboujaoude, 2020; Bachkirova & Baker, 2019; Giraldez-Hayes, 2021; O'Connor & O'Donovan, 2021, among others) have addressed this topic. When attempting to explain the differences between coaching and therapy, it is often said that “coaching deals with nonclinical populations, whereas therapy is designed to address the needs of people suffering from diagnosable clinical disorders such as depression and anxiety” (Cavanagh, 2005, p. 21). Although this seems to be a clear distinction, the decisions coaches must make in their practice are not always straightforward and require knowledge, a reasonable degree of reflection and a consciousness of ethical principles. Two crucial questions every coach should ask themselves are “Do I have the skills and knowledge to hold the client's presenting issue?” and, if that is the case, “How do I discuss the way forward with the client and, if necessary, recontract our engagement?

Coaching to Develop Psychological Capital to Support Change

There is growing evidence that psychological capital, that is, an individual’s positive psychological state achieved by a combination of hope, (self) efficacy, resilience and optimism, is linked to wellbeing, work performance and job satisfaction. Furthermore, research suggests there is a strong correlation between work and life satisfaction, indicating that people who have a sense of achievement and success in their work have more fulfilling lives and vice versa. Numerous studies also show that workers who develop positive attitudes and behaviours are more adaptable and willing to face change, and change is essential in our fast-paced and VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world. If developing psychological capital to support change is, as it should be, the aim of organisations, transformational coaching, as opposed to performance coaching, is the process that can make it possible. Starting from the premise that organisations don’t change if people don’t change, this chapter will review the concept of psychological capital and discuss how it can be developed both in individuals and organisations using coaching to support change. It will be argued that specific coaching approaches can better accomplish this purpose, and the theory and practice of those approaches will be explored

Arts and Well-Being

Art plays an essential role in human life. Children and young people engage in and socialise through narratives, songs, roleplaying, stories, dance, photography, and other art forms in interaction with their daily experience. Sometimes, schools provide formal training in music, visual arts, or drama. However, there is not enough support for arts in schools, and its contribution to students’ well-being has not always been understood. This chapter starts with a review of the latest research about positive art and the role of art to promote well-being in school communities. It is argued that art should be accessible to all students across different school activities and practised in specific ways. The chapter aims to raise awareness of the benefits that arts can bring to students’ emotional development, mental health, and well-being